The foundation of effective problem solving

The problem identification process is really about asking the question; what problem are we trying to solve and what are we trying to answer.

But before we can identify the problem and really understand it, we first need to understand how does a situation evolve into a problem? How does the problem identification task get started? What causes us to start looking into this? In this blog I try to answer these questions and create a guide to successful problem identification.

Below you’ll find four tips for the most effective problem identification:

1. Don’t start with the solution

It's very important to only focus on the problem and the structure of the problem at the initial steps of problem identification. Naturally, as we encounter an issue, we start brainstorming and thinking of the solution, however, if you focus on the problem first, you’ll fail to identify the core of the issue.

2. Find the root cause

It's not only about identifying the problem, but it's also about identifying the right issue and really getting to the root of it. What I mean by this is that one problem may actually be because of another lower-level root problem. A common technique for finding the core of a problem is the 5 Whys. The method is remarkably simple: when a problem occurs, you drill down to its root cause by asking "Why?" five times.

For example:

Why does the client not like this feature? Because the users cannot easily navigate it.

Why can’t the users easily navigate it? Because the landing page is not helpful.

Why is the landing page not helpful? Because the menu is too complex and there are too many options.

Why is the menu so complicated and there are too many options? Because no UX considerations were made in the design process.

Why was there no UX considerations made in the design process? Because the team members have no experience in UX design.

Using the Why method, we have found the root cause of the problem which is that the team lacks members that are experienced and knowledgeable in UX design.

3. Keep it simple

Simplicity doesn’t mean a lack of understanding — it may mean a good solid understanding of the project but something in the plan didn’t quite work. Try to approach any complex situation by breaking it down into more simple elements.

4. Exploit the collective wisdom and synergies

We need the collective wisdom of the people around us and to accept different perspectives. It’s the only way a complete understanding of the problem will be achieved. Don’t forget to leave yourself open to different ideas and perspectives that may be contrary to your established beliefs and thinking patterns.

Identifying the real problem and solving it in the most effective way is the fundamental step for finding an ideal solution and problem identification is the first step to finding the perfect result. Correctly defining the problem or asking the right question is the most critical stage of the decision-making process if we want to have the best choices and adopt the best solutions.