Problems occur on every project, in every organization and in every aspect of life. Small, seemingly inconsequential problems pop up every day. Our instinct is to get rid of these small problems as soon as possible without regard to whether the solution is correct or optimal. On the other hand, large problems can seem insurmountable, causing paralysis on the part of an individual or an entire team.  The truth is that all problems, whether big or small, have the potential to affect our organization, our project or us as individuals. In this class, students will learn important problem-solving skills and techniques to help ensure that they can overcome any hurdle.

Prerequisites

• None, the class will progress from basics to more advanced techniques

Learning Objectives

At the end of this class, participants should be able to:

• Understand the nature of problems and why they must be resolved

• Determine when to use a team versus an individual approach

•  Identify formal issues and execute a process to resolve them

• Create a mental model for solving problems

• Practice a number of specific problem solving techniques

Who Should Attend

This class is valuable to people in all levels of your organization, including:

• Managers

• Project managers

• Team members

Course Outline

• The Nature of Problems

• Team and Individual Approaches

• Formal Issues Management

• Overview of Problem-Solving

• Specific Problem-Solving Techniques, such as:

  • Cause and Effect Analysis

  • Root Cause

  • Pareto Analysis

  • TRIZ

  • DMAIC

There are numerous exercises to reinforce the concepts and techniques taught in the class.

Class Length

• One-half day (4 PDUs)