Problem Solving / Decision Making

1
Problem Solving /Decision Making

• Kepner-Tregoe
• The New Rational Manager
• Chapter 7

2
Chapter 7 Contents

• Situation Appraisal, Tool for Evaluation
• Situation Appraisal Techniques
• Situation Appraisal in Practice

3
Where to Begin?

• When faced with a situation, we may experience
  confusion and uncertainty over where to begin.
• We may struggle to recognize and break apart
  actions that overlap and are required to address
  the situation.

4
More on Where to Begin

• A manager who is skilled at the three basic
  rational processes of PA, DA, and PP(O)A is more
  efficient than one who is not.
• These three rational processes are analytical in
  nature - there purpose is to analyze and resolve
• But to be more effective, a manager must also be
  skilled at another rational process Situation
  Appraisal (SA)
• SA is an evaluative technique leading to the
  proper selection and use the analytical techniques

5
SA Techniques

• List threats and opportunities
• Separate and clarify concerns
• Consider seriousness, urgency, and growth
• Determine analysis needs
• Determine help needed
• See W Fig 16 p 169, B Fig 13 p 165

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List Threats and OpportunitiesFour Activities

• List current deviations, threats, and
  opportunities
• Review progress against goals
• Look ahead for surprises
• Search for improvement

7
List Threats and Opportunities Specific
Questions

• Where are we not meeting standards?
• What problems remain unsolved?
• What recommendations are we working on?
• What decisions need to be made?
• What major projects, systems, or plans are about
  to be implemented?
• What bothers us about ..?

8
Separate and Clarify Concerns

• Most issues are more complex than they first
  appear
• It is unlikely that employing the separation
  step of Situation Appraisal will be a waste of
  time.

9
Separate and Clarify Specific Questions

• Do we think one action will resolve this?
• Do we agree on the reason for our concern?
• What evidence do we have that this is a concern?
• What do we mean by .?
• What is actually happening in this situation?
  Anything else?
• What actions are suggested?

10
Separate and Clarify Specific Questions

• Together, these questions get below the surface
• They shift us from subjective opinion to
  verifiable information
• FACTS and DATA!

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Separate and Clarify Specific Questions

• Without the separating questions, it is entirely
  possible for people to sit through an entire
  meeting in the mistaken certainty that their
  individual, disparate assessments of a situation
  represent the understanding of the group at
  large.

12
Consider Seriousness, Urgency, and Growth

• A practical and systematic process for
  determining dimensions of importance
• How serious is the current impact on people,
  safety, cost, productivity, etc.?
• How urgent is it to keep the concern from
  becoming difficult, expensive, or impossible to
  resolve
• What evidence is there that the seriousness will
  grow?

13
Consider Seriousness, Urgency, and Growth

• Postpone any concern that ranks low in all three
  dimensions
• Experienced managerial teams . can usually pick
  out the top five (concerns) in a relatively short
  time.
• Dont be unnecessarily swayed by activities you
  enjoy or activities from demanding people.

14
Determine Analysis NeedsProblem Analysis

• Does the situation require explanation?
• Is there a deviation from expected performance?
• Is the cause of the deviation unknown?
• Would knowing the cause help us to take more
  effective action?

15
Determine Analysis NeedsDecision Analysis

• Does a choice have to be made?
• Is there a dilemma around the best action to
  take?
• Do objectives need to be set in order to
  undertake some activity?

16
Determine Needs Potential Problem (Opportunity)
Analysis

• Has a decision been made that has not been
  implemented, and is it necessary to act now to
  avoid possible future trouble?
• Does a plan need to be made to safeguard a
  decision or future activity?
• Can we generate additional value by implementing
  a plan or decision?

17
Selecting the Right Rational Process

• The kind of answer we need determines the choice
  of Rational Process
• How much of an answer we need determines whether
  we will use all the process or only part of it.
• Partial use of the rational processes is common

18
Determine Help Needed

• Often responsibility for resolving concerns must
  be shared or assigned to others
• Who needs to be involved for
• Information Approval
• Commitment Development
• Implementation Creativity
• Analysis Presentation

19
Determine Help Needed (continued)

• What needs to be done and when?
• Who will do it?
• Who will document the process and the results?

20
SA in PracticeThe Cases

• Sues Reports are Late Again
• Crushed Cartons
• A Difference of Opinion
• The Madge Problem
• Replacing Obsolete Equipment

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Chapter Summary

• Far too much time is wasted trying to make sense
  of concerns that are unactionable collections of
  concerns, each with its own unique features and
  requirements.
• Formal and informal use of SA can significantly
  reduce this waste of time and energy.