Unit b

Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace: Problem
Solving and Decision Making

Unit B:
Solving the Problem

Objectives

Gather and analyze data
Develop alternatives
Evaluate options
Implement the solution

Objectives

Monitor and manage the solution
Verify the solution
Use adaptive techniques
Develop ethical solutions

Gathering and Analyzing Data

Before you can solve a business
problem, you should gather relevant
data and analyze it
Successful business decisions are
based on sound information
To systematically gather and analyze
the data related to your problem, start
by identifying your goal and looking
for information related to it


Guidelines for gathering data:
 Define your data needs
 Do not overestimate what you know
about the problem
 Document the data and its sources
 Examine existing information first
 Rely on people as your most important
resource
 Consider interrelationships


Viewing data in different ways

Developing Alternatives

After researching a problem and
collecting data, start to consider
alternatives and solutions
This creating phase of the process
requires imagination and intuition

Developing Alternatives

Guidelines for developing
alternatives:
 Think creatively
 Brainstorm ideas
 Ask others for advice
 Develop a mind map

Analyzing Problems

Brainstorming

Evaluating Options

Analyze the trade-offs among
competing needs and options
Your goal should be to develop a
good solution by evaluating,
modifying, and improving on your
ideas
Asses each alternative carefully
Use objective criteria to avoid making
snap decisions

Evaluating Options

Steps in evaluation options:
 Choose an evaluation method
 Select the criteria
 Weigh your criteria
 Rate the alternatives
 Make a decision

Implementing the Solution

Moving from planning to
implementation is a significant
milestone
During implementation, you begin to
make decisions, take actions, and put
your plans into practice
Communicate clearly and frequently
during this stage
Act decisively rather than planning
endlessly

Implementing the Solution

Guidelines for implementing a
solution:
 Get approval from the problem owner
 Develop a plan
 Notify stakeholders
 Anticipate opposition
 Take action

Monitoring and Managing the
Solution
Most solutions involve related
choices, tasks, and the participation
of others
Managers, coworkers, and
stakeholders expect you to deal
professionally and competently with
interruptions, delays, and unexpected
events
Planning for and identifying trouble
quickly helps you minimize disruption
and problems

Solution
Guidelines for monitoring and
managing the solution:
 Identify key variables
 Select an appropriate level of monitoring
 Involve others with the process
 Be persistent
 Make corrections promptly

Solution
Levels of monitoring

Verifying the Solution

Expect surprises during
implementation
Stay involved with the project and
make necessary corrections along
the way
Ask yourself and others:
 How well is the solution working
 How realistic are the objectives
 What is not working as expected

Verifying the Solution

Do’s and Don’ts of verifying a
solution:
 Define success
 Test your solution
 Avoid the problem in the future
 Learn from the process
 Take credit for your success

Using Adaptive Techniques

Adaptive techniques involve a
combination of intuition, logic, and
common sense
Adaptive techniques are less precise
than traditional problem-solving
methods, but are appropriate in many
cases


Do’s and Don’ts for adaptive
techniques:
 Consider when to use adaptive
techniques
 Manage by exception
 Stagger your decisions
 Hedge your bets
 Delay or defer a solution


Appropriate times to use adaptive
techniques:
 You have a limited amount of time to
work
 An exhaustive analysis is not needed
 The risks are minimal and downside
costs are low
 The solution is easily reversible

Developing Ethical Solutions

Ethics are standards of behavior that
direct how people should act
Ethics involves making moral decisions
and choosing between right and wrong
When applied to problem solving, ethical
behavior leads to appropriate decisions,
not necessarily the optimal ones
Consider situations from an ethical, as
well as a practical, perspective

Developing Ethical Solutions

Guidelines for developing ethical
solutions:
 Identify ethical issues
 Compare costs and benefits
 Consider other people
 Serve broad interests
 Be true to yourself

Technology@Work: Mashups

A mashup is a Web application that
combines features or information
from more than one source
Businesses are using mashups to
develop views of information that aid
in decision making
Business mashups typically combine
data from internal and public sources,
and publish the results within the
company for employees to use

Technology@Work: Mashups

Joblighted, a mashup of Google Maps
and online job services

Summary

Gather relevant data and analyze it to
find trends, indicators, and other related
information
Develop alternative solutions
Evaluate all options
Implementation is a milestone step in
the problem solving process
Carefully monitor and manage the
implemented solution

Summary

Verify the solution and expect surprises
Use adaptive techniques when
appropriate
Consider ethics as you develop
solutions

Unit b

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