A big problem in solving problems is knowing what the real problem is. Steve Jobs put it simply: define the problem right and you're most of the way to the solution.
Rule of thumb is that the problem we think we have is rarely the real problem. It takes some detective work to get to the root.
A few good questions
“I’m overwhelmed and disorganized. I need to find an app.”
What does overwhelmed mean? Disorganized?
Not only is the problem not defined, there's a solution inserted into the problem statement. Creates an "anchor" problem: chasing an app as the solution to a yet-to-be-defined problem.
Questions open doors to getting to the root of a problem.
Below are a few of my favs.
What problem are you solving? “I’m overwhelmed and disorganized.” OK, break it down. What describes overwhelmed for you? What describes disorganized for you? “I’m procrastinating. I’m stuck.”
Say more/what’s an example? “I haven’t gotten any work done. I’m falling behind. I don’t know where to start. It’s all piling up.”
If this problem was solved, what would happen? Beginning with the end in mind is a universal tool.
“What would happen is I wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed and be so disorganized.” What else? “I would have made good progress on my new project.” What project? “This project my manager assigned. I don’t know how to start and I don’t really understand what she wants.”
Hmm. The root problem is not knowing how to move forward on the project.
The 5 whys: This is a root-cause tool from the Toyota Production System playbook. Sometimes the problem is revealed on the second or third why.
“I am overwhelmed.”
Why? Because I have too much to do.
Why? Because I’ve been procrastinating.
Why? Because I’m not quite sure how to start this project I’ve been assigned.
Why? I’m stuck.
Why? I don’t know what my manager really wants, I don’t know exactly how to do the analysis.
What kind of problem is it?
For larger system problems, this is a simple and powerful tool out of Zingerman’s playbook from Building a Great Business. Before finding solutions to a problem it’s useful to know if it’s a system problem, a training problem, or a management problem.
System problem: people are trained, using the system, and it still doesn't work.
Training problem: people don't know how to use the system. It would work if they did.
Management problem: people know how, but aren't held to using it. It would work if they did.
Sometimes Its a combination of two — management and training. Or all three!
This framework can apply to individuals as well. In our "I'm overwhelmed and disorganized" example above, what we unearthed is that it was a training problem: not understanding the project, and not knowing how to do the analysis.
And is this even a real problem?
We often invent problems that don't exist — playing out ten moves ahead, solving for something that may never happen. And even real problems don't always need solving today.
Check in to make sure you’re not getting ahead of yourself or solving a problem that doesn’t need to be solved right now.