How do you and your team approach problem-solving? – SCN Encourager
Have you had any success with the “8D Method?”
I haven’t.
How could I?
I didn’t even know what it was!
Well… until about 8 days ago.
Now I think the 8D Method is a problem-solving approach is something we might want to tuck away in our school PR toolboxes.
With the many hats we wear, you just never know.
And it’s simple. (Thankfully!)
Take a look at its steps.
It would seem something this straight-forward couldn’t have a problem with its problem-solving, right?
But it does.
Experts say it’s common for an organizational team chasing down a solution to stop right after Step 3, right after its short-term interim actions are in place.
Apparently, if the bandaid measure makes any impact at all, the team’s urgency to keep on problem-solving fades away.
Hey! Sounds good to me! Time to go home.
But the experts are quick to point out the root cause of the problem still remains.
Of course, this is true… even though these are the very same experts who created the chart above and designated “Awareness of Problem” with the numeral “zero.”
(Somehow that seems like cheating on the whole 8 thing.)
Anyway, I’ve got to give them kudos.
They suggest stalled problem-solving teams can push their way through Steps 4-8 (to arrive at longer-term solutions) by asking 8 specific questions.
And nope, I’m not making this up.
The 8D Method is strengthened when 8 specific questions are employed.
Here they are.
And once again, all 8 are joyously simple.
Whom?
When?
Why?
Who?
How?
What?
Where?
Which?
By using this slate of questions to help you accurately define the problem in the first place, you’ll practically make the rest of the 8D Method for problem-solving foolproof.
Or pretty close to foolproof.
And now this makes me nervous.
I’ve learned to be careful when it comes to anything “foolproof.”
You probably can guess why.
So I’m going to stick with my current method for problem-solving for awhile yet.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
