Problem solving for Engineers — Meta Level Reference Guide

In solving problems there are a number of “meta” level decisions that you are required to make along the path to a successful solution. These relate to the selection of the tools you will use to solve problem. As the saying goes, when all you have is a hammer then everything looks like a nail. Being aware of this broader landscape of problem solving decision points will make it more likely you pull the right tool from the tool kit to solve the problem. This post is aimed at providing some background to these meta concepts.

Broadly there are three key decision points along the way:

1. Understand the type of problem you are solving
2. Understand the framework to solve the problem
3. Be Conscious of your bias’s when making the final decision

Separately, there is a whole world of project management and implementation advice to actually then deliver the solution…

Follow the links below to find out more about each of these.

1. Understanding the type of problem you are solving

• Know your Domain — The Cynefin Framework explains the five domains within which a problem can fall.
• 3 Gaps of Execution — Understanding that friction is ever present highlights why small iterative steps in problem solving or project management are critical to success.

2. Understand the framework to solve the problem

When you are solving problems there are four frames from which you can approach the solution. Systems centric, problem centric, solutions centric and solver centric. Vinay Dabholkar explains in the Four approaches to problem solving

System Centric

• Systems Archetypes- Places to intervene — An advantage with using systems archetypes as a problem solving methodology is that places to intervene in the system can be thought through and played with.
• Using system archetypes to shortcut problem solving — The use of systems thinking archetypes provide a powerful framework to approach problem solving.
• Theory of Constraints — The Goal — To maximise the production capacity of the system you need to maximise the throughput at the bottleneck.
• TRIZ — TRIZ is a system of creative problem solving, commonly used in engineering and process management.
• Double loop thinking
  Rather than repeatedly intervening at the tactical level, are your assumptions and mental models requiring an update?
• Design thinking and lean startup concepts to make your team more agile. — A summary of some of the reference material I have found most useful in exploring design thinking and lean start-up concepts to get to the heart of the problem you are trying to solve

Problem Centric

• RCA
• HAZOP
• Ad Hoc
• Audit/Review
• Lean Sprint
• DMAIC — 6 Sigma
• 5 Whys
• Kepner Tregoe — This is a more methodical approach that combines the best of RCA and change management to ensure that not only the problem is clearly identified, but the best solutions are also developed to address them

Solution Centric

• Positive Deviance and “Bright Spot” Analysis — When solving complex problems, it sometimes pays to start with what is working rather than figure out what is not….

Solver Centric

• The work — Katie Byron — To question what you believe is an amazing gift to give yourself, and you can have it all the days of your life. The answers are always inside you, just waiting to be heard
• Emotion Coaching — Gottman Institute — Researchers have found that even more than IQ, your emotional awareness and ability to handle feelings will determine your success and happiness in all walks of life
• Meditation —
• Negotiation — Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss — Successful negotiations are all about understanding that the emotions of the other person play a much bigger role than facts and logic.
• Defining the problem of elevator waiting times — The problem was the people not the elevators

3. Be Conscious of your bias’s when making the final decision

• Cognitive Bias’s
• WRAP process — Dan and Chip Heath —
• Just Culture — Sidney Dekker — A just culture is a culture of trust, learning and accountability. In the wake of an incident, a restorative just culture asks: ‘who are hurt, what do they need, and whose obligation is it to meet that need?’ It doesn’t dwell on questions of rules and violations and consequences
• Building a culture of full disclosure — How does a work place culture allow people to speak up, highlight important issues and opportunities to improve?
• Questions to get you unstuck… — A good question can be just the trick you need to remove the block and get things flowing again.
• Looking in the rear view mirror… — Are you aware of the hindsight bias you are applying to your reaction to events that happen in life?
• Luck and reversion to the mean — Are you fully acknowledging the role luck is playing in the outcomes? Does a good outcome reflect your good skill, or did you just get lucky?
• Survivorship Bias — We see this “Surviving” population as somehow special when in actual fact it might have got there through no more than sheer ass.
• Pre-Mortem — How to avoid disaster — A simple exercise in looking at what went wrong- before it does.
• Are the blinkers on when you make decisions? — Tunnel vision can stop you from considering all the options
• Success Skills for Engineers — Part 1 — Tell Me a Story — You are nothing without the ability to communicate clearly. The Minto Pyramid