Effective Team Problem Solving

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Effective Team Problem Solving

• Lecture 3 COMM 400 Management Communications
  Skills

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Problem Solving Content Issues

• Description of Problem
• Factors Constructive vs Limiting
• Ownership
• Scope of Problem
• Consequence of Problem
• Alternative Solutions
• Rank Ordered Solutions

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Process Issues in Problem Solving

• Team members as problem solvers
• Motivation of the problem solvers
• Decision making involved in selecting solution
• Execution of the solution decided upon

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Problem Solving Model
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Components of Problem
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Visceral Components of the Problem

• Size of Problem - costs, risks, losses
• Sensory Input
• Hows it look?
• Hows it sound?
• Hows it taste?
• Hows its smell?
• Hows it feel?

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Personal Components of the Problem

• Inside perspective of team members of the problem

• Team members as problem solvers

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Needed to Improve Team Problem Solving Process

• Unconditional acceptance non-judgmental
  attitude of participants
• Respect for each participants input
• Freedom to openly express emotional response to
  the problem solutions
• Defined limits and boundaries on problem solving
  process

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Reality Testing of Possible Solutions to Problem

• Brainstorming
• Critical Path Analysis
• Decision Trees
• Force Field Analysis
• PMI Plus Minus Interesting
• SWOT Analysis Strengths, Weaknesses,
  Opportunities, Threats

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Brainstorming

• Set a time frame to be completed
• Be clear what problem you are trying to solve
• All ideas should be heard.
• No idea is too wild to be expressed.
• Quantity is wanted each idea coming to mind
  should be expressed.
• Combining ideas for improvement is highly
  desirable.
• Criticism or negative discussion regarding ideas
  is absolutely forbidden.

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Critical Path Analysis

• Calculate length of time to complete project
• List all activities in plan by start date,
  duration, if parallel or sequential
• If dependent on what do they depend
• Graph it out, Plot tasks on graph
• Schedule Activities
• Critical path-longest sequence of dependent
  activities that lead to completion of plan

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Decision Trees

• Start with the decision which needs to be made
  draw a box
• Draw to right possible solutions on lines
• At End of each line if result is uncertain draw
  circle if other decision draw box
• From the other decisions draw lines for options
  which can be taken
• Calculate decision which has greatest worth to
  you and give it a value
• Estimate probability of each uncertainty

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Force Field Analysis

• List all forces for change in one column
• List all forces against change in other
• Assign a score to each force 1(weak)-5(strong)
• Draw diagram showing forces for against and
  size of forces
• Helps weigh importance of factors as to if pursue
  or not the plan

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PMI- Plus/Minus/Interesting

• Plus Column all positive points of taking the
  action
• Negative Column all negative effects
• Interesting Column extended implications of
  taking action, whether positive or negative
• Assign positive or negative scores

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SWOT Analysis

• Strengths advantages, what you do well
• Weaknesses could be improved, done badly, should
  be avoided
• Opportunities good chances, interesting trends
• Threats obstacles, competition, are required
  specifications changing

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• So what limits and boundaries would you implement
  for effective team problem solving?