analytical thinking. divergentconvergent problem solving divergence and convergence...
TRANSCRIPT
Analytical ThinkingAnalytical Thinking
Analytical ThinkingAnalytical Thinking
Divergent Convergent
Problem Solving Problem Solving
Divergence and Convergence•Generate/eliminate•15%
Analytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem SolvingAnalytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving
Problem
Hypothesis
FactsAnalysis
Solution
Analytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem SolvingAnalytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving
Problem
Hypothesis
FactsAnalysis
Solution
Problem DefinitionProblem Definition
• A problem becomes known when someone notices a discrepancy between:– the way things are and– the way things ought to be
IS OUGHT TO BE
Analytical Thinking – An ExerciseAnalytical Thinking – An Exercise
• Develop a research plan for solving Toronto’s traffic problem by completing the following steps:
1. Define the problem
Problem DefinitionProblem Definition
• How do organizations find discrepancies?
Problem DefinitionProblem Definition
• Where/how can you find discrepancies?– Performance reports
• Compare performance against goals and objectives
– Benchmarking studies• Compare performance against competitors or other industries
– SWOT analysis• What are we good at?• What is the environment telling us?
– Complaints• What are dissatisfied customers telling us?
– Surveys• What are potential customers telling us?
– LISTENING or SCANNING
Problem Definition – Digging DeeperProblem Definition – Digging Deeper
• What is the underlying problem?
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why?
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why?
Employees are leaving for other
jobs
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why?
Employees are leaving for other
jobs
Employees are not satisfied
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why?
Employees are leaving for other
jobs
Employees are not satisfied
Employees feel that they are underpaid
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why?
Employees are leaving for other
jobs
Employees are not satisfied
Employees feel that they are underpaid
Other employers are paying higher
salaries
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Root Cause Analysis Technique - Five Whys
Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why? Why?Why?
Employees are leaving for other
jobs
Employees are not satisfied
Employees feel that they are underpaid
Other employers are paying higher
salaries
Demand for such employees has increased in the
market
Employee Employee turnover rate turnover rate
has been has been increasing increasing
Analytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem SolvingAnalytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving
Problem
Hypothesis
FactsAnalysis
Solution
“The consulting process revolves around developing and testing hypotheses.”
Graeme DeansPartner, SECOR Group
Analytical Thinking – An ExerciseAnalytical Thinking – An Exercise
• Develop a research plan for solving Toronto’s traffic problem by completing the following steps:
1. Define the problem
2. Develop a set of hypotheses
What is an Hypothesis?What is an Hypothesis?
What is an Hypothesis?What is an Hypothesis?
• Not just an educated guess
What is an Hypothesis?What is an Hypothesis?
• Not just an educated guess
• A specific, testable, and tentative statement that proposes a possible explanation to some phenomenon or event– Open to validation or refutation
“The consulting process revolves around developing and testing hypotheses.”
Graeme DeansPartner, SECOR Group
Analytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem SolvingAnalytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving
Problem
Hypothesis
FactsAnalysis
Solution
Application: Toronto TrafficApplication: Toronto Traffic
• What would your research plans look like?
– What are the key questions you want to answer?– What type of information do you need to answer
them?
– How will you study them?
Analytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem SolvingAnalytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving
Problem
Hypothesis
FactsAnalysis
Solution
Conducting the AnalysisConducting the Analysis
• Purpose: Testing the hypotheses
• “Making sense" of information collected– Statistical analysis– Graphical analysis– Content analysis– …
• Based on the data collected, what are the answers to the questions posed?
Analytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem SolvingAnalytical Thinking - A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving
Problem
Hypothesis
FactsAnalysis
Solution
SolutionsSolutions
• Choose the solution with the greatest impact on the problem– 15% principle!
• Keys– Credibility
• Solutions require support from your previous analysis
– Communication• Build support and buy-in• This is a political process!
– Experimentation• Test your solutions
Solutions – Key MessagesSolutions – Key MessagesSolutions – Key MessagesSolutions – Key Messages
• 100% pre-packaged solutions don’t exist
• No solution is guaranteed– Implementation matters!
• Plan• Set milestones• Develop performance measures
– Be willing to revisit your requirements
• Solutions don’t work by themselves– You need to develop buy-in and commitment