problem solving techniques lean

How to Solve Your Problems With Lean Six Sigma (Free DMAIC Checklist)

Elisabeth Swan is the co-author of “The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit” and co-host of “The Just-in-Time Cafe Podcast.” She’s been a process improvement consultant, speaker, and innovator for over 30 years. She’s the Chief Learning Experience Officer for GoLeanSixSigma.com, a former cast member of ImprovBoston, and – if asked – may still be able to ride a unicycle.

Surgeon Atul Gawande made headlines when he told the world that a simple checklist could drastically reduce unnecessary deaths in The Checklist Manifesto .

Yet, checklists conjure images of forklift drivers on loading docks with clipboards counting boxes. How could they transform healthcare?

“ He has… produced a 90-second checklist which reduced deaths and complications by more than one-third in eight hospitals around the world – at virtually no cost and for almost any operation. ” – James Clarke, reviewing The Checklist Manifesto,  Ulster Med J. 2011 Jan; 80(1): 54.

Aviation was transformed decades earlier when management and engineers at Boeing Corporation created the pre-flight checklist after the 1935 crash of the prototype Boeing B-17 at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Checklists have become so essential to the airline industry that most crashes can be traced to the misuse or failure to complete a checklist.

A New York Times reviewer noted, “no matter how expert you may be, well-designed checklists can improve outcomes”. Since the purpose of process improvement is improving outcomes, Lean Six Sigma and checklists are natural companions.

To prove that, this Process Street blog post will show the relationship between checklists and lean six sigma, and provide you with a free  DMAIC Improvement Project Tollgate Checklist that you can use right now.

Use the links below to jump to that section of the post:

Lean Six Sigma and the role of problem-solving

Lean six sigma & the checklist, introduction phase, define phase, measure phase, analyze phase, improve phase, control phase, checklists and lean six sigma, use process street to reduce error.

Or, if you just want the checklist, check it out below!

Let’s get started.

For those unfamiliar with Lean Six Sigma and process improvement, it is a structured approach for organizations to scrutinize how things are done, poke at data and processes to uncover waste and then cut out things like extra forms, out-dated approvals and other time-wasting steps.

It’s a customer-focused, 5-step problem-solving model that engages entire workforces to constantly seek a better way of doing things.

Proof of Lean Six Sigma’s influence is evident in today’s hiring practices. A poll by GoLeanSixSigma highlights that hiring managers prefer a person who is “ Green Belt Certified ” – having substantial Lean Six Sigma skills – by an almost 80% margin. In an interview with the former head of Twitter, problem-solving emerged as the top skill sought by today’s most influential hiring managers.

In other words, problem-solving (especially via Lean Six Sigma) is an absolutely vital skill.

If problem-solving is a must-have skill and checklists are key to good outcomes, then combining the two makes sense.

DMAIC – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control – is the 5-Step model for Lean Six Sigma and there’s a set of required tollgates at the end of each phase. These tollgates outline what has to be done in order to move the problem-solving process forward.

Using the tollgates as an outline, we created a dynamic  Process Street template  that you can use for free and run checklists from to track your progress!

Before you can start solving problems, you need a problem to solve.

Picking a process issue – and finding someone in leadership to support you – are two required tasks in this first tollgate. Scoping the project is important (bigger than a “just-do-it” and smaller than “solving world hunger”) but even more critical is finding a Sponsor.

Finding a Sponsor

In a poll asking Lean Six Sigma practitioners what they considered the biggest obstacle to process improvement success, “Getting Leadership Support” accounted for almost a third.

When we coach team leads who tell us they can’t find someone to back their project, we let them know, “No Sponsor, no project”. If nobody in charge has any skin in the game, there’s no point in attempting the process fix. Find a different project that leadership supports.

One thing that helps when searching for leadership backing is being able to explain what Lean Six Sigma is and why it makes a difference. Since the checklist template is dynamic we inserted a video in the Define Phase within the checklist item, “Enlist a Project Champion/Sponsor who will support you and the project”. The team lead can share the video with managers or directors who they consider Sponsor candidates.

There’s also a Project Selection Guide Template embedded in the checklist so users can take a project idea and put it through a few screening questions. Is it a repeating problem? Is there a way to measure it? The checklist serves as a reminder, a source of templates, supporting videos and other just-in-time guidance.

The next set of tollgate tasks cover the Define Phase of DMAIC. This is where problem-solvers clarify the problem, the process impacted and customers of the process.

There is a journey of discovery during this phase as everyone agrees on the issue to solve. One of the big challenges is the tendency of ambitious team leads—or equally ambitious Sponsors—to try to “shoot the moon.”

Shooting the moon

They might want to reduce cycle time, reduce defects , improve margins, and increase customer satisfaction all by next Tuesday. But a project that focuses on everything accomplishes nothing. It’s okay to measure the cost reduction that results from reducing defects. But pick one of those to be the goal. Success is more possible if you focus on one goal at a time .

It takes practice and discipline to develop a manageable goal statement. Another moon shot is aiming for perfection out of the starting gate. When we see a goal statement that claims the team will, “reduce defects from 25% to 0%” then we know there is a sizable risk of failure and disappointment.

That’s why the Define Phase of the checklist includes a Goal Builder Template along with a blog providing tips on how to create well-crafted goal statements.

The primary focus of the Measure Phase is to baseline the process. If you’re trying to reduce defects, you need to know how you’re doing at that now. What’s your track record? You need to know the baseline of the process in order to measure whether or not you made a difference with your improvement when you get to the Improve Phase.

You need to know the gap, so you can close the gap.

The data’s in the system, somewhere…

One of the issues we run into in this phase is problem solvers assuming that data is sitting in a system somewhere waiting to be accessed. If they simply run a report, they’ll have the baseline. Check that off the list. But that rarely goes according to plan.

Maybe there’s system data, but was it entered with care? Is it reliable? We’ve seen teams struggle to use data that didn’t make sense. They could access cycle time data, but it didn’t take into account that the workday ended at 5:00. I had another team looking at why healthcare invoices had to be manually adjusted. They looked up the defect codes and the biggest category was “Other”. System data existed, but it was useless.

Most of the time, it helps to collect some data manually. In order to think through your approach, you need a Data Collection Plan. That involves listing the data you want and considering things like stratification factors—the “who, what, when, where” of data. If you’re looking at defects, should you collect data on defects by product? Defects by the fields on a form? Defects by customer type?

Within the task: “Develop a Data Collection Plan with Operational Definitions and create Check Sheets as Needed”, we’ve embedded a template (The Data Collection Plan) and a video to guide the process.

You’ll learn a lot by collecting the data firsthand, so if the perfect data set is not magically sitting in the system, it helps to have a plan.

Analyze is the crux of the DMAIC method. This is where learners drill down and discover the root cause of the process problem they’ve been chasing. Once you do that, you can solve the problem for good.

But if you have not determined the root cause then you might be solving a “symptom,” putting a bandaid on the problem or implementing a change based on a hunch. All of this means there’s a high likelihood the problem will remain and the efforts will have been in vain.

Finding the smoking gun

If you’ve always been told, “don’t bring me a problem, bring me a solution,” that’s an encouragement to jump right past this step into the fun of solutions. I’ve seen teams go with their assumptions regardless of what the data says or the process analysis reveals. I’ve seen Sponsors who tell teams what solutions they want to be implemented right from the get-go.

How do you stick with analysis long enough to find the smoking gun? The trick is to keep collecting the clues in the Cause & Effect Diagram , aka The “Fishbone Diagram”. It’s an aptly named tool, popularized by Dr. Ishikawa , which resembles a fish skeleton. Its construction allows teams to develop root cause theories around a problem as they build their knowledge of the process.

Each time they collect data, interview process participants on a Gemba Walk or map the process steps, they uncover potential reasons for defects. Making the most of the Fishbone Diagram is key but, during a poll, users reported where they fell short.

Solutions masquerading as problems

Over a third of respondents reported the issues of “listing solutions” on the Fishbone instead of causes. What we hear are phrases like, “the root cause is a lack of training”.

The problem with “lack of” anything is that it’s a sneaky way of putting a solution on the Fishbone.

The question is, “what is the training addressing?” Is it lack of user knowledge? If that’s the problem, could it be solved with helpful visuals, a simpler process? There are a lot of ways to address user knowledge before jumping to more employee training.

This is when you want to behave like the persistent detective – think Columbo, the classic 70’s TV icon. Every question helps you accumulate clues. People working through the process may have the answer without knowing it. The trick is to keep looking upstream until you find potential culprits. Dig past the symptoms.

To help with this phase, the checklist includes both a Fishbone Diagram Template as well as a video on how to get the most out of the Fishbone.

The Improve Phase is a long-anticipated step in the journey. It’s the step teams generally want to jump to from the start. Testing countermeasures, piloting solutions, watching the problem disappear, that’s the fun of process improvement. If you’ve done a proper job of Define, Measure, and Analyze, this phase falls nicely into place.

The ripple effect

The catch? Unintended consequences.

If you toss a stone into a lake you can see the ripples flow out from the center. The same principle holds true for process change. If you remove a step, change a form, skip an approval , will things fall apart? For that, we look to the Failure Modes & Effects Analysis or FMEA for short.

It’s a methodical way of assessing the potential for things to go wrong. It Involves deciding the potential severity and frequency of future problems and then mistake-proofing the process to prevent them. The technique originated at NASA since they couldn’t risk trial and error when sending men to the moon. By thinking through the risks of change they developed the kind of contingency plans you saw on display in movies like Apollo 13.

That’s why there’s an FMEA Template and a video on how to use it tucked into the main checklist from this post.

It’s okay to make changes. It’s simply key to think through the impact of those changes on other parts of the business.

Process Improvement can happen quickly and have a dramatic impact, but it’s critical to “stick the landing.” The Control Phase exists to see the improvement through to stability.

If teams move on and everyone takes their eyes off the ball, things may start to slip. What they need is the ability to continuously see the performance of the new process.

Sticking the landing

Have you ever tried to watch a game without a scoreboard? How would you know who was winning? Or how much time was left?

It’s the same with process work.

How does your team know how they’re doing? How do you stay aware of how the new process is performing?

By making the data visible.

Keeping an eye on Process Performance can be done with a single metric — you need to focus on one thing. If the goal was to reduce defects, then the single metric would be tracking the daily percentage of defects. A great way to measure success is with a Control Chart.

Control Charts are time charts. You might know them as Line Charts or Run Charts. They include a measure of variation so they are often referred to as “Run Charts that went to college”. They can be created in Excel , but they can also be drawn by hand.

Teams often set up whiteboards in the shared workspace to track things like defects. People can rotate responsibility for updating the chart. If people can see the measure and are responsible for it—they pay attention to it. What gets measured gets managed.

