My TiSHCA Approach to Problem solving

In today’s business panorama, one must be able to navigate complexity and deliver results. Don’t let such complex projects overwhelm you. Here I introduce you to my tried & tested problem-solving approach guaranteeing efficiency and excellence. Give it a try and watch your goals come to life !!

Multiple challenges are thrown at you during the course of your professional life. It is not just expected of you to deliver result but also accomplish it with accuracy and in timely fashion.

How does one go ahead and achieve mammoth goals when more often than not, the problem statements are vague & indistinct with a tinge of ambiguity!!

Remember the Newton’s 1st law of motion which lay emphasis on Inertia.

An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an external force.

Same parallel can be drawn to our states of mind too. We generally have similar cognitive disposition towards our current working spectrum in which we operate. We continue to be in that state of being, unless we are stirred by our intrinsic or extrinsic motivation to make the required change aiming at an impactful outcome.

How does one make that change?

I have devised my Ti.S.H.C.A approach to achieve the desired results.

Any Change leads to resistance. Bigger the change, higher is the resistance. Likewise, Smaller the change, less is the resistance.

So here is my first Mantra.

1.) Tiny Triumphs:

Do one thing at a time. Split the goal into small do-able buckets. Invest your time in defining those buckets as specifically as possible with clarity. Once your buckets are defined, assign timelines to the achievement of these mini-goals.

The actual goal is the coalescence of these tiny compartments of mini-goals which seem achievable in your eyes. The key is to debunk any deferrals by continuous planning.

Let me explain it to you through the glimpses of one of the projects I handled during my career.

The strategic goal of the organization was to develop new markets so as to impact the top line growth.

Such high-level goal initially came across as formidable and intimidating. At the start, I figured out a possible path to reach that goal. I decided to imbibe a product feature which allows the storefront to have multiple views basis the pin code selection. Such colossal goal could not have been achieved had I not broken down the complex project into smaller, manageable, achievable sub-tasks (also can be labelled as mini-goals), celebrating the accomplishment of every mini-goal during the course of the developmental endeavour.

Howsoever miniscule the sub-tasks were, OR, how inferior they may seem or appear; I ensured not to diminish their value by segregating these mini-goals under sub-optimal outcome. Afterall, these tiny triumphs act as building blocks eventually leading to the ultimate goal.

Some snippets of mini-goals which I can quote as examples are:

a.) Pre-empt market demand by conducting extensive market research

b.) Brainstorming and Wireframing

c.) Lay foundation in terms of design specifications

d.) Curation of catalogue

e.) Establish possible use-case scenarios & user stories

f.) Naming conventions of new pages

g.) Refine the User interface

h.) Optimize App performance

i.) Creation of Standard operating procedures

j.) Long term deployment roadmap

k.) End user training manuals

But now the next question arises:

How does one align to be sacrosanct in achieving these mini-goals?

So here comes my second Mantra.

2.) Small routines:

Focus on the significance of consistent recurring modus operandi to derive a pattern in order to set priorities and allocate time across sub-tasks. It would instil regular stimulus to perfect yourself.

An approach as below generally helps build momentum gradually instead of facing a huge backlog all at once. Also, you can save yourself from the feeling of being overwhelmed.

• The task having high significance and high exigency must be executed on priority.
• The tasks which are low on significance and exigency can be omitted given the insufficiency of time.
• High exigency tasks with low significance can be delegated to empower the team so as to build a sense of achievement over time.

This framework would help you stay organized, communicate effectively and work cohesively to improve productivity.

A structured approach as this would help you make steady progress, maintain focus and reduce the stress that often comes with managing complex product development projects. It’s a good instrument to manage workload more effectively.

This brings you to the subsequent question:

How do we then fix various pieces of the puzzle to witness that steady progress?

Hence comes my third mantra.

3.) Harmony:

There could be situations when the team members might feel incompetent against a target skill. But it’s important to align them towards a common goal by better task-identity synchronization. Post which, various hurdles or roadblocks can be conquered by doing that task consistently with interest.

Apart from this, the goals of a product development team must always be in harmony with the broader strategic goal of the organization by aligning the product roadmap, features and priorities with the company’s vision and overall business objectives. It would possibly open more avenues for achieving success.

In my case, the organization’s strategic goal was to expand into new markets. Hence the product development involved prioritizing features that cater to the needs of customers in those new zones which in turn meant imbibing an expansion goal in the product roadmap i.e., incorporating localization or market-specific features.

It’s an ongoing process that requires collaboration and adaptability.

In case of misalignment of goals, there is a possibility of resource wastage, lack of clarity and missed opportunities. E.g., If the product development efforts are not in line with the organization’s strategic focus, we might end up working on features which could be counterproductive leading to detrimental effects.

Once the alignment is in place, isn’t it important to evaluate & track the progress?

Yes, of course, which then brings you to my fourth mantra:

4.) Chronicles:

Record-keeping is an essential skill to re-establish the focus on the most critical and important aspects of the project. This can be achieved by creating a mind-map on the key takeaways and writing down the summary of what has been achieved so far. The product lead should gather inferences from each team member so as to build an effective ownership.

I insisted my team to delve deep into each meta facet of the job by accentuating their contributions in simple terms from inception to the finale. This structured retention of facts clearly concretizes the product success story as this process systematically documents key information which helps maintain transparency and accountability.

A well-maintained record can track the product progress, understand the reasons behind specific choices and prioritize the outcomes. In case of change in market dynamics, the records can be revisited to revise the product strategy. Such chronicles can also act as a cornerstone of continuous improvement. It’s also a valuable practice to earn trust, learn from our experience, make data-driven decision and adapt to changing circumstances.

But can learning be just a means to an end? No. It must be inculcated and reinforced. So how can that be done?

This brings you to the final mantra:

5.) Assessment:

Evaluate or test your learnings invariably such that the product meets the desired quality, functionality and performance standards; the result of which is the realization of the ultimate goal. It helps us identify and rectify any issues or defects in the product before it’s released to customers. This ensures a positive user experience and prevents costly post-release fixes or customer dissatisfaction. Design changes can be made before the release which helps us make informed decisions about prioritization and adjustments. Various testing frameworks and bug tracking systems can be used to eradicate all errors and mitigate the associated risks towards the betterment of the product.

That’s my TiSHCA approach.

It assists almost in all projects of large-scale scope which involve multiple stakeholder interaction with timely deliverables.