Problem Solving Technique: 4 Steps to Improve Your Processes

This tool contains a useful problem solving technique to help you improve your business processes. "Critical Examination" is a structured questioning process.

The questions in this tool are designed to help you examine your business processes, and to help identify possible improvements. The tool uses Kipling’s six honest serving men: what, why, when, how, where and who (as discusssed in our article: Best Management Tools Ever? - A Good Question!

This problem solving technique is part of our comprehensive Seven Step Problem Solving process. Starting with the flow-diagram (below), it will help guide you from an assessment of the current situation, to challenging why things are done in a particular way, to option generation, and finally to the selection of appropriate solutions.

Not sure which of your business processes to begin with? You may want to look at our article: Problem Solving Skill. This discusses the often underrated skill of finding the right problems to solve. It will also help you focus on improving those processes which create the best opportunities.

Next apply the systematic, structured, questioning technique, detailed below. Think about the task yourself, then involve any team members. Encourage creativity but ensure each step is taken in a thorough and disciplined manner.

The Critical Examination Technique

Read the questions in this problem solving technique then follow these 4 steps:

1. Answer the questions in the first column. These summarize the present process method, asking: what; how; when; where; and who.
2. Challenge each of your answers by asking "why?"
3. Use column three to help you generate a range of improvement options.
4. Use column four to help you decide on the best option.

(Adapted from Michael Tucker's Successful Process Management in a Week)

Tips To Implement The Critical Examination Technique

To make improvements to a process, work with the team responsible for that process.

Use step 1 to:

• identify the purpose of the process;
• explore what customers and stakeholders expect the process to deliver.

Use step 2 to:

• analyse how the process works, and its resource requirements;
• explore ways of measuring its efficiency and effectiveness.

Use step 3 to:

• examine ways to improve the process;
• assess the implications and consequences of these improvements.

To help with group creativity, and to focus on the opportunities that solving this problem might create, consider using the management tips in 5 Questions to Transform Problem Solving

Use step 4 to:

• decide on the best option, given available resources.

A final tip:

Look for the small changes to the process which could have a big impact on the process as a whole.

Ask the question: “What small change would significantly improve the process?”

If you want to read more management tips for problem solving our Seven Step Problem Solving Process is a good place to start.

Click on this link to download our free, problem solving management tool: Problem Solving Technique: 4 Steps to Improve Your Processes

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