The Control Chart Template is embedded in the checklist for the Control Phase.

Process Improvement is a mainstay of Operational Excellence and checklists are simple but effective ways to make sure you get the outcomes you want. The following quote comes from the interim CEO/President of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence ( AME ).

“ I am a big fan of checklists for ensuring quality at the source. They serve an important purpose in reminding us of all that’s needed in a particular process or project. Without checklists, we risk missing or overlooking something by mistake. Checklists work best when ticking off items as they are completed, not en masse once the entire project is done. The key point is to use and follow them, not “pencil-whip” them from memory after the fact. While not foolproof, checklists can help us cover the details and result in more thorough, successful improvement efforts. ” – Jerry Wright , President, AME

Checklists have transformed healthcare, aviation, and countless other industries. Run this Process Street DMAIC Tollgate Checklist and make sure your next improvement effort gets great results.

Process Street is a powerful piece of workflow software that lets you crush the human error in your organization.

By creating process templates (like the free DMAIC checklist in this post) you can give your whole team a central location for them to see what they have to do, and how exactly they should do it.

No more confusion, no more errors.

Take advantage of our powerful feature set to create superpowered checklists, including:

• Form fields
• Conditional logic
• Variable user permission levels
• Exporting and printing templates
• And much, much more!

Check out our intro webinar to see the app in action!

Stop leaving the success of your processes up to chance. Get started with a free trial of Process Street today!

How do you manage quality control in your business? Let us know in the comments!

Get our posts & product updates earlier by simply subscribing

Ben Mulholland

Ben Mulholland is an Editor at Process Street , and winds down with a casual article or two on Mulholland Writing . Find him on Twitter here .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Take control of your workflows today

• Topical Articles =>
• PMP Certification
• CAPM Certification
• Agile Training
• Corporate Training
• Project Management Tools

Home / Six Sigma / The 8 Essential LEAN Techniques You Need to Know

The 8 Essential LEAN Techniques You Need to Know

Lean management is one of the top tools that eliminate types of waste in any process. Lean techniques are typically used in a production environment, and most examples in Lean training courses will focus on applying Lean techniques in these kinds of processes. The reality is that Lean techniques can be used in any environment that uses processes. Free Six Sigma Green Belt Certification trainings briefly discuss Lean Techniques. Because Lean methods and the Six Sigma method go hand in hand. Lean is part of the Six Sigma approach to problem-solving as eliminating waste goes a long way to solving problems in any process . You can read more about Lean Project Management .

• Power BI Course Beginner  
• Power BI Course Intermediate

Attend our 100% Online & Self-Paced Free Six Sigma Training .

In this article, will be going over 8 different Lean Techniques.

Lean Techniques #1 Kaizen

The purpose of KAIZEN is to improve work processes in a variety of ways . Kaizen is a generic Japanese word for improvement or making things better. KAIZEN was created in Japan following World War II. The word Kaizen means “Continuous Improvement.” It comes from the Japanese words “kai” which means “change” or “to correct” and “zen” which means “good.”

Lean Techniques #2 Poka-Yoke

The purpose of Poka-Yoke, the second of the Lean techniques, is to prevent the occurrence of mistakes or defects . It uses a wide variety of ingenious devices to prevent mistakes. An example is an automotive gasoline tank cap having an attachment that prevents the cap from being lost. Poka-Yoke is also known as Mistake-Proofing – the Japanese approach to “Mistake Proofing” in all aspects of Lean Manufacturing, Customer Service, etc. It employs visual signals that make mistakes clearly stand out from the rest. Its older name is Baka-yoke (foolproofing). Poka-Yoke is one of the most important Lean techniques.

Lean Techniques #3 5S

Of all the Lean Techniques, 5S is the one that is focused on organizing . The purpose of 5S is to reduce wasteful time and motion at a micro-level. It is an organized approach to housekeeping that ensures tools, parts and other objects are in known, optimum locations. Actually, it is a framework to create and maintain your workplace. 5S Stands for: Sort, Set-in-order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain. The act of sorting means that all unnecessary tools and other items are removed from the workplace. Set-in-order means that all necessary items are placed in locations that minimize waste of motion. For example, tools that are used frequently are placed close to the work station while tools that are used less often are placed in storage further away from the work station. Shine means that the workplace is kept in a clean and orderly manner. Next, standardize means that all processes in a workstation are standardized. Finally, Sustain means that the workers that use the workstation maintain the standard that has been set in the previous four S’s.

Lean Technique #4 KANBAN

The purpose of the fourth of the Lean techniques, KANBAN, is to schedule production and minimize work-in-process while encouraging improvement in many areas . KANBAN establishes a small stock point (usually at the producing WorkCentre) that sends a signal when items are withdrawn by a downstream process. The producing WorkCentre replaces the items removed. Kanban literally means signboard or billboard in Japanese. Kanban utilizes visual display cards to signal the movement of material between steps of a product process. It is a scheduling system for Lean and Just-in-Time. KANBAN was developed for the Toyota production system to find to improve and maintain a high level of production.

Lean Techniques #5: Just In Time

The fifth of the Lean technique is simply a production strategy that strives to improve a business’s Return on Investment (RoI) by reducing in-process inventory and associated carrying costs . To meet JIT objectives, the process relies on signals or KANBAN between different points in the process, which tell production when to make the next part. Just-in-time is actually a manufacturing philosophy that leads to “Producing the necessary units, in the necessary quantities at the necessary time with the required quality”.

Lean Technique #6 Jidoka

The purpose of Jidoka is to prevent problems on one station of a production line from building inventory and also to create urgency to find permanent solutions . Jidoka is the practice of stopping an integrated assembly or production line when any workstation encounters problems. Such stoppages create a crisis atmosphere that encourages immediate and permanent solutions. Jidoka means “automation with a human touch”. It implements a supervisory function in a production line and stops the process as soon as a defect is encountered. The process does not start until the root cause of the defect has been eliminated. Using Jidoka in a production process is a good example of using Lean techniques to eliminate waste.

Lean Techniques #7 Takt time

The purpose of Takt time is to balance the output of sequential production processes and prevent inventory buildups and shortages. It is the average time required between output units at a particular process coordinated with final customer requirements. Takt time is one of the Lean techniques in the Lean Toolbox. It is the frequency at which a product or service must be completed in order to meet customer needs. The formula for Takt time is: TAKT Time = Available Time / Required Output

Lean techniques #8 Heijunka

Heijunka is the last of the Lean techniques that we will be discussing in this article. Heijunka is the leveling of production by both volume and product mix. This system does not build products according to the actual flow of customer orders. Heijunka takes the total volume of orders in a period and levels them out so the same amount and mix are being made each day. It means Production leveling/smoothing. It is a technique to reduce waste that occurs due to fluctuating customer demand.

Lean techniques are used to create processes that have no non-value-add parts. Any part of a process that does not add value to the consumer is eliminated using Lean techniques. Applying Lean techniques is a strict and disciplined approach to modifying and maintaining processes that add 100% value to the client and do not waste any costs with non-value-adding steps. This has a positive effect on RoI. Following Lean techniques is a must for anyone who is responsible for a process. There will always be some sort of waste in a process and using Lean techniques will help to eliminate waste.

Related Posts

One thought on “ the 8 essential lean techniques you need to know ”.

• Pingback: What Is Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Why Do We Use It? - Master of Project Academy Blog

Comments are closed.

Disclaimer:

• PMP, PMI, PMBOK, CAPM, ACP and PDU are registered marks of the Project Management Institute.
• ITIL® is a [registered] trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
• PRINCE2® is a [registered] trade mark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved.
• Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM) and Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST) are registered trademarks of SCRUM ALLIANCE®
• Professional Scrum Master is a registered trademark of Scrum.org
• CISA® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) and the IT Governance Institute.
• CISSP® is a registered mark of The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium ((ISC)2).

Master of Project Promo Codes PMP Articles

PMP Certification Ultimate Guide – 99.6% Pass Rate CAPM Articles

Lean Six Sigma

8 minute read

Lean Six Sigma Tools and Techniques You Need to Know

Joseph Mapue

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email

Some businesses aspire for transformation, others make it happen. Many of those who succeed at driving change — including most Fortune 100 companies — do so by applying the principles and processes of Lean Six Sigma .

Want to learn more about the Lean Six Sigma methodology?

Check out this ebook that will guide you through the key concepts of LSS.

Developed to sustain customer satisfaction and deliver high-quality output, Lean Six Sigma is a process improvement method that harnesses teamwork to systematically boost operational efficiencies and reduce waste. Lean Six Sigma evolved from the fusion of two related disciplines — lean manufacturing and Six Sigma — that have successfully achieved dramatic improvements in the profitability of organizations across different industries.

So let's go over Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques you need to know.

As a data-driven method, Lean Six Sigma uses precise tools and techniques to identify challenges, solve problems, and attain business goals. For the most part, these tools and techniques relate to specific stages in the improvement cycle denoted as DMAIC (Define, Measure , Analyze, Improve, Control).

20+ powerful tools and techniques in Lean Six Sigma

Many of the techniques and tools used by Lean Six Sigma practitioners have been around well before the process improvement method was formalized. Many were used in business analysis, relationship visualizations, project management , and other fields. The effectivity of specific tools and techniques depends heavily on their fitness when it comes to an organization’s unique situation, business model, and corporate culture.

Failure Mode & Effects Analysis ( FMEA ) - A model that helps professionals analyze and prioritize weaknesses and potential defects of a design or process based on factors such as severity and frequency of occurrence.

Process Flow Charts - A commonly used visual aid that shows the steps or stages of a process. This top-level diagram lends clarity to an improvement project and brings everyone on the same page.

Project Charter - A document primarily used in project management that sets the parameters of a process improvement project. While a project charter plays a major role in the Define phase of DMAIC, it also serves as a tool in the Control stage.

RACI Matrix - Acronym for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. This matrix outlines all the roles and responsibilities related to every activity/task in a process or project.

TAKT Time - The rate (expressed in time units) at which a business needs to complete a product to meet customer demand.

• Value Stream Map - A very detailed type of process flow chart that visualizes all the steps in a process that are required to deliver value from start to finish. It is originally a lean management tool for mapping all the activities needed to create a product and get it into the hands of the end-customer.

Histogram - A bar chart that shows frequency distribution or variation in a data set. It is often used to a) identify which factors contribute most to the occurrence of a problem, and b) determine the capability of a process to consistently generate an acceptable output.

• Pareto Chart - A histogram that shows the relative significance/impact of defects or variances in a system. It helps determine where the bulk of defects occur, effectively clarifying the cause and effect of problems and identifying the specific area that needs improvement the most.

