5 simple steps to problem solving.
“…where troubles melt like lemon drops, way above the chimney tops, that’s where you’ll find me…”
In an ideal world, problems would melt away. But this side of the rainbow, we’re left to solve them on our own. Fortunately, problem-solving skills are not difficult to attain once we know how to organize them into steps. Follow our 5-step plan that incorporates proven management techniques to understand the nature of your problems– and how to solve them.
What’s the problem?
Any unwelcomed obstacle that impedes us in achieving our goals and deadlines, or a poor outcome constitutes a problem, and finding the source of the difficulty is the place to begin resolving it. And while the problem-solving cycle is portrayed in a sequential process, in real life, things seldom occur in a linear fashion. In other words, be open to going back and forth in the steps, and flexible in trying different remedies. There’s no one way to solve a problem – but certainly one way to start solving it:
1. Identify it – while seemingly obvious, many people will mistake a symptom of a problem for the source or react to what they think the problem is. For example, is your business problem that you are constantly in the red? Are your production numbers falling off, or is disorganization costing you business? Also, make sure there is a problem – you may just be realizing you want to improve a situation that is not meeting your expectations.
2. Define it – Six Sigma management techniques can help improve business processes by trying to reduce the probability of an error before it happens. The first step in both Six Sigma methodologies (DMAIC and DMADV) involve defining the problem and/or the project goals. Ask yourself what is happening that indicates there’s a problem; where, how, when and why it is happening and whom it involves to get to the root of situation. Be careful to avoid blaming people until the facts are clear, focussing on solving the problem is often more important than assigning blame.
3. Analyze and strategize to form a resolution – data can provide the purely objective information you need to create a solution. What are the facts around the problem? What is the roadblock or weak part of the process that can be remedied? With this insight, you can begin to brainstorm remedies to improve the method around what you are trying to accomplish. If this involves making big changes, develop an interim solution while working on the long-term system correction. Also, before you go off reinventing the solution wheel – do some research to see if others have been in a similar predicament.
4. Choose the best approach and allocate resources – it’s decision time, which is what business problem-solving is all about. Before you choose your approach, consider what the ideal outcome looks like; what course gets you there; and what resources – people, money, time, etc. – are required. Draw up an actual action plan with steps and assign jobs with a timetable.
5. Monitor the plan execution and evaluate your success – the last thing you need is a plan that’s either not working or generating more problems. Don’t assume that since you have a plan on paper, all’s well that ends well. Continually check in for progress and get feedback from others: is the problem solved, or just “not as bad?” If it’s the latter, go back to the steps to see what went awry. If you are satisfied the difficulty has been removed, create some kind of system or documentation to make sure it or something similar doesn’t happen again.
Got a productivity problem? Xerox® ConnectKey® Technology can help.
Today’s office jobs involve more than copying, scanning and printing – watch this video see how a few easy taps on the screen can solve a host of 21st century productivity problems.
Technology and today’s business problem solving
Technology doesn’t only benefit large enterprise companies, everyone and every business can benefit from these time- and labor-saving tools. For example, a small business can use a scaled down version of a collaboration or resource management tool to coordinate front and back office work, solving gaps in productivity and continuity.
Xerox® ConnectKey® Technology-enabled printers give people the freedom to solve everyday problems by transforming the experience of how they work, and not just in terms of mobility. Freeing up processes, and being able to access cloud services like Dropbox™, Google Drive™, OneDrive® via the VersaLink® touchscreen interface open up opportunities to approach work differently, take on new challenges, and replace problematic processes with creative workarounds.
Let Xerox technology help you overcome your office obstacles. Explore more tips here.
Everyone can print, scan and share docs from their mobile devices with ConnectKey Technology
ConnectKey Technology lets you manage, print, scan and share to and from the cloud or mobile devices.
Helpful Resources
Related Articles
Training provider innovates the delivery of learning, making content more accessible.
CRC Formation training staff use Xerox® Workflow Central to offer students new ways to learn.
Healthcare Solutions for Xerox Workplace Cloud
Xerox® Workplace Solutions ensures secure MFP access and pull printing for healthcare, protecting patient data and ensuring compliance. Print securely from any device with single sign-on and event logging.
Bell Law Case Study
Discover how a leading employment law firm overcame document processing and sharing hurdles with the innovative solutions provided by Xerox® Workflow Central.
French Non-Profit Association Case Study
See how Xerox helped boost productivity and accessibility for one of France's most significant non-profit organizations with the help of our Managed Print Services and Workflow Central Platform.
How to free up your time to make a more efficient workday
We’ve pulled together some of the best tips we’ve learned from various small business owners through the years.
Xerox Awarded BLI Smart Workplace Solutions Line of the Year
Buyers Lab (BLI) awarded Xerox with Smart Workplace Solutions Line of the Year Award 6 years in a row. See how we can help you meet the challenges of hybrid work.
