Four Step Problem Solving

Using critical thinking to get to the root cause of your problem, generate solutions, and implement the best solution.
What you’ll learn:
How to differentiate a problem from an an assumption or a solution.
How to conduct a root cause analysis using an Ishikawa Diagram.
The questions to ask when exploring the causes of a problem.
How to discern the best solution to the cause of your problem.
Requirements
An ability to objectively identify problems, using just facts and removing assumption and judgement will help a learner be most successful in this course.
Description
This course is based on Corporate Training Workshops that I have been teaching for years on Four Step Problem Solving. Students learn how to accurately name what is going wrong and map out the causes that have led to that issue, by asking the right questions. We use plenty of examples in this course, including a case study with a subject, so you can see how to interview another person about problems in their life.
Thinking critically is at the foundation of knowledge work. Learning the process to conduct a thorough root cause analysis will help you ask the right questions when something goes awry. In this course, we start by clearly defining your problem before we jump into a root cause analysis, then we’ll start creatively generating solutions, and landing on a plan to implement. I also share my best practices on how to lead a problem solving workshop with teams. I’ve been leading Problem Solving sessions for so long that you’ll see me do this work with several different hair colors.
The primary models we use in this course are an Ishikawa Diagram (sometimes called Fishbone Diagram) and an Ease and Impact Matrix. Make sure to download the attached worksheets and use the templates to follow along with your own problems!

Who this course is for
Business professionals, especially those who lead teams.
Individual contributors and workers who must use critical thinking in daily work.