5 Whys Analysis - A straightforward method for determining the root cause of a problem. The method prescribes asking “why” a problem occurs five times in succession to sift through mere symptoms and eventually zero in on the real factor that causes the problem.

Design of Experiments - A systematic technique for testing the relationships between different factors with the purpose of creating the best-case design (i.e., optimal performance of features and functions) for a process or system.

Fishbone Diagram - A visualization technique for mapping all possible causes of a problem based on logical categories, with the aim of identifying root causes. Also called cause-and-effect or Ishikawa diagram, fishbone diagrams are often used during brainstorming sessions.

Regression Analysis - A statistical tool for understanding the relationship between output and input variables, and making predictions based on the relationship.

5S - A five-step method for keeping workplaces orderly and for motivating workers to maintain discipline and optimal process/workflow conditions. The term originally referred to five Japanese words whose English equivalents are Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.

A3 Process/Report - A systematic approach to solving problems and driving continuous improvement that is typically documented/simplified/visualized on a sheet of A3-size paper, hence the name.

Kanban - A graphical scheduling system named after the Japanese terms for “visual” (kan) and “card” or “board” (ban). The system is designed to optimize the production process by reducing idle time and inventory.

Kaizen - A mindset of continuous improvement. It holds that everything can undergo incremental improvements over time. Kaizen advocates for proactive teamwork and the elimination of waste.

• Poka Yoke (Error-Proofing) - A mistake prevention approach that aims to eliminate product defects by preventing, correcting, and signaling the occurrence of human errors as they happen. Named after the Japanese terms for “error” and “machine operator,” poka-yoke refers to any mechanism in a process that reduces the frequency of mistakes, with the ultimate goal of enabling people and processes to get things right the first time.

Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) - A method associated with lean manufacturing that reduces the time it takes to run the current product to run the next. It is used to accelerate cycle time, reduce costs, and enhance the adaptability of processes. Also called Quick Changeover.

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) - a methodology for maintaining and improving the quality of systems, processes, and machines. TPM specifically aims to reduce loses that are incurred when unplanned downtime occurs.

Control Charts - A time-based visualization that is used to monitor and improve quality. Control charts are major tools used in statistical process control. Also called the process behavior chart.

Standardized Work - A baseline concept in kaizen or continuous improvement that is used as a tool for keeping productivity and quality at optimum levels. Standardized work documents the current best practice. When a new and improved system is adopted, it becomes the new standardized work.

Statistical Process Control ( SPC ) - A methodology that uses statistical tools to monitor, control, and improve the quality of processes.

Lean Six Sigma is an evolving field whose tools and techniques continue to reap tremendous benefits for business organizations (process improvements and uplift in profitability) as well as certified practitioners (professional credentials, career advancement, and salary raises). 

Our Lean Six Sigma Overview and Glossary will help accelerate your understanding of the different concepts and processes in the field. If you want to learn more about the tools mentioned in this article and how best to use them, you can check out our library of Lean Six Sigma courses and certification programs.

Remember, Lean Six Sigma is not just a highly organized and effective collection of tools and methodologies. It is also a habit that sets excellence and continuous improvement as your default mode.

Prepare to get certified in Lean Six Sigma

Start learning today with GoSkills courses

Loved this? Subscribe, and join 443,274 others.

Get our latest content before everyone else. Unsubscribe whenever.

Joseph Mapue wears his writer's hat wherever he goes, crafting top-notch content on business, technology, creativity, and innovation. He is also a dreamer, builder, father, and gamer.

Recommended

How Online Learning Can Help You Grow Professionally (and Personally)

To grow professionally doesn’t just mean climbing the corporate ladder. Explore four ways online learning fosters professional, and even personal, growth.

Process Improvement Skills Boil Down to These 3 Elements

How can you tell someone has process improvement skills? It really comes down to a combination of three important factors.

The Basics of Gage R&R

Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility studies (Gage R&R) are a type of Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA). This tutorial walks you through the basics.

© 2024 GoSkills Ltd. Skills for career advancement

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons
• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

6.4: Lean Processes

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 50787

• Michael Laverty and Chris Littel et al.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Discuss the lean process methodology
• Understand the phases of the lean problem-solving process.

You have learned about different problem-solving approaches that entrepreneurs take to lead their startups and work with others. Most of these approaches have had to do with the entrepreneur’s cognitive or creative mindsets. Now we will learn about an approach that is more rooted in process, called lean process . Lean problem solving has been used as an entrepreneurial methodology in new and emerging ventures, and it’s interesting that it comes from a large corporate, manufacturing background that focuses on efficiencies. The Six Sigma methodology, pioneered at Motorola in the 1970s and 1980s, and adopted by many companies, is a disciplined, data-driven approach that provides companies tools to improve the capability of their business processes. According to the American Society for Quality, “Six Sigma views all work as processes that can be defined, measured, analyzed, improved and controlled. A set of qualitative and quantitative tools is used to drive process improvement. This increase in performance and decrease in process variation helps lead to defect reduction and improvement in profits, employee morale, and quality of products or services.” 26 GE copied it and created the “Process Excellence” programs that millions of managers and others have taken to get certified at various “belts.” Although Six Sigma and Process Excellence do not fit strictly in terms of entrepreneurship, as they are used mainly by large, mature companies, many of the methods fit in the lean model.

Toyota pioneered the lean process in the 1980s. The term “lean manufacturing” is the most common, but it is much more than manufacturing. The lean process is a systematic method for the maximizing of continuous improvement and the minimization of surplus or unused material in the production of a process. The entrepreneur begins the startup with a sense the original product will be the product carrying the organization to success in the long term. In most cases, the good or service will require modification to maintain a process, technology, or up-to-date product offering. Lean problem solving means the entrepreneur’s entire team scans both the company’s internal and external environments for continuous improvement and methods for bringing additional revenue to the startup by cost improvement processes that promote sustainable value. The external environment encompasses customers, industry trends, and competition. The internal environment comprises the factors inside the enterprise, such as employees, and internal practices and processes. In lean manufacturing, for example, improving efficiencies in the internal environment should lead to advantages in the external environment (whether that be cost savings to customers, competitive advantage from more output/superior product, etc.).

For example, every mile saved per day per UPS truck driver results in approximately $50 million in savings per year, according to Juan Perez, the company’s chief information and engineering officer. Using customer data and artificial intelligence, the company created a system dubbed ORION, which is an acronym for On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation. 27 To date, the system has resulted in $400 million in savings to UPS. By applying the lean process, everything that UPS saves on the input (by reducing mileage) leads to savings on the output, which leads faster deliveries, lower costs for consumers, and more profit for UPS.

Lean Problem-Solving Process

The lean problem-solving process is a cycle of observation, assessment, and continual evaluation. As shown in Table 6.4.1, this cycle typically involves eight specific steps.

The lean problem-solving, step-wise process allows the business to observe, assess, and continually evaluate.

ARE YOU READY?

Too much too late.

Many entrepreneurs create a startup with an idea that they develop without any feedback from potential customers, relying on their own knowledge or assumptions about the market. Consider the story of Rapid SOS: https://hbr.org/2018/05/do-entrepren...eed-a-strategy . What would most likely happen when they decided to go forward with their product? Will it be a fit to the customer’s needs or solve their problems? How is lean process different from this?

Lean Problem-Solving Phases

Observation is the phase in which the entrepreneur studies the challenge and notes all facets of the challenge requiring solution. In this phase, the entrepreneur asks questions and conducts research about the change needed for a successful product, outcome, or service. The entrepreneurs must determine why the change is needed. What is the purpose of the endeavor? Feedback is extremely important in this phase.

For example, a community asked a group of entrepreneurs to help address the youth obesity problem in a middle school. The entrepreneurs began to study the intake of food by the children and determined that both the content of the school lunch menu and the lifestyle of the majority of the children were affecting the obesity rate in the community. They then defined the purpose of the project as finding a low-cost, low-risk method of changing the lunch menu and agreed that the primary outcome would be a 30 percent reduction in the obesity rate of the children. The entrepreneurs began to assess the cost of changing the lunch menu and observing what else the kids ate. The entrepreneurs discovered that the lunch menu change required to reduce the obesity rate was beyond the financial capability of the school district. Research also showed that many of the children, products of single-parent homes, were eating high-calorie, high-fat, take-out foods for dinner. Further observation revealed that the children did not engage in physical activity after hours because the local surroundings were not safe. The community needed a process to transform the wellness of the children, and the entrepreneurs recommended using a lean process approach to help the children as quickly as possible.

After the observation of the problem comes assessment , the phase in which the entrepreneur experiments and analyzes the potential process and its capabilities. The entrepreneur leverages creative tools and resources to arrive at a solution and assesses each step of a possible solution. Each step must add value to the solution, or that step in the solution is unnecessary. In addition, the step must be capable of solving the issue and add flexibility to the solution. How is the process or product being improved? In this phase, a prototype of the product is developed and delivered. The entrepreneur must ask the customer if all needs and wants are satisfied with the prototype. If the prototype is being developed for mass production, surveying customers about potential sales is essential. In the school lunch example, the school system would have been the customer of the new food menu (prototype) in the assessment phase.

Evaluation is the phase in which behaviors are analyzed to assess success. The entrepreneur continually studies each phase of the solution to observe the effectiveness of outcomes desired by the client. The entrepreneur ensures that transformation is built into the habits of the school to obtain, maintain, and develop the desired outcomes.

In a real-world example of a company applying lean processes, the New Balance Company, which designs and manufactures both athletic and casual shoes, used a batching approach in the early 2000s that organized production by departments, so that all of the cutting took place in one department, all of the stitching took place in another, and so forth. While it seems that batching tasks would improve efficiency, at New Balance, it meant that production of one pair of shoes took nine days. Executives observed piles of inventory sitting between floors and departments, and noticed employees waiting while there were delays in the production line. They also noticed that the pay structure contributed to the piles of works in process because employees were paid by the piece, which encouraged them to produce as much as possible.

The company applied lean principles to rearrange the production floor by value streams, or the making of a product by sharing similar processing steps. On one side was “cut and stitch” products using US materials of leather and mesh, while another side used premade products from overseas for soles, inserts, and kits. This change cut the time to make a pair of shoes down to four hours, meaning that domestic plants could ship some orders in twenty-four hours, while competitors may need as much as 121 days to ship when they outsourced manufacturing to Asia.

An often-used lean problem-solving tool is whiteboarding ( Figure 6.16 ). Whiteboarding is a type of graphing that permits the entrepreneur to plot each step in a process to build comprehension and detailing of the process. The entrepreneur draws each step on the whiteboard using a linking-type diagram, and draws arrows to show how processes affect other processes. Seeing the flow of the process allows the entrepreneur to note where functions in the process are duplicated or inconsistent.

