Problem Solving - A New Dimension

a. Trial and Improvement- The process of trying something out, not

necessarily to find the right answer straight away but instead to gain
greater insight into the problem so that your next attempt is a more
informed one.
b. Working Systematically- Working in a methodical and efficient way to
ensure you find all the possibilities.
c. Pattern Spotting- During the problem-solving process, being able to spot
a pattern can save you time. More importantly though, by trying to work
out why a pattern occurs, children will gain a greater insight into
mathematical structures which will deepen their conceptual
understanding.
d. Working Backwards- Although starting at the end of a problem may
sound counter intuitive, it can be an efficient way to solve it.
e. Reasoning- Evaluating situations, selecting problem-solving strategies,
drawing logical conclusions, developing solutions, describing solutions,
reflecting on solutions
f. Visualising- Picturing what is happening or what might happen in your
mind’s eye.
g. Conjecturing, Generalising and Proving- Using similarities and
differences that you find to speculate about what might happen if… An
ability to make generalisations and predictions. Shows a deeper
understanding of the mathematical structure of a problem.

Edward de Bono’s- SIX THINKING HATS

a. Traditional Thinking
i. Traditional thinking is 2400 years old, based on the philosophies of
Socrates, Plato and Aristotle
ii. It is also called ‘argument’, ‘adversarial’, or ‘western’ thinking
iii. Partial exploration of subject / problem
iv. Involves analysis, judgment and argument
v. There is no focus and thinks about too many aspects / things at a
time
vi. Traditional thinking is not collaborative or cooperative
b. Parallel Thinking
i. First published by Edward de Bono in 1985
ii. Full exploration of subject / problem
iii. Concerned with ‘what can be’
iv. Involves constructive thinking, creative thinking and ‘designing a
way forward’.
v. Deals with only one aspect / thing at a time
c. Parallel Thinking
i. All members look in the same direction at any moment
ii. Direction changes one after other
iii. All views are put down in parallel
d. Lateral Thinking
i. Lateral Thinking means thinking differently or thinking out of the
box.
e. Six Thinking Hats
i. A method for effective team meetings, problem solving, decision
making and proposal/design evaluation
ii. A method based on the concept of parallel thinking
iii. Can be used in businesses, schools and families for resolving issues
and making decisions
iv. Major organizations using Six Thinking Hats are: NASA, IBM,
ABB, Siemens, Microsoft, British Airways, BP, Statoil, NTT,
Federal Express, Polaroid, PepsiCo., DuPont, Prudential Insurance
etc.
v. Can be used by businessmen, professionals, teachers, students,
children or individuals.
vi. There are six different colour imaginary hats that you can put on or
take off.
vii. Hats help a group to use parallel thinking
viii. Colour of hat identifies the type or direction of thinking
ix. The main idea is to have the group “wear only one hat at a time”
f. White Hat Thinking
i. Neutral, objective information
ii. Facts & figures
iii. Two tiers of facts - Believed Facts & Checked Facts
iv. Excludes one’s own opinions, hunches, judgments
v. Removes feelings & impressions
vi. Report of opinion of someone else
vii. Questions to be asked & answered under White hat:
viii. What information / facts do we know?
ix. What information is missing?
x. What information / facts would we like to have?
xi. How are we going to get the information?
xii. What is relevant?
xiii. What is most important?
xiv. How valid is this?
g. Red Hat Thinking
i. Emotions & feelings influence thinking & red hat acknowledges
this fact
ii. Emotions come in three ways:
 Background emotions such as fear, anger, hatred, love etc.
 Initial perceptions (eg. having insulted by someone etc.)
  Emotions after a map of situations has been put together
iii. Hunches, intuitions, impressions
iv. Doesn’t have to be logical or consistent
v. No justifications, reasons or basis
vi. Questions to be asked & answered under Red hat: How do I feel
about this right now?
vii. How cold or warm do I feel about this? How am I reacting to this?
