REPLY Getting a Good Problem Statement (SD6592)

[SDMAIL Jim Hines]

Posted by  "Jim Hines" <jim at ventanasystems.com>

Jean-Jacques,

You're right that defining a problem in terms of reference modes
pre-supposes that people have already decided to use SD. But in the absence
of that decision, it's unlikely that you'll get a problem statement that
subsequently will be very useful to an SD approach.  Part of the SD process
is problem definition.

My guess is that problem definitions usually do presuppose some approach to
problem solution.  I think that's why supposedly neutral problem statements
often seem to me to be heading down a wrong (or at least non-SD) path. For
example, a client will say "the problem is that we don't have enough
salespeople", when the real problem is that sales are declining.  Or they'll
say "the problem is that the right data isn't available to the top people",
when the real problem is that their business is oscillatory.  Or, they'll
say "we're creating a new business flow for our call centers and want to
check for hidden gotcha's" when the real problem is that their quality has
mysteriously declined.

In practice it seems that a manager starts with some poorly articulated
problem and uses that to decide on a poorly articulated problem-solving
approach.  Then, the hint of the problem solving approach lets the manager
get a bit more precise on the problem statement, which lets her get clearer
on the solution approach, etc. I'd speculate that human thought processes
actually **require** a problem statement to develop in tandem with a
solution approach.  You can't have one without the other.

Jean-Jacque, you're probably sadly shaking your head and thinking I simply
need to see a **real** problem statement of the kind you mean.  I agree.
Would it be possible to post an example of one?  

Jim Hines
Posted by  "Jim Hines" <jim at ventanasystems.com>
posting date  Fri, 7 Sep 2007 09:42:54 -0500