For example, in a community garden, storing tools, such as hoes and hand trowels for weeding, in different sheds wastes time when preparing to begin the process of weeding. These tools should be stored collectively to eliminate multiple trips and wasted time. Seeing the process on a whiteboard or other medium brings awareness to how processes can be improved. After the process is changed, it is graphed again for further scrutiny.

ENTREPRENEUR IN ACTION

The origin of lean.

Would it surprise you to know the origin of lean, in modern times, is considered to be Henry Ford’s production line? Although we don’t necessarily think of the creation of automobiles as an entrepreneurial venture in today’s world, Henry Ford was truly an entrepreneur for his time when the manufacture of automobiles was just beginning. Not only did he recognize the opportunity inherent in the sale of automobiles, he recognized the need to create an efficient process for automobile production that could decrease costs and, consequently, the selling price of the vehicle. As the first entrepreneur to join the use of interchangeable parts with moving conveyance to develop fabrication processes, Ford was able to turn over inventory in a very short time; however, Ford’s process could not deliver variety. In fact, Ford was quoted as saying of the Model T’s color, “You can have any color as long as it's black.” 29 It had the fastest drying time; hence, it was the only color he used for a number of years.

The Ford system was built around one static product. In the 1930s, when the market demanded product variety, the company was not set up to address this challenge. Kiichiro Toyoda (Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\)), the second president of Toyota Motor Corporation, visited the Ford plant in Michigan to learn more about their application of the assembly line concept. After observing, he proposed a new production system that would strive to “right size” equipment to better match tasks and the volume of work, as well as introducing quality assurance steps in each sequence of the work process. Toyoda’s approach shifted the focus from machinery to process, optimizing efficiency while maintaining quality.

• Guide: 8D Problem Solving

Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

• Last Updated: June 13, 2023
• Learn Lean Sigma

8D Problem Solving is a systematic and structured approach used to solve business related problems. It names has been given by the fact there are 8 steps or 8 disciplines that are followed to identify, correct and eliminate recurring problems.

8D Problem Solving is regarded as robust methodology that has proven its worth across multiple industries and manufacturing in particular. The methodology was Initially developed within the automotive industry, it has since been widely adopted in manufacturing, logistics and health care to name a few. The 8D approach goes beyond helping team just identify the root cause of problem but also provides a structured approach for implementing and verifying corrective actions.

Table of Contents

What is 8d problem solving.

The 8D Problem-Solving methodology was developed in the late 1980s  by Ford Motor Company. The term “8D” stands for “Eight Disciplines,” which represent the eight critical steps in problem-solving.

Initially it was only intended to resolve issues within the automotive manufacturing process. However, over the year since then the methodology has gained universal acceptance and is now applied across various sectors. The 8D approach was heavily influenced by quality management systems like Total Quality Management (TQM) and methodologies like Six Sigma and forms a key part of quality roles and Six sigma qualifications.

8D is also encourages collaborative team based approach to addressing issues in the workplace This methodology was purposefully designed to be a cross-functional effort, ensuring to bring together expertise from different departments or disciplines to comprehensively address an issue by looking at it from all point of view. Here are the key components:

Preparation : Before diving into problem-solving, the team gathers all necessary resources and tools.

Team Establishment : A cross-functional team is assembled, each member having a specific role and responsibility.

Problem Description : The issue at hand is clearly defined to ensure everyone has a shared understanding.

Interim Actions : Short-term solutions are implemented to contain the problem and prevent further damage.

Root Cause Analysis : Various tools and methods are used to identify the real cause of the problem.

Permanent Corrective Actions : Long-term solutions are selected and verified to eliminate the root cause.

Implementation : The long-term solutions are implemented across the board, including necessary changes to policies and procedures.

Prevent Recurrence : Measures are taken to ensure that the problem does not occur again.

Team Recognition : The team is congratulated and acknowledged for their efforts.

How does 8D Compare to over Problem-Solving Methods?

Between quality management systems and lean six sigma there are several problem-solving methodologies such as PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control), and A3 . However the combination of the 8D steps results in a comprehensive frame work that is:

Team-Oriented : Unlike some methodologies that can be carried out by individuals, 8D strongly emphasizes team collaboration as a core principle as seen in steps D1 and D8.

Structured Framework : 8D provides a very detailed, step-by-step guide for solving complex problems, by breaking it down in to logical steps making it easier to manage and track progress.

Broad Applicability : While some methodologies like DMAIC are closely tied to Six Sigma, 8D can be applied in various contexts without being tied to a particular quality management system.

Focus on Prevention : 8D not only aims to solve the problem but also focuses on implementing changes to prevent its recurrence, making it a complete approach to problem solving.

The 8 Disciplines Explained

D0: prepare for the process.

Before you start 8D you should prepare for the 8D process. This phase sets the foundation for the entire methodology, ensuring that the team is able to tackle the problem effectively. Therefore, effective preparation helps in avoiding unnecessary delays and ensures that you’re not solving the wrong problem.

Within the initial preparation step you should also the time to think about what knowledge, expertise and experience you need within the team. Cross-functional teams are important, as they bring alternative perspectives and skills to the table rather than everyone looking at the problem from one point of view. Make sure you consider expertise, availability, and interest when selecting team members.

D1: Establish the Team

In D1 you should establish the team by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities for each team member. This includes assigning a team leader, subject matter experts, and roles for data collection , analysis, and communication this helps to provide the team members clarity on how they will be involved and contribute to the success of the problems solving activity.

Team Composition

Once roles are defined, where possible ensure that the team is balanced in terms of skills and expertise. A well-rounded team will be more effective in tackling various aspects of the problem.

Communication

Establish clear methods communication, both within the team and with external stakeholders. Such as deciding on regular meeting schedules that everyone can attend, reporting formats, and tools for collaboration.

D2: Describe the Problem

In D2 it is time to create a well formed problem statement. This step is key as it provides a foundation for understanding the problem which will lead to generally more successful problem-solving. It ensures that everyone clearly understands what needs to be addressed, setting the scope for the entire process. Ensure that the problem is clearly understood by everyone in the team at this stage to prevent confusion later on in the process.

5W1H Method of creating a Problem Definition

Use data gathering techniques such as observations, interviews, and document reviews can help to precisely identify the problem. A useful tool to use at this stage could be the 5W1H Problem definition method.

You can find out more about this method with our 5W1H guide .

Problem Definition – is / is not template

When creating your problem definition ensure to be specific, measurable, and unambiguous when stating the problem. You should avoid generalities and ensure that the problem statement is understandable to someone unfamiliar with the issue. If you are new to this process it may be helpful to give the statement to someone unfamiliar to the process and see if they understand it or if they have questions. You can then clarify any questions by adjusting the problem description to improve the claity.

D3: Implement and Verify Interim Actions

In D3 while the team is investigating the root cause, interim actions are must be implement to contain the problem and minimize its impact. This is particularly important in critical situations affecting safety, compliance, or customer satisfaction. 

In this step you should identify, plan, and execute short-term fixes that can quickly contain the problem. This could include quarantining the product to ensure it is not sent out to the customer or even pausing production lines that continue to product defects. Ensure these actions are documented for future reference.

Use metrics and KPIs to gauge the effectiveness of the interim actions. Make adjustments as necessary.

D4: Root Cause Analysis

D4 is where you start to understand what is causing the issue by identifying the underlying reason for the problem. The objective is to find the root cause, not just the symptoms.

At this stage there are a range of quality and lean six sigma tools that can be used to conduct root cause analysis , which can include the Fishbone Diagram for structured brainstorming and the 5 Whys technique for causal chain analysis.

We have a range of guides on all of these techniques for you to use.

Once identified, it is important validate the root cause through experimentation or additional data analysis to ensure it’s the actual cause and not a symptom, this can often be an overlook critical step in the root cause process.

D5: Choose and Verify Permanent Corrective Actions

In D5 you need to choose what actions to be taken to prevent the problem reoccurring and any solutions implemented should be verified that the actions correct the problem this can involve trial runs, further data collection and inspections of product or services being produced.

You should also consider factors like cost, impact, and feasibility when choosing a permanent corrective action and should also conduct a risk assessment to evaluate potential negative outcomes of the actions taken

An implementation or action plan is often useful to document at this stage to detail the steps for implementation, assign responsibilities, and set timelines.

D6: Implement Permanent Corrective Actions

Once verified, implement the corrective actions across all relevant departments or processes. This can involved documenting the new process and training out to all stakeholders involved to ensure the new process is followed and that the stakeholders understand the reason for the change.

At this point you should continue to regularly monitor the situation to ensure the corrective actions are sustained and effective, this could be for a period of 30, 60 or 90 days after the problem was resolved to ensure the new process has become a sustained and issues do not reoccur. 

D7: Prevent Recurrence

In D7 to prevent recurrent you should review and update organizational policies or standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent a recurrence of the problem and document the new standard process

It is important to conduct regular reviews to continuously monitor the process and ensure procedures are being followed but also to identify further opportunities for process improvement.

D8: Congratulate the Team

The final step D8, after the hard work and successful problem resolution, it is important to acknowledging and congratulating the team is vital for morale and future engagement. With the recognition of a successful 8D Problem-solving activity complete you are more likely to encourage future participation as the method gets a reputation as being useful and successful at solving problems. 

Whether it’s a team lunch, certificates of achievement, or simply a public acknowledgment, celebrate the success in a way that resonates with your team.

Finally it is always important to conduct a lessons-learned session and document the insights gained during the process for future reference. This can be used as a future point of reference for problem solving activities.

Mastering the art of problem-solving is crucial in today’s complex and fast-paced environment. The 8D Problem-Solving methodology offers a structured, team-based approach to tackling challenges that can arise in any sector, be it manufacturing, public services, or logistics. This guide has walked you through each of the eight disciplines, offering best practices and highlighting common pitfalls to avoid. We’ve also enriched your understanding through real-world case studies that demonstrate the methodology’s versatility and effectiveness. Remember, the strength of 8D lies not just in identifying and resolving problems, but also in preventing their recurrence through systemic improvements. By adhering to the principles and steps outlined in this guide, you’re well on your way to becoming an adept problem solver, capable of driving continuous improvement in your organization.

• Zarghami, A. and Benbow, D.W., 2017.  Introduction to 8D problem solving . Quality Press.
• Camarillo, A., Ríos, J. and Althoff, K.D., 2017. CBR and PLM applied to diagnosis and technical support during problem solving in the Continuous Improvement Process of manufacturing plants .  Procedia Manufacturing ,  13 , pp.987-994.