h. Black Hat Thinking
i. Cautious and careful
ii. Logical negative – why it won’t work?
iii. Critical judgment, pessimistic view
iv. Separates logical negative from emotional
v. Focus on errors, evidence, conclusions
vi. Worst-case scenarios
vii. Questions to be asked & answered under Black hat: Is this true?
viii. Will it work? Why won’t it work? What are the weaknesses?
ix. What is wrong with it?
i. Yellow Hat Thinking
i. Positive & speculative
ii. Positive thinking, optimism, opportunity
iii. Benefits
iv. Best-case scenarios
v. Questions to be asked & answered under yellow hat: What are the
good points?
vi. What are the benefits? Why will this idea work? Why is this
worth doing? How will it help us?
vii. Why can it be done?
j. Green Hat Thinking
i. New ideas, concepts, perceptions
ii. Deliberate creation of new ideas
iii. Alternatives and more alternatives
iv. New approaches to problems
v. Creative & lateral thinking
vi. Questions to be asked & answered under Green hat: What are
some possible ways to work this out?
vii. What are some other ways to solve the problem?
k. The Blue Hat
 i. Blue hat is unique as it thinks about thinking
ii. Control or organization of thinking process
iii. Thinking sessions usually begin & end with blue hat
iv. Normally, session leader uses blue hat
v. Instructions for thinking
vi. Controls the sequence or use of other hats
vii. Brings in discipline and focus
l. Using the Hats
i. Use blue hat at the beginning and end
ii. Blue hat is usually worn by the facilitator
iii. Use any hat, as often as needed
iv. Hats can be used singly at any point or as a sequence of two, three,
four or more hats
v. Sequence can be preset or evolving
vi. Not necessary to use every hat
vii. Time under each hat: generally, short
viii. Requires discipline from each person to stay focused
ix. Adds an element of play
x. Can be used by individuals and groups
m. Hat Sequence – Evaluation
i. To discover the positive aspects and negative aspects of an idea:
 Open with the blue hat.
 Use the yellow hat before the black hat.
 Then, follow up with the green hat (new ideas) and red hat
(feelings) thinking.
 Close with the blue hat.
n. Hat Sequence – Caution
i. To look at situations critically:
 Open with the blue hat.
 First consider facts using the white hat.
 Then, use the black hat to discover difficulties.
 Follow up with some red hat (feelings) thinking.
 Close with the blue hat.
o. Hat Sequence – Design
i. To create new ideas, products or improvements to existing design:
 Open with the blue hat.
 Then, use the green hat to generate new ideas & designs.
  Follow up with some red hat (feelings) thinking.
 Close with the blue hat.
p. Hat Sequence – Others
i. Comparing fact and opinion - Blue+White+Red+Blue
ii. Comparing and synthesising (coming up with new ideas from the
known) - Blue+White+Yellow+Black+Green+Blue
iii. Choosing between alternatives – Blue+White+Yellow +Black+
(Green) + Red+Blue
iv. Identifying Solutions – Blue+White+Black+Green+Blue
v. Quick Feedback – Blue+Yellow+Black+Green+Blue
vi. Strategic Planning –
Blue+Yellow+Black+White+Blue+Green+Blue
vii. Process Improvement – Blue+White+White (Other people’s views)
+ Yellow+Black+Green+Red+Blue
viii. Performance Review – Blue+Red+White+Yellow+Black+Green+
Red+Blue - Blue+White+Yellow+Black+Green+Blue
q. Facilitator’s Role
i. Define the focus of your thinking
ii. Plan the sequence and timing of the thinking
iii. Ask for changes in the thinking if needed
iv. Handle requests from the group for changes in the thinking
v. Form periodic or final summaries of the thinking
r. Participant’s Role
i. Follow the lead of Six Thinking Hats facilitator
ii. Stick to the hat (type of thinking) that is in current use
iii. Try to work within the time limits
iv. Contribute honestly & fully under each of the hats
s. Benefits of Six Thinking Hats Method
i. Decisions seem to make themselves
ii. Focused thinking
iii. Improved exploration
iv. Improved creativity & innovation
v. Foster collaborative thinking
vi. Provides a common language
vii. Helps people work against type, preference
viii. Removal of ego from decisions (reduce confrontation)
ix. Allows a switch in thinking without threatening ego.
 x. Saves time

