You can now attend this course remotely.

The course will still be practical, interactive and delivered live by senior instructors with 15 – 25+ years’ experience with the skills to make the intensive learning experience interesting and enjoyable.

Various additional measures to maximise the remote training experience have also been experimented, planned and incorporated. Find out more about practical training delivered remotely (live).

This course is suitable for:

• Technical and business staff who wrestle with business problems
• Team members needing to participate effectively in problem analysis and problem solving

This course aims to provide and teach a framework of techniques suitable for successfully analysing and solving problems.

On completion of the Problem Solving Skills training course, you will be able to:

• Use a structured process for identifying and defining problems
• Apply techniques for analysing problems, their root cause and impact
• Use creative and lateral thinking techniques for identifying solutions
• Assess solutions based on feasibility, impact and risk
• Select, recommend and be able to justify the solution

Module 1: Getting Started

• Recognising that a problem exists
• Initial problem definition
• Terms of reference
• Resources and matching these to the seriousness of the problem faced
• What a problem is and what it isn’t
• Basic parameters – problem owner, location, scope, impact

Module 2: Understanding the Problem

Problem analysis techniques:

• Critical examination
• Work study techniques
• Root cause analysis and observation
• Quantifying the causes and effects
• Arriving at an agreed definition of the problem
• Distinctions and similarities
• Setting priorities based on the deviation from what is desired
• Representing the results of analysis in graphical and written form

Module 3: Identifying the Solution

• Agreeing and working within a framework of objectives
• Scope of the required solution
• Use of both logical and creative thinking approaches to identifying solutions
• Identifying the non-starters from the candidates for evaluation

Module 4: Evaluating the Solution

• Agreeing the alternatives and assessing the fit and suitability of each one
• Identifying interrelated solutions together with the pre and post conditions for overall success
• Quantifying the benefits and disadvantages of each solution
• Selecting a solution
• Anticipating potential problems and quantifying these in terms of