Q: What is 8D problem solving?

A: 8D problem solving is a systematic approach used to address and resolve complex problems. It is widely utilized in various industries to identify the root causes of issues, develop effective solutions, and prevent their recurrence.

Q: Why is it called "8D" problem solving?

A: The name “8D” refers to the eight disciplines or steps involved in the problem-solving process. Each discipline represents a specific stage in the methodology, allowing for a structured and comprehensive approach to problem resolution.

Q: What are the eight disciplines (8D) in problem solving?

A: The eight disciplines in problem solving, often abbreviated as 8D, are as follows:

• D1: Form a team
• D2: Define the problem
• D3: Implement containment actions
• D4: Determine the root cause
• D5: Develop and implement corrective actions
• D6: Validate the effectiveness of corrective actions
• D7: Prevent recurrence
• D8: Congratulate the team

Q: What is the purpose of forming a team in the 8D problem-solving process?

A: Forming a team at the beginning of the 8D problem-solving process helps ensure that the right individuals with the necessary expertise are involved in addressing the problem. The team collaboratively works towards understanding the issue, analyzing data, and developing effective solutions.

Q: How is the root cause determined in the 8D problem-solving process?

A: Determining the root cause (D4) involves conducting a thorough analysis of the problem. Various tools and techniques, such as cause-and-effect diagrams, 5 Whys, and data analysis, are employed to identify the underlying factors contributing to the problem.

Q: Can the 8D problem-solving methodology be applied to any type of problem?

A: Yes, the 8D problem-solving methodology is a versatile approach that can be applied to various types of problems across different industries. It provides a structured framework for problem resolution and can be tailored to suit the specific needs and requirements of different situations.

Daniel Croft is a seasoned continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. With over 10 years of real-world application experience across diverse sectors, Daniel has a passion for optimizing processes and fostering a culture of efficiency. He's not just a practitioner but also an avid learner, constantly seeking to expand his knowledge. Outside of his professional life, Daniel has a keen Investing, statistics and knowledge-sharing, which led him to create the website learnleansigma.com, a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights.

Download Template

Free lean six sigma templates.

Improve your Lean Six Sigma projects with our free templates. They're designed to make implementation and management easier, helping you achieve better results.

Other Guides

Top 25 Lean Tools & Techniques

Exploring Lean

There are a lot of great ideas to explore in lean. So, where should you begin?

One way to start is to survey the most important lean tools, with a brief description and a short explanation of how each tool can improve your manufacturing operations.

If a tool captures your interest or resonates with you in some way – explore it further to decide if it is something to pursue now…or later. Many of these tools can be successfully used in isolation, which makes it much easier to get started. On the other hand, the benefits will compound as more tools are used, as they support and reinforce each other.

25 Lean Manufacturing Tools

What is 5s.

5S organizes the work area:

• Sort: eliminate that which is not needed
• Straighten: organize remaining items
• Shine: clean and inspect work area
• Standardize: write standards for above
• Sustain: regularly apply the standards

How does 5S help?

5S eliminates waste that results from a poorly organized work area (e.g., wasting time looking for a tool).

Learn more about 5S

What is Andon?

Andon is a visual feedback system for the plant floor that indicates production status, alerts when assistance is needed, and empowers operators to stop the production process.

How does Andon help?

Andon acts as a real-time communication tool for the plant floor that brings immediate attention to problems as they occur – so they can be instantly addressed.

Learn more about Andon at Vorne.com

Bottleneck Analysis

What is bottleneck analysis.

Bottleneck Analysis identifies which part of the manufacturing process limits the overall throughput and improves the performance of that part of the process.

How does Bottleneck Analysis help?

Bottleneck Analysis improves throughput by strengthening the weakest link in the manufacturing process.

Continuous Flow

What is continuous flow.

Continuous Flow is manufacturing where work-in-process smoothly flows through production with minimal (or no) buffers between steps of the manufacturing process.

How does Continuous Flow help?

Continuous Flow eliminates many forms of waste (e.g., inventory, waiting time, and transport).

Gemba (The Real Place)

What is gemba.

Gemba is a philosophy that reminds us to get out of our offices and spend time on the plant floor – the place where real action occurs.

How does Gemba help?

Gemba promotes a deep and thorough understanding of real-world manufacturing issues – by first-hand observation and by talking with plant floor employees.

Heijunka (Level Scheduling)

What is heijunka.

Heijunka is a form of production scheduling that purposely manufactures in much smaller batches by sequencing (mixing) product variants within the same process.

How does Heijunka help?

Heijunka reduces lead times (since each product or variant is manufactured more frequently) and inventory (since batches are smaller).

Hoshin Kanri (Policy Deployment)

What is hoshin kanri.

Hoshin Kanri aligns the goals of the company (Strategy), with the plans of middle management (Tactics) and the work performed on the plant floor (Action).

How does Hoshin Kanri help?

Hoshin Kanri ensures that progress towards strategic goals is consistent and thorough – eliminating the waste that comes from poor communication and inconsistent direction.

Learn more about Hoshin Kanri

Jidoka (Autonomation)

What is jidoka.

Jidoka is the idea that manufacturers should design equipment to partially automate the manufacturing process (partial automation is typically much less expensive than full automation) and to automatically stop when defects are detected.

How does Jidoka help?

After Jidoka, workers can frequently monitor multiple stations (reducing labor costs) and many quality issues can be detected immediately (improving quality).

Just-In-Time (JIT)

What is just-in-time.

Just-In-Time pulls parts through production based on customer demand instead of pushing parts through production based on projected demand. Relies on many lean tools, such as Continuous Flow, Heijunka, Kanban, Standardized Work, and Takt Time .

How does Just-In-Time help?

Just-In-Time is highly effective in reducing inventory levels. Improves cash flow and reduces space requirements.

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)

What is kaizen.

Kaizen is a strategy where employees work together proactively to achieve regular, incremental improvements in the manufacturing process.

Learn more about Kaizen

How does Kaizen help?

Kaizen combines the collective talents of a company to create an engine for continually eliminating waste from manufacturing processes.

Kanban (Pull System)

What is kanban.

Kanban is a method of regulating the flow of goods both within the factory and with outside suppliers and customers. Based on automatic replenishment through signal cards that indicate when more goods are needed.

How does Kanban help?

Kanban eliminates waste from inventory and overproduction. Can eliminate the need for physical inventories, instead relying on signal cards to indicate when more goods need to be ordered.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

What are kpis.

KPIs are metrics designed to track and encourage progress towards critical goals of the organization. Strongly promoted KPIs can be extremely powerful drivers of behavior – so it is important to carefully select KPIs that will drive desired behavior.

How do KPIs help?

The best manufacturing KPIs:

• Are aligned with top-level strategic goals (thus helping to achieve those goals)
• Are effective at exposing and quantifying waste (OEE is a good example)
• Are readily influenced by plant floor employees (so they can drive results)

Learn more about Manufacturing KPIs at Vorne.com

Muda (Waste)

What is muda.

Muda is anything in the manufacturing process that does not add value from the customer’s perspective.

How does Muda help?

Muda doesn’t help. Muda means ‘waste’. The elimination of muda (waste) is the primary focus of lean manufacturing.

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

What is overall equipment effectiveness.

OEE is a framework for measuring productivity loss for a given manufacturing process. Three categories of loss are tracked:

• Availability (e.g., downtime)
• Performance (e.g., slow cycles)
• Quality (e.g., rejects)

How does Overall Equipment Effectiveness help?

OEE provides a benchmark/baseline and a means to track progress in eliminating waste from a manufacturing process. 100% OEE means perfect production (manufacturing only good parts, as fast as possible, with no downtime).

Learn more about OEE at OEE.com

PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)

What is pdca.

PDCA is an iterative methodology for implementing improvements:

• Plan: establish plan and expected results
• Do: implement plan
• Check: verify expected results achieved
• Act: review and assess; do it again

How does PDCA help?

PDCA applies a scientific approach to making improvements:

• Plan: develop a hypothesis
• Do: run experiment
• Check: evaluate results
• Act: refine your experiment; try again

Poka-Yoke (Error Proofing)

What is poka-yoke.

Poka-Yoke designs error detection and prevention into production processes with the goal of achieving zero defects.

How does Poka-Yoke help?

It is difficult (and expensive) to find all defects through inspection, and correcting defects typically gets significantly more expensive at each stage of production.

Root Cause Analysis

What is root cause analysis.

Root Cause Analysis is a problem solving methodology that focuses on resolving the underlying problem instead of applying quick fixes that only treat immediate symptoms of the problem. A common approach is to ask why five times – each time moving a step closer to discovering the true underlying problem.

How does Root Cause Analysis help?

Root Cause Analysis helps to ensure that a problem is truly eliminated by applying corrective action to the “root cause” of the problem.

Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)

What is single-minute exchange of die.

Single-Minute Exchange of Die reduces setup (changeover) time to less than 10 minutes. SMED techniques include:

• Convert setup steps to be external (performed while the process is running)
• Simplify internal setup (e.g., replace bolts with knobs and levers)
• Eliminate non-essential operations
• Create Standardized Work instructions

How does Single-Minute Exchange of Die help?

SMED enables manufacturing in smaller lots, reduces inventory, and improves customer responsiveness.

Learn more about SMED at Vorne.com

Six Big Losses

What is six big losses.

The Six Big Losses are six categories of productivity loss that are almost universally experienced in manufacturing:

• Setup/Adjustments
• Small Stops
• Reduced Speed
• Startup Rejects
• Production Rejects

How does Six Big Losses help?

The Six Big Losses provide a framework for attacking the most common causes of waste in manufacturing.

Learn more about Six Big Losses at Vorne.com

SMART Goals

What are smart goals.

SMART Goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Specific.

How do SMART Goals help?

SMART Goals help to ensure that goals are effective.

Standardized Work

What is standardized work.

Standardized Work is documented procedures for manufacturing that capture best practices (including the time to complete each task). It must be “living” documentation that is easy to change.

How does Standardized Work help?

Standardized Work eliminates waste by consistently applying best practices. Forms a baseline for future improvement activities.

What is Takt Time?

Takt Time is the pace of production (e.g., manufacturing one piece every 34 seconds) that aligns production with customer demand. Calculated as Planned Production Time / Customer Demand.

How does Takt Time help?

Takt Time provides a simple, consistent, and intuitive method of pacing production. Is easily extended to provide an efficiency goal for the plant floor (Actual Pieces / Target Pieces).

Learn more about Takt Time at Vorne.com

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

What is total productive maintenance.

TPM is a holistic approach to maintenance that focuses on proactive and preventative maintenance to maximize the operational time of equipment. TPM blurs the distinction between maintenance and production by placing a strong emphasis on empowering operators to help maintain their equipment.