Consulting Skills -Hordes Findings

a. Goal- To help you and your organization sell and market more effective
value-added internal consulting services faster.
b. Consulting- A management consultancy that creates and implements
strategies for professional services organizations.
c. To Sell and Market Internal Consulting Services You Need:
i. Internal Marketing Best Practices
ii. Relationship Skills
iii. Focus on value benefits and offerings
iv. The 10 “C”s
d. Value = perceived benefits minus anticipated costs. Value is what the
customers will pay for.
e. Know Your Offerings
i. Understand the features and benefits of your consulting
organization.
ii. Understand how these offerings can help solve business problems.
iii. Be prepared to communicate the value-adding potential of these
offerings in terms the client cares about.
f. The 10 Commandments for Selling Consulting Services
i. Clarify complex customer issues.
ii. Communicate the invisible.
iii. Customize each solution.
iv. Commit high-level executives to action.
v. Coordinate the selling team.
vi. Compress the cycle time of selling.
vii. Concentrate on the stars.
viii. Control the cost of sale.
ix. Commercialize the sales promise.
x. Continually learn and grow.
g. The Four I’s Probing Strategy
i. Issues
ii. Importance
 iii. Impact
iv. Investigate
h. Six Elements in Building Strong Client Relationships
i. Decorum
ii. Trust
iii. Value
iv. Credibility
v. Empathy
vi. Commonality
PSCS Tools
a. Lean Problem Solving
i. Crews involved in understanding the problem.
ii. Why would you want the crews to be involved?
iii. How can you understand the history of the problem without their
involvement?
iv. How do you involve crews?
b. Brainstorming
i. Goal is to generate ideas.
ii. Builds teamwork.
iii. Builds trust.
iv. Stimulates creative thought.
v. Unstructured method allows anybody to contribute an idea at any
time.
vi. Structured method controls input by giving everybody an equal
chance to contribute.
c. Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
i. Creates a one-page picture of all company processes.
ii. Depicts flow of information and material.
iii. Shows value-added and non-value added (waste) process steps to
help streamline.
d. Pareto Chart
i. Collected data depicted on a bar graph.
ii. Identifies the most frequent source of problems.
 iii. Identifies where team should focus energy.
iv. Identifies major contributing factors to a specific problem.
e. Fishbone (Cause & Effect) Diagram
i. Use when there are many contributing factors.
ii. Organize data into major categories.
iii. Review each category for potential impact on problem.
iv. Use brainstorming process to identify factors.

f. A3
g. First Run Studies-> Plan – Do – Check – Act
Problem Solving PPI Tree Model
a. Problem Analysis
i. Problem analysis is central to many forms of project planning and
is well developed among development agencies.
ii. It identifies the negative aspects of an existing situation and deals
with present issues rather than apparent, future or past issues.
iii. It is often the first step that can help to find solutions by analyzing
and mapping out the relationship of causes and effects around a
main problem or issue.
iv. Problem analysis is the fourth step in Problem/Project
Identification (PPI), which analyzes comprehensively and in depth
key information obtained from situation analysis, feasibility study,
and stakeholder analysis.
 Feasibility Stakeholder Problem
Situation Analysis
Study Analysis Analysis

b. Why Problem Analysis is important to PPI?

i. Problems can be broken down into manageable and definable
chunks, which enables a clearer prioritization of factors and helps
to focus on objectives; objective tree is the next step after problem
tree.
ii. Help to establish whether further information, evidence or
resources are needed to make a stronger analysis of project’s
problems.
iii. It is important in planning a community engagement or behavior
change project as it establishes the context in which a project is to
occur. Understanding the context helps reveal the complexity of
life and this is essential in planning a successful project.
iv. The process of analysis often helps build a shared sense of
understanding, purpose and action.
c. Problem Tree Analysis
i. A Problem Tree can be defined as a visualization of the problems
in form of a diagram, or “hierarchy of problems” to help analyze
and clarify cause–effect relationships, or as a tree that provides an
overview of all the known causes and effects to an identified
problem.
ii. Problem tree analysis examines the negative aspects of an existing
situation and establishes the cause and effect’ relationships
between the identified problems.
d. How to Create a Problem Tree?
i. Problem tree analysis is best carried out in a small focus group of
about six to eight people using flip chart paper or an overhead
transparency. It is important that factors can be added as the
conversation progresses.
ii. The first step is to discuss and agree the problem or issue to be
analyzed. Do not worry if it seems like a broad topic because the
problem tree will help break it down.
 iii. The problem or issue is written in the center of the flip chart and
becomes the 'trunk' of the tree, or the 'focal problem’.
iv. The wording does not need to be exact as the roots and branches
will further define it, but it should describe an actual issue that
everyone feels passionately about.
v. Next, the group identify the causes of the focal problem - these
become the roots - and then identify the consequences, which
become the branches.
vi. These causes and consequences can be created on post-it notes or
cards, perhaps individually or in pairs, so that they can be arranged
in a cause-and-effect logic.
vii. Branches = Effects
Trunk = Main Problem
Roots = Causes
viii. The heart of the exercise is the discussion, debate and dialogue that
is generated as factors are arranged and re-arranged, often forming
sub-dividing roots and branches.
ix. Take time to allow people to explain their feelings and reasoning
and record related ideas and points that come up on separate flip
chart paper under titles such as solutions, concerns and decisions.