You’re struggling to get your team to solve problems effectively. How can you help them improve?

Facilitate regular problem-solving workshops, encourage creativity, provide relevant training, and establish clear processes to streamline problem-solving efforts, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the team.

Clarify Objectives: Ensure everyone understands the goals and objectives clearly. This clarity helps the team focus their problem-solving efforts effectively. Encourage Creativity: Foster a culture where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are encouraged. This can involve brainstorming sessions, idea-sharing platforms, or simply creating a safe space where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts. Provide Training: Offer training sessions or workshops focused on problem-solving techniques, such as root cause analysis, SWOT analysis, or critical thinking exercises. Invest in resources that teach problem-solving frameworks and methodologies. Encourage Collaboration: Encourage collaboration and teamwork.

Start by clearly defining the problem and ensuring everyone understands it. Encourage open communication for sharing ideas without judgment. Teach and model structured problem-solving methods, such as breaking down the problem into smaller, manageable parts. Promote critical thinking by asking probing questions. Foster a culture of collaboration, encouraging team members to build on each other's ideas. Implement regular training sessions on problem-solving techniques and tools. Recognize and celebrate when the team successfully solves problems, reinforcing positive behavior. Monitor the problem-solving process and provide constructive feedback to refine their approach. Lead by example, demonstrating patience and resilience.

Promote Agile methodologies, foster collaboration, provide technical training, utilize data analytics, and implement DevOps practices to enhance problem-solving effectiveness within the team.

Problem definition is easier said than done. Deep diving into root cause and breaking away from easily falling down a rabbit path are crucial to stay on track and not navigate off-topic. This is in turn, very important to maintain engagement and focus on the actual problem. The basics of problem solving process include: - define the problem - structure the problem - prioritize - plan and conduct analysis - synthesize and develop recommendations

After you’ve identified the symptom and cause, you can now start resolving it. Now remember, there could be more than one approach to solve the problem. Have a brainstorming session, get everyone to provide inputs and suggestions and their POV on how to resolve problem. No idea is bad idea and all suggestions are welcomed. Start experimenting with some of the ideas and stimulate creativity

Once you are able to define the problem then you can have brainstorming session with your team to find out the possible solutions, then list down these solutions and check the feasibility and effectiveness of these solutions or approaches. Check or validate all these approaches or solutions with team architects and ask for the design for this where need think on best approach and performance parameters. then create the WBS for the proposed solution and prioritize the stories or task to achieve best possible solution.

Geralmente os métodos para solução de problemas seguem o ciclo PDCA, que se resume nas etapas planejar, fazer, verificar e agir. Conforme o contexto, sugiro avaliar o método mais adequando ao cenário, como por exemplo: A3 que é bem adotado para a realização de discovery em projetos adaptativos de produto/software. Outro método bem difundido, o DMAIC, é mais voltado para projetos de processos ou de qualidade (Six Sigma). Os métodos aqui citados não se limitam aos contextos apresentados.

Considerations to boost Problem-Solving: - Diverse Thinking: Use brainstorming techniques and cross-functional teams to get a wider range of ideas. - Root Cause Focus: Train on "5 Whys" and data analysis to tackle core issues, not just symptoms. - Learn from Mistakes: Foster psychological safety and conduct post-mortems to turn missteps into learning opportunities. - Continuous Learning: Invest in training and knowledge sharing to keep your team's skills sharp.

Problem solving is an art. Not everyone liked algebra, but I bet problem solvers did. I taught a class on it, and it became obvious quickly that many people are not equipped to do it well. There is no guide, you can't RTFM, problems exist because of something beyond the obvious(although typos cause much of the problems). If you solve all of the teams problems, they don't grow. But you also can't have them lollygagging about without a plan. Walk through what they did, ask about x,y or z and see if a light bulb goes on. If not, go hire some new light bulbs :-)