How does Total Productive Maintenance help?

TPM creates a shared responsibility for equipment that encourages greater involvement by plant floor workers. In the right environment, this can be very effective in improving productivity (increasing uptime, reducing cycle times, and eliminating defects).

Learn more about TPM at Vorne.com

Value Stream Mapping

What is value stream mapping.

Value Stream Mapping is a tool used to visually map the flow of production. Shows the current and future state of processes in a way that highlights opportunities for improvement.

How does Value Stream Mapping help?

Value Stream Mapping exposes waste in the current processes and provides a roadmap for improvement through the future state.

Visual Factory

What is visual factory.

A Visual Factory uses visual indicators, displays, and controls throughout the manufacturing plant to improve the communication of information.

How does Visual Factory help?

Visual Factory makes the state and condition of manufacturing processes easily accessible and very clear – to everyone.

Learn more about the Visual Factory at Vorne.com

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NEXT...

1. Learn more about how our product, Vorne XL, can help you eliminate waste and significantly improve OEE.

Vorne XL is the simplest and fastest way to monitor and improve production. It's a one-time cost and takes just a day to install. And you can try it completely free for 90 days.

2. Download our FREE package of tools to supercharge your manufacturing productivity

The package includes leadership lessons, training guides, meeting and report templates, summaries of key concepts, project organizers, and more. You'll also receive our monthly newsletter for free. Unsubscribe at any time.

3. Sign up for our monthly newsletter

Get free monthly updates with proven methods for improving our manufacturing productivity. Unsubscribe at any time.

35 problem-solving techniques and methods for solving complex problems

Design your next session with SessionLab

Join the 150,000+ facilitators 
using SessionLab.

Recommended Articles

A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop, how to create an unforgettable training session in 8 simple steps, 47 useful online tools for workshop planning and meeting facilitation.

All teams and organizations encounter challenges as they grow. There are problems that might occur for teams when it comes to miscommunication or resolving business-critical issues . You may face challenges around growth , design , user engagement, and even team culture and happiness. In short, problem-solving techniques should be part of every team’s skillset.

Problem-solving methods are primarily designed to help a group or team through a process of first identifying problems and challenges , ideating possible solutions , and then evaluating the most suitable .

Finding effective solutions to complex problems isn’t easy, but by using the right process and techniques, you can help your team be more efficient in the process.

So how do you develop strategies that are engaging, and empower your team to solve problems effectively?

In this blog post, we share a series of problem-solving tools you can use in your next workshop or team meeting. You’ll also find some tips for facilitating the process and how to enable others to solve complex problems.

Let’s get started! 

How do you identify problems?

How do you identify the right solution.

• Tips for more effective problem-solving

Complete problem-solving methods

• Problem-solving techniques to identify and analyze problems
• Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions

Problem-solving warm-up activities

Closing activities for a problem-solving process.

Before you can move towards finding the right solution for a given problem, you first need to identify and define the problem you wish to solve. 

Here, you want to clearly articulate what the problem is and allow your group to do the same. Remember that everyone in a group is likely to have differing perspectives and alignment is necessary in order to help the group move forward. 

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner. It can be scary for people to stand up and contribute, especially if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Be sure to try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions.

Remember that problem analysis and further discussion are also important. Not taking the time to fully analyze and discuss a challenge can result in the development of solutions that are not fit for purpose or do not address the underlying issue.

Successfully identifying and then analyzing a problem means facilitating a group through activities designed to help them clearly and honestly articulate their thoughts and produce usable insight.

With this data, you might then produce a problem statement that clearly describes the problem you wish to be addressed and also state the goal of any process you undertake to tackle this issue.  

Finding solutions is the end goal of any process. Complex organizational challenges can only be solved with an appropriate solution but discovering them requires using the right problem-solving tool.

After you’ve explored a problem and discussed ideas, you need to help a team discuss and choose the right solution. Consensus tools and methods such as those below help a group explore possible solutions before then voting for the best. They’re a great way to tap into the collective intelligence of the group for great results!

Remember that the process is often iterative. Great problem solvers often roadtest a viable solution in a measured way to see what works too. While you might not get the right solution on your first try, the methods below help teams land on the most likely to succeed solution while also holding space for improvement.

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . A well-structured workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

In SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Tips for more effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

• Six Thinking Hats
• Lightning Decision Jam
• Problem Definition Process
• Discovery & Action Dialogue

Design Sprint 2.0

• Open Space Technology

1. Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

2. Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

3. Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

4. The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

5. World Cafe

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

6. Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

7. Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

8. Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

• The Creativity Dice
• Fishbone Analysis
• Problem Tree
• SWOT Analysis
• Agreement-Certainty Matrix
• The Journalistic Six
• LEGO Challenge
• What, So What, Now What?
• Journalists

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

10. The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

11. Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

12. Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

13. SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

14. Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

16. Speed Boat

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

17. The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

18. LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

19. What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

20. Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to narrow down to the correct solution.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team find consensus, compare possible solutions, and move towards taking action on a particular problem.

• Improved Solutions
• Four-Step Sketch
• 15% Solutions
• How-Now-Wow matrix
• Impact Effort Matrix

21. Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

22. Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

23. Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

24. 15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

25. How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

26. Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

27. Dotmocracy

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

• Check-in/Check-out
• Doodling Together
• Show and Tell
• Constellations
• Draw a Tree

28. Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process.

Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

29. Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

30. Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

31. Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

32. Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

• One Breath Feedback
• Who What When Matrix
• Response Cards

How do I conclude a problem-solving process?

All good things must come to an end. With the bulk of the work done, it can be tempting to conclude your workshop swiftly and without a moment to debrief and align. This can be problematic in that it doesn’t allow your team to fully process the results or reflect on the process.

At the end of an effective session, your team will have gone through a process that, while productive, can be exhausting. It’s important to give your group a moment to take a breath, ensure that they are clear on future actions, and provide short feedback before leaving the space. 

The primary purpose of any problem-solving method is to generate solutions and then implement them. Be sure to take the opportunity to ensure everyone is aligned and ready to effectively implement the solutions you produced in the workshop.

Remember that every process can be improved and by giving a short moment to collect feedback in the session, you can further refine your problem-solving methods and see further success in the future too.

33. One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

34. Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

35. Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Save time and effort discovering the right solutions

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of creative exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes and help you learn how to plan a workshop from start to finish. On a good day, facilitation can feel like effortless magic, but that is mostly the result of backstage work, foresight, and a lot of careful planning. Read on to learn a step-by-step approach to breaking the process of planning a workshop into small, manageable chunks.  The flow starts with the first meeting with a client to define the purposes of a workshop.…

How does learning work? A clever 9-year-old once told me: “I know I am learning something new when I am surprised.” The science of adult learning tells us that, in order to learn new skills (which, unsurprisingly, is harder for adults to do than kids) grown-ups need to first get into a specific headspace.  In a business, this approach is often employed in a training session where employees learn new skills or work on professional development. But how do you ensure your training is effective? In this guide, we'll explore how to create an effective training session plan and run engaging training sessions. As team leader, project manager, or consultant,…

Effective online tools are a necessity for smooth and engaging virtual workshops and meetings. But how do you choose the right ones? Do you sometimes feel that the good old pen and paper or MS Office toolkit and email leaves you struggling to stay on top of managing and delivering your workshop? Fortunately, there are plenty of online tools to make your life easier when you need to facilitate a meeting and lead workshops. In this post, we’ll share our favorite online tools you can use to make your job as a facilitator easier. In fact, there are plenty of free online workshop tools and meeting facilitation software you can…

Design your next workshop with SessionLab

Join the 150,000 facilitators using SessionLab

Sign up for free

• Subscribe Today!
• Current Issue
• Machinery Lubrication Level 1
• Machinery Lubrication Level 2
• Oil Analysis Level 2
• Oil Analysis Level 3
• Machinery Lubrication Engineering
• Online Training
• International Training
• Reliable Plant Conference
• Machinery Lubrication Conference
• Buyer's Guide

•  Print

Problem-solving techniques for a high-performance team

While most people associate lean with tools and principles such as value stream mapping, one-piece flow, kanban, 5-S, Total Productive Maintenance and kaizen events, few people think about the more mundane aspects of lean. Problem solving is one of the keys to a successful lean implementation because it empowers all of those involved.

Lean manufacturing has a unique way of solving problems. It does not just look at the effect of the problem and try to cover it with a Band-Aid. Rather, the root cause of the problem is identified and the root cause, as well as all contributing factors, is eliminated from the system, process or infrastructure in order to permanently solve the problems. What is the difference in these two approaches? Simple, when you find and rectify the root causes, the problem will be solved forever. Even other problems occurring due to these root causes will be eliminated in this effort.

It is very clear now that we must find out the root causes of the problems before we think about rectifying them in lean manufacturing environments. So, how should we do this? What are the tools available to perform these tasks? Let’s look at what problem solving is about. We’ll begin by asking the question: “What is a problem?” A good definition of a problem is a variation from a recognized standard. In other words, you need to know how things should be before you can recognize a possible cause for them not being that way. After a problem has been recognized, a formal problem-solving process should be applied.

High performance work teams typically use four problem-solving tools: 1. Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) 2. 5-Why Analysis 3. Ishakawa (Fishbone) Diagram 4. Simplified Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (SFMEA)

Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) The Deming PDCA cycle provides effective guidelines for successful problem solving. The cycle includes:

Plan Clearly Define the Problem (P1) “A problem clearly stated is a problem half solved”. Although it seems like a trivial step, the team should not take this step lightly. It is important to begin this problem-solving journey with a clear, concise problem statement. If this is not done properly, it could lead to one of the following: excessive time in cause identification due to a broad problem statement, predisposing the team to a particular solution, or problem solving turns into solution implementation rather than root-cause identification and remedy.

Collect Evidence of Problem (P2) This activity focuses on obtaining information/data to clearly demonstrate that the problem does exist. In the case of team problem solving, this should be a quick exercise since the reliability engineering function must have been looking at data in order to create the team. The output of this activity will be a list of evidence statements (or graphs) to illustrate that the problem exists, its size and the chronic nature of it.

Identification of Impacts or Opportunities (P3) This part of the Plan segment focuses on identifying the benefits if this problem solving is successful. This activity needs to be thought of in two different perspectives because Project Team work can take the form of control work, e.g. fixing a problem that stands in the way of expected results or pure improvement (attempting to take results to a new level of performance). In each case the output of this activity will be a list of statements. The impact statements and opportunity statements should be stated in terms of loss of dollars, time, “product”, rework, processing time and/or morale.

