Solving the Problem-Solving Problem
Citizen expectations, digital transformation, new missions and mandates, and budget constraints are just a few of the challenges that Government agencies face today, so they frequently need to engage in strategic problem-solving. Developing effective solutions for the challenges agencies face – from tax administration to transportation security to law enforcement – requires a thoughtful and structured approach. These challenges involve many interdependent issues, multiple stakeholders with unique needs and points of view, and (commonly) pre-conceived notions about the right solutions that are not grounded in fact.
With a structured approach to problem-solving, agency leaders can seek to move past seemingly obvious solutions that do not truly address the underlying problems. They want an approach that helps their workforce learn from relevant facts, apply relevant insights and innovations from outside their organization, and clearly and concisely communicate status and solutions with key stakeholders.
For all types of problems, agencies can follow a five-phase framework to clarify the problem they need to solve, identify and apply a solution framework, gather appropriate facts to develop a solution, and effectively communicate that solution to external and internal stakeholders:
Problem Definition – Before beginning to solve a problem, leaders must clarify the core concept and scope. When defining a problem, always have the same outcomes in mind: to provide clarity, direction, focus, and consensus and document it in a clearly defined problem statement. (This is harder than it sounds, but is worth the time up front)
2. Problem Decomposition – Effectively decomposing a problem is the most important feature of effective problem-solving – it reduces a daunting task into a series of smaller, more manageable issues, helps to uncover root causes, and reveals opportunities to apply innovative solutions from other industries that might not have been apparent
3. Information Gathering – Properly plan and execute research efforts, focusing on the key issues to target sources for reliable facts and insights to avoid wasting time “boiling the ocean” looking for inputs. Engage employees, stakeholders, and outside sources, while recognizing potential biases each source might have
4. Analysis and Solution Development – Apply the information gathered using analytic frameworks to help clarify the relationships of insights and issues and to guide the development of solutions. Solve organizational problems like math or physics problems: scope the problem, identify the relevant formula (framework), and apply facts to the formula to solve the equation
5. Communicating Insights – A solution is only as good as your ability to effectively explain it to others. Communicate clearly and frequently with stakeholders to gather insights, evaluate ideas, and continuously explore the bounds of potential solutions to guide the team toward next steps and through the implementation process
Federal government agencies face complex challenges – to accomplish their mission, to improve operations, and to take care of their people. Henry Ford famously said, “There are no big problems, only lots of little problems.”
By implementing this structured and repeatable approach, as Arc Aspicio does with our Integrated Problem Solving Method, organizations can methodically and transparently work through those problems with greater confidence in their ability to achieve an effective solution.
