7.3
PROBLEM SOLVING: A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
TO FINDING CAUSE
Inspired by Ben Tregoe and Chuck Kepner.Problems seem to occupy the lion’s share of a leader’s day. Here are some examples.
➠ The new copiers jam a few times a day. People are saying it’s because you purchased the
low-bidding brand.
➠ The new valves seem to have higher maintenance costs than expected. It is being sug-
gested that all maintenance people attend a costly training program so they can main-
tain the valves correctly.
➠ Absenteeism is much higher on certain days of the month than on others. The CEO
says we need to send supervisors to a Progressive Discipline workshop.
➠ Purchasers of your product seem to be getting ill when they use it in a certain city. It
has been suggested the product be withdrawn across the country.
Themes common to all these problems include:- Performance expectations not being met.
- People are jumping to cause, blame, or expensive solutions.
This tool outlines a systematic process for getting at the most probable cause of problems
like these beforetaking expensive and often misdirected action. Here is an outline of the pro-
cess, with explanations in italics.
Step Clearly define the problem. Begin by specifying the expected performance, the
actual performance, and the difference between the two.
Step Gather data about what ishappening and what is nothappening.SECTION 7 TOOLS FORPROBLEMSOLVING, DECISIONMAKING, ANDQUALITY 207
What?Where?When?How much?What units or people are
having the problem?Where are the units or
people having the
problem?
When are the units or
people having the
problem?
What is the problem’s
fingerprint, the degree or
pattern of the problem?What units or people
would you expect to have
the problem but do not?Where are the units or
people nothaving the
problem?
When are the units or
people nothaving the
problem?
What could be the degree
or pattern of the problem
but is not?Anything distinctive
about the units or people
who have the problem
and those that don’t?
Same question as above.Same question as above.What is distinctive about
the degree or pattern that
you are experiencing,
compared to what it could
be but is not?What changes might
account for what is
unique about this
problem?
Same question as above.Same question as above.Same question as above.Is happening Is not Happening What’s unique? Any changes?