Measurement of Problem (P4) Before problem solving proceeds, it is important for the team to do a quick check on the issue of how valid or reliable the data is on which the team is making the decision to tackle the problem. For the parameter(s) that are being used as evidence of the problem, is there any information known by the team that would question the validity, accuracy or reliability of the data? This question should be examined whether we are relying on an instrument, a recorder or people to record information or data. If the team suspects that there are significant issues that “cloud” the data, then these measurement problems need to be addressed, fixed and new measures obtained before proceeding with the other segments of PDCA.

Measure(s) of Effectiveness (P5) At this point, the team needs to identify how they intend to measure success of their problem-solving efforts. This is one of the most important steps in PDCA and one that certainly differentiates it from traditional problem solving . The strategy is to agree on what and how, to obtain the benchmark “before” reading, perform the PDCA activities and re-measure or obtain the “after” measure. At that point, the team will need to decide whether they need to recycle through PDCA in order to achieve their pre-stated objective.

Do Generate Possible Causes (D1) To avoid falling into the mode of solution implementation or trial and error problem solving, the team needs to start with a “blank slate” and from a fresh perspective lay out all possible causes of the problem. From this point, the team can use data and its collective knowledge and experience to sort through the most feasible or likely major causes. Proceeding in this manner will help ensure that the team will ultimately get at root causes of problems and won’t stop at the treatment of other symptoms. The best tool to facilitate this thinking is the Cause and Effect Diagram done by those people most knowledgeable and closest to the problem.

Broke-Need-Fixing Causes Identified, Worked On (D2) Before proceeding to carry out either an Action Plan (for Cause Remedies) or an Experimental Test Plan, there are often parts of the process that are “broke”. This could take on many different forms.

Write Experimental Test or Action Plan (D3/4) Depending upon the type of problem being worked on, the PDCA strategy will take one of two different directions at this point. The direction is based on whether it is a “data-based” problem or “data-limited” problem. Shown in the table below is the distinction between these two strategies and in particular, the difference between an Action Plan and Experimental Test Plan. Note that in some cases, it will be necessary to use a combination of Action Plans and Experimental Test Plans. That is, for some cause areas an Action Plan is appropriate and for other causes within the same problem, carrying out an Experimental Test Plan is the best route.

Write Action Plan for Cause Remedies (D3) In order to get to the point of writing the Action Plan, the team needs to brainstorm possible solutions or remedies for each of the “cause areas” and reach consensus on the prioritized solutions. This work can be carried out as a team or split into sub-teams. Either way, the entire team will have to reach agreement on proposed remedies and agree to the Action Plan. The Action Plan will be implemented in the Check segment.

Write Experimental Test Plan (D4) The Experimental Test Plan is a document which shows the experimental test(s) to be carried out. This will verify whether a root cause that has been identified really does impact the dependent variable of interest. Sometimes this can be one test that will test all causes at once or it could be a series of tests.

Note: If there is a suspicion that there is an interaction between causes, those causes should be included in the same test.

The Experimental Test Plan should reflect:

Time/length of test

How the cause factors will be altered during the trials

Dependent variable (variable interested in affecting) of interest

Any noise variables that must be tracked

Items to be kept constant

Everyone involved in the Experimental Test Plan(s) should be informed before the test is run. This should include:

Purpose of the test

Experimental Test Plan (details)

How they will be involved

Key factors to ensure good results

When solutions have been worked up, the team should coordinate trial implementation of the solutions and the “switch on/off” data analysis technique.

Resources Identified (D5) Once the Experimental Test Plan or the Action Plan is written, it will be fairly obvious to the team what resources are needed to conduct the work. For resources not on the team, the team should construct a list of who is needed, for what reason, the time frame and the approximate amount of time that will be needed. This information will be given to the Management Team.

Revised PDCA Timetable (D6) At this point, the team has a much better feel for what is to be involved in the remainder of its PDCA activities. They should adjust the rough timetables that had been projected in the Plan segment. This information should be updated on the team Plan, as well as taken to the Management Team.

Management Team Review/Approval (D7) The team has reached a critical point in the PDCA cycle. The activities they are about to carry out will have obvious impact and consequences to the department. For this reason, it is crucial to make a presentation to the Management Team before proceeding. This can be done by the team leader or the entire team. The content/purpose of this presentation is:

Present team outputs to date

Explain logic leading up to the work completed to date

• Present and get Management Team approval for

− Measure of Effectiveness with “before” measure − Priority causes − Action Plan (for Cause Remedies) or Experimental Test Plan − Revised PDCA timetable

Check Carry out Experimental Test or Action Plan (C1/C2) Depending upon the nature of the problem, the team will be carrying out either of these steps:

Conduct Experimental Test Plan(s) to test and verify root causes or

Work through the details of the appropriate solutions for each cause area. Then, through data, verify to see if those solutions were effective.

Carry out Action Plan (C1) In the case of Action Plans, where solutions have been worked up and agreed to by the team, the “switch on/switch off” techniques will need to be used to verify that the solutions are appropriate and effective. To follow this strategy, the team needs to identify the dependent variable – the variable that the team is trying to impact through changes in cause factors.

Carry out Experimental Test Plan (C2) During the Check segment, the Experimental Tests to check all of the major prioritized causes are to be conducted, data analyzed and conclusions drawn and agreed to by the team.

Analyze Data from Experimental or Action Plan (C3) Typically, one person from the team is assigned the responsibility to perform the analysis of the data from the Test Plan. When necessary, this person should use the department or plant resource available to give guidance on the proper data analysis tools and/or the interpretation of outputs. The specific tools that should be used will depend upon the nature of the Test Plan.

Decisions-Back to Do Stage or Proceed (C4) After reviewing the data analysis conclusions about the suspected causes or solutions that were tested, the team needs to make a critical decision of what action to take based on this information.

Implementation Plan to Make Change Permanent (C5) The data analysis step could have been performed in either of the following contexts:

After the Action Plan (solutions) was carried out, data analysis was performed to see if the dependent variable was impacted. If the conclusions were favorable, the team could then go on to develop the Implementation Plan.

The Experimental Test Plan was conducted; data was analyzed to verify causes. If the conclusions were favorable (significant causes identified), the team must then develop solutions to overcome those causes before proceeding to develop the Implementation Plan. (e.g., It was just discovered through the Test Plan that technician differences contribute to measurement error.)

Force Field on Implementation (C6) Once the Implementation Plan is written, the team should do a Force Field Analysis on factors pulling for and factors pulling against a successful implementation – success in the sense that the results seen in the test situation will be realized on a permanent basis once the solutions are implemented.

Management Team Review/Approval (C7) The team has reached a very critical point in the PDCA cycle and needs to meet with the Management Team before proceeding. This meeting is extremely important, because the team will be going forward with permanent changes to be made in operations. The Management Team not only needs to approve these changes but also the way in which they will be implemented.

Act Carry out Implementation Plan (A1) If the team has written a complete, clear and well thought through Implementation Plan, it will be very obvious what work needs to be done, by whom and when to carry out the Act segment of the PDCA cycle. The team should give significant attention to assure communications and training is carried out thoroughly, so department members will know what is changing, why the change is being made and what they need to do specifically to make implementation a success.

Post-Measure of Effectiveness (A2) After all changes have been made and sufficient time has passed for the results of these changes to have an effect, the team needs to go out and gather data on all of the Measures of Effectiveness. The data then needs to be analyzed to see if a significant shift has occurred .

Analyze Results vs. Team Objectives (A3) In the previous step, the team looked at whether the Measure(s) of Effectiveness had been impacted in any significant way by the permanent implementation of the changes. The team cannot stop here. If the answer to that question is favorable, then the team needs to verify if the amount of improvement was large enough to meet the team objective.

Team Feedback Gathered (A4) Once the team decision has been made that the PDCA cycle has been successfully completed (based on Measure of Effectiveness change), the team needs to present this information to the Management Team. Before this is done, the team leader needs to gather feedback from the team. This feedback will be in the form of a questionnaire that all team members (including the team leader) should fill out. The results will be tallied by the team leader and recorded on form A3.

Management Team Close-out Meeting (A5) Before disbanding, the team needs to conduct a close-out meeting with the Management Team. The major areas to be covered in this meeting are:

Wrap up any implementation loose ends

Review Measure of Effectiveness results, compare to team objective

Ensure team documentation is complete and in order

Share team member feedback on team experiences (standardized forms and informal discussion)

5-Why Problem Solving When you have a problem, go to the place where the problem occurred and ask the question “Why” five times. In this way, you will find the root causes of the problem and you can start treating them and rectifying the problem.

5-Why analysis is a technique that doesn’t involve data segmentation, hypothesis testing, regression or other advanced statistical tools, and in many cases can be completed without a data collection plan. By repeatedly asking the question “Why” at least five times, you can peel away the layers of symptoms which can lead to the root cause of a problem.

Here is a simple example of applying the 5-Why analysis to determine the root cause of a problem. Let’s suppose that you received a large number of customer returns for a particular product. Let’s attack this problem using the five whys:

1. Question: Why are the customers returning the product? Answer: 90 percent of the returns are for dents in the control panel.

2. Question: Why are there dents in the control panel? Answer: The control panels are inspected as part of the shipping process. Thus, they must be damaged during shipping.

3. Question: Why are they damaged in shipment? Answer: Because they are not packed to the packaging specification.

4. Question: Why are they not being packed per the packaging spec? Answer: Because shipping does not have the packaging spec.

5. Question: Why doesn’t shipping have the packaging spec? Answer: Because it is not part of the normal product release process to furnish shipping with any specifications.

Using the five whys in this case revealed that a flaw in the product release process resulted in customers’ returning of a product.

Ishikawa Diagram In some cases, a problem can be due to more than one root cause or may have multiple forcing functions that either singularly, or in combination, will result in the problem. The 5-Why process may not provide the ability to address these more complex problems. The pictorial representation of this root cause analysis can be achieved using an Ishikawa or Cause and Effect Diagram . Because of its shape, this process is also called a Fishbone Diagram . This helps people communicate the root cause and the potential contributing factors and/or forcing function in a simple, straightforward graphic format. This method is very clear way of representing the relationship between the root cause of the problem and all of the possible factors that may be associated with the problem.

The Cause and Effect Diagram or Fishbone Diagram is a graphical tool for identifying the relationship between a problem and its potential causes. One of the most effective ways of constructing such a diagram is to brainstorm potential causes in a team environment. For example, a cause and effect diagram might be used to determine possible causes of a recurring defect in a manufacturing process.

The Fishbone Diagram is drawn to resemble the skeleton of a fish, with the issue (problem or process condition) on the right side. The major cause categories are written in the boxes on the left side of Cause and Effect Diagram. Summarize the major causes under the categories. These categories are usually Methods, Measurements, Machines, Materials and People.

