Problem Solving and Decision Making Dean Beuglass

Objectives Understand the relationship between problem solving and project management Learn five steps that help you to analyze a problem Learn a systematic problem-solving process Put into action the skills and ideas you have learned during the course Prepared. For Life.

Where do problems come from? Independent of projects First Aid emergencies Leader recruiting Unit elections Within larger projects Camping/Trekking/Summer Camp Popcorn Sales Eagle Project

Project Planning Recap STEP 1 Project Overview STEP 2 Activity List STEP 3 Activity Plan & Assignment STEP 4 Execute The Plan STEP 5 Project Closeout Goals and Objectives Tasks Responsibilities WORK!!! Compare Goals to Outcome

The Five Steps of: Project Planning Problem Solving Project Overview Activity List Activity Plan & Assignments Execute the Plan Project Closeout Problem Solving Describe the problem Gather information Determine the most important factors that contribute to the problem Visualize what success looks like Create action steps that will lead to success

Advantages of Systematically Solving Problems Adherence to those five steps increases your odds of success because you have completed a full assessment of the problem Improved speed and efficiency with continued use Time savings – organized approach yields a quick and orderly solution

Systematic Problem Solving Describe the problem Gather Information Determine the most important factors that contribute to the problem Visualize what success looks like Create action steps that will lead to success EACH STEP DEMANDS DECISIONS

Decisions, Decisions…

Decision Making Brainstorming Encourage all to participate – every idea is valuable Think outside the box Beyond the obvious Agree at the outset not to be critical of the ideas of others Piggyback Ideas – build on the ideas of others Remember the past… Have you solved a similar problem (team or other group) No need to reinvent the wheel

Decision Making Consensus Multivoting Discussion results in an agreement without a vote Potential solutions are assessed and evaluated to make sure that they align with the vision of success Must agree to abide by the group decision Multivoting With many potential solutions this can help reduce the list to a manageable size Each member has equal votes Cast votes – total scores, repeat as needed…

Decision Making Parking Lot Allows you to table a part of a discussion if not directly related to the immediate problem Acknowledge as a group that the item is not immediately relevant Allows all members to feel that their ideas are/will be heard Write a brief description of issue/thought – ensure that the item is captured in enough detail to return to the discussion FOLLOW-UP!!

Barriers to effective Problem Solving Indecision Stalling Overreacting Vacillating Half measures Avoiding decisions because they are unpleasant - risk, fear, and anxiety Refusing to face the issue; obsessive gathering of endless facts (analysis paralysis) Letting emotions take control; knee-jerk reactions Never fully committing to the decision or Reversing decisions Making the safest decision to avoid controversy but not dealing with the whole problem

Sample Problem Solving Post Beading Menu Planning Describe the problem Need a menu to satisfy the most discriminating staffers Gather information Scope limited to menu planning-not shopping, cooking, serving…just the menu Only have 5 minutes during WB2011 to decide Needs to be a group decision Determine the most important factors that contribute to the problem Don’t have much time Need to involve everyone Visualize what success looks like Quickly come up with a great menu Create action steps that will lead to success Divide work into patrols, brainstorm & multivote

Brainstorming & Multivoting Practice Your patrol is asked to suggest a dish Fox-Appetizer Buffalo-Main Course Bear-Soup Antelope-Vegetable Bobwhite-Salad Owl-Dessert Eagle-Main Course Beaver-Dessert Brainstorm as many ideas as possible in the next 2 minutes and record on sticky notes Take 1 minute to collapse duplicates Then multivote with dots (dotmocracy) to determine your final choice Number of votes each person gets is approximately 1/3 of the number of possible choices You can only vote for a single item once You may have to vote multiple times – reduce # of votes each time Report out

Review: Five Steps of Problem Solving Describe the ___________ Gather _______________ Determine the ______ ____________ ___________that contribute to the problem Visualize what __________ looks like Create _______ _______ that will lead to success problem information most important factors success action steps

Review: Systematic Approaches Recognize the value in a systematic approach to problem solving Follow each step Make it second nature – realize time gains Utilize decision making protocols (like brainstorming & multivoting) to build consensus decisions

Final Rule of Thumb M A R F aintain bsolute igid lexibility