Structured Thought: Problem Solving

 
When solving problems in business, time pressure is often every bit as challenging as the underlying analytics.  There often aren’t enough hours in the day to fill in every data gap and conduct a comprehensive diagnosis.  And, senior executives may excessively limit scope due to their experience, bias, and/or perceived resource constraints.  Analysts want to be seen delivering quickly, yet they recognize that a complete answer may require more time, resources, or perhaps even answering an entirely different question.

How can an analyst deliver distinctive work while bringing their leadership along for the ride?

thoughtLEADERS knows that a little bit of extra time spent up front often pays for itself many times over.  We recommend a six-step structure process to clarify the problem, categorize the potential analytics, communicate the plan of attack, and contract with leadership to agree on that plan.  Since 2006, we've taught our structured thought process in full-day, experiential learning seminars through L&D programs at companies such as Google, Abbot, Discover, cardinal Health, and many others.  Learn more at http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/.

In this hour-long session at IIBA Pittsburgh on March 12^th, we'll begin with a whirlwind 20-minute overview of our structured thought process and introduce one of the steps (logic maps).  Then we'll spend 20 minutes in small groups using this technique to break down a fictional and simplified case study.  Finally, each of the small teams wil present their work to the broader group.  We'll finish with a brief, facilitated discussion on what was and wasn't effective.

At the end of this session you won't be an expert – that takes practice and apprenticeship along with expert coaching.  But you will leave with a couple of new ideas you can try out with your teams.  And you'll have a renewed appreciation that spending a bit of extra time up front is very different from the dreaded "analysis paralysis" that drives teams towards motion instead of action.  Used properly, that extra time will help frame your problem in a way that makes it more solvable, more quickly.  Like the US Navy SEALs, you'll become part of a small and elite group that realizes "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast."

Speaker: Greg Acton

Greg Acton is a Pittsburgh-based independent strategy consultant and Principal at thoughtLEADERS.  He holds a BS in Computer Science and an MBA, both from Carnegie Mellon University.  He has been a Lieutenant on Aegis Destroyers in the Navy, a six sigma blackbelt at Amazon.com, and a consultant with McKinsey & Company.  He lives in Lawrenceville with his dog Halsey, and is a freelance flight instructor in his spare time.  Learn more at https://www.linkedin.com/gregacton/