Under each category, identify potential causes for the problem relating to the category. For example, if the fact that incorrect parts are being delivered to the assembly is a potential cause for the problem being addressed, that would be listed as a branch under “Materials.”

Both Fishbone Diagrams and the Five Why analysis are simple, very useful methods for problem solving. One of the first steps to creating a Lean culture is to turn every employee into a problem solver. This should begin with teaching the use of “The Five Why’s” on a regular basis.

Simplified Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Simplified Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (SFMEA) is a top-down method of analyzing a design, and is widely used in industry. In the U.S., automotive companies such as Chrysler, Ford and General Motors require that this type of analysis be carried out. There are many different company and industry standards, but one of the most widely used is the Automotive Industry Action Group(AIAG). Using this standard you start by considering each component or functional block in the system and how it can fail, referred to as failure modes. You then determine the effect of each failure mode, and the severity on the function of the system. Then you determine the likelihood of occurrence and of detecting the failure. The procedure is to calculate the Risk Priority Number, or RPN, using the formula: RPN = Severity × Occurrence × Detection

The second stage is to consider corrective actions which can reduce the severity or occurrence, or increase detection. Typically, you start with the higher RPN values, which indicate the most severe problems, and work downwards. The RPN is then recalculated after the corrective actions have been determined. The intention is to get the RPN to the lowest value.

Conclusion These four tools can be effectively utilized by natural work teams to resolve most problems that could confront them as part of their day-to-day activities. None require special skills. Instead, they rely on native knowledge, common sense and logic. The combined knowledge, experience and skills of the team is more than adequate for success.

Daily problem-solving tips in a lean organization:

Keep what may seem like ‘little problems’ from adding up and becoming big problems in the future. The only way to work on tomorrow’s problems is to work on the problems today while they are still small.

Use visual management and standard work tools to catch problems before they start adding up.

Build the skills, tools and systems needed to deal with those problems as soon as possible.

Start using 5-Why analysis. Continue asking “Why?” at different stages in order to dig deeper into the root cause of a problem.

Use Plan-Do-Check-Act, or PDCA. Without fully understanding the cause of what is happening in a situation, an organization will not have the control in its processes in order to sustain lean.

Understand that the small problems are a valuable contribution for future results.

About the author: Keith Mobley is a consultant with Life Cycle Engineering. He has earned an international reputation as one of the premier consultants in the fields of plant performance optimization, reliability engineering, predictive maintenance and effective management. He has more than 35 years of direct experience in corporate management, process design and troubleshooting. For the past 16 years, he has helped hundreds of clients worldwide achieve and sustain world-class performance. Mobley is actively involved in numerous professional organizations. Currently, he is a member of the technical advisory boards of: American National Standards Institute (ANSI), International Standards Organization (ISO) as well as American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and others. He is also a Distinguished Lecturer for ASME International. To learn more, visit www.LCE.com .

The Lean Post / Articles / What’s your problem

Problem Solving

What’s your problem

By John Shook

October 31, 2018

You learn through solving problems, failing, reflecting on failure, and adjusting course.

That quote sounds like something from Deming or Toyota. But, no, that’s from that erstwhile problem solver née inventor Steve Jobs.

There may be nothing more fundamental to  lean thinking and practice  than  problem solving . For that matter, there may be nothing more fundamental to being human than problem solving. We breathe, we eat, we create civilizations – we deal with (solve, tackle) problems every step of the way. The  lean transformation framework  that we at LEI and LGN (Lean Global Network) have been using to frame the challenges of changing ourselves and our organizations in desired directions begins by asking the same question that Toyota begins with: what problem are we trying to solve?

But, to label an activity “problem solving” neither solves any problems nor explains what problem solving even means. It may in fact create some. What is problem solving and how can we do it more effectively? The answer to how we can do it better is “it depends.” But, depends on what?

That’s where Art Smalley’s new book  Four Types of Problems  comes in with a powerful contribution. Born of Toyota’s problem solving approaches and philosophies, Art’s framework gives us a practical yet profound way to move forward. Let’s consider how it is helpful and ponder how you might use it.

Not every problem looks like this familiar lean classic from Taiichi Ohno in which the problem of a machine breakdown can be tackled via a straightforward root cause analysis:

Sometimes problems are coming at you way too fast to pull out an  A3  sized sheet of paper or sit down for a thorough five why causal analysis. Think about a sudden accident and a trip to the ER. Or when your house is on fire. Or when a serious  work  condition requires attention. Sometimes you need to respond NOW: 

Effective Type One problem solving is much more than merely applying “bandaids”. Toyota’s  Jidoka  concept informs countless examples of highly structured and effective processes that enable extraordinary levels of operational stability, providing a robust foundation for Type Two root cause analysis when called for.

This illustration explains (to view, click  here  and come back in seven minutes!) Toyota’s famous “stop-the-line”  andon  system (technically, the “ fixed-position stop system ”), which embodies a meticulously designed  process  to enable effective Type One problem solving. To enable flow yet contain any problem or defect, the process engages each worker in identifying and responding to each problem as it occurs; yet despite hundred and even thousands of andon calls each day – with each problem responded to one by one – overall flow is interrupted only a few minutes per shift! Powerful, indeed.

Effectively tackling these types of problems may nor may not require a casual analysis later. If you don’t have these skills at responding to things gone wrong, good luck with your  kaizen . As Jim Lancaster reminds us in his book  The Work of Management :

“If Lean improvements are not impacting your income statement and you have little time for improvement work, maybe you don’t have an improvement problem, maybe you have a deterioration problem.”

And, not only that, you don’t really want to sit and wait for problems to come at you. You’d like to move from reactive to proactive mode, develop a target condition and take action to learn your way to get there. This is what Acme Stamping did in the classic example from  Learning To See ; After a quick mapping exercise revealed the fact that material was moving at a snail’s pace that required about one month to slog through Acme’s operations, yet the actual  value  creating work time was only about three minutes (ouch), Acme decided to blow up its production process, beginning with a radical transformation of the flows of material and information which necessitated changes in…everything. Spending essentially no money (creativity before capital!), Acme figured out how to reduce lead time from a month to less than a week:

As for Type Four problem solving, think of deciding in 1960 to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade when the path to achieve this loftiest of lofty ambitions was fraught with uncertainty, known and unknown unknowns, and tremendous risk. JFK indeed carried an expansive view of problem solving; consider these words he delivered at American University in 1963 “No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.”

in these four approaches enables an organization to attain stability, sustain gains, and advance steadily towards its goals and visions. The four types in summary:

• Troubleshooting : a reactive process of rapidly (and sometimes temporarily) fixing problems by quickly returning conditions to immediately known standards or normal conditions.
• Gap-from-standard problem solving : solving problems at root cause relative to existing standards or conditions.
• Target-state problem solving : removing obstacles toward achieving a well-defined vision or new and better standards or conditions (i.e., kaizen or continuous improvement ).
• Open-ended problem solving & Innovation : open-ended pursuit of a (perhaps) vision or ideal conditions (new products, processes, services, or systems).

Graphically, you can think of it this way:

In other words, problematic situations can be viewed through different lenses and viewing angles. For example:

No one size fits all in building skills, in  coaching  others, or in problem solving. There are already way too many hammers running around looking for nails to beat down. The most important contribution of Art’s Four Types categorization is that it provides a self-reflection framework for managers and executives to assess and understand the state of their organization’s problem-solving capability. Does your team (do YOU?) have capability in all four types? Probably not. Surely no one is as strong as they’d like to be across the board. Your team may be very strong in the skills required to perform well in one or two of the types of problem situations and quite weak in the other two. Solid skills across the board will enable you and your team to flourish no matter the kinds of problems that present themselves to you. 

With  Four Types of Problems , Art Smalley is helping LEI and you in the lean community or anyone working within any team context to address the problems most critical to the long-term health of their organizations—the challenge of how to support the development of better problem-solving organizations and individuals. We know that  Four Types of Problems  does NOT represent the final word on this important topic. Rather it is the latest step forward in the evolution in a long history of humans trying to solve problems and make things better. As such, our hope is that Four Types will kick off a new round of exploration. And so this particular problem-solving process, for LEI, includes a feedback loop from end users for us to learn what works, what does not work, and how certain tools actually get applied. We look forward to learning how you actually use this book, and with that information we can understand if we have solved our problem.

Related book

Four Types of Problems

by Art Smalley

Written by:

About John Shook

John Shook learned about lean management while working for Toyota for 11 years in Japan and the U.S., helping it transfer production, engineering, and management systems from Japan to NUMMI and other operations around the world. While at Toyota’s headquarters, he became the company’s first American kacho (manager) in Japan.…

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Revolutionizing Logistics: DHL eCommerce’s Journey Applying Lean Thinking to Automation  

Podcast by Matthew Savas

Transforming Corporate Culture: Bestbath’s Approach to Scaling Problem-Solving Capability

Building a Problem-Solving Culture: Insights from Barton Malow’s Lean University

Related books

A3 Getting Started Guide

by Lean Enterprise Institute

The Power of Process – A Story of Innovative Lean Process Development

by Eric Ethington and Matt Zayko

Related events

June 10, 2024 | Coach-Led Online Course

Managing to Learn

June 12, 2024 | Morgantown, PA

Building a Lean Operating and Management System 

Explore topics.

Subscribe to get the very best of lean thinking delivered right to your inbox

Privacy overview.

• FlashLine Login
• Phone Directory
• Maps & Directions
• Business Process Analysis
• Process Mapping
• Root Cause Analysis
• 5S Methodology
• Focus Group Facilitation
• Testimonials
• Process Improvement and Lean Terminology

Lean Problem Solving

Lean Problem Solving is a way of approaching organizational problems that is characterized by continuous improvement and the use of proven, problem-solving methodologies. 

The goals of Lean Problem Solving include:

• Identifying and solving problems in less time and achievement of measurable results
• Involving everyone in the problem solving process
• Using data and process flow to focus on a problem
• Developing practical and detailed solutions

Contact us at [email protected] to learn more!

Street Address

Mailing address.

• 330-672-3000
• [email protected]
• Kent State Kent Campus - facebook
• Kent State Kent Campus - twitter
• Kent State Kent Campus - youtube
• Kent State Kent Campus - instagram
• Kent State Kent Campus - linkedin
• Kent State Kent Campus - snapchat
• Kent State Kent Campus - pinterest
• Accessibility
• Annual Security Reports
• Emergency Information
• For Our Alumni
• For the Media
• Health Services
• Jobs & Employment
• Privacy Statement
• HEERF CARES/CRRSAA/ARP Act Reporting and Disclosure
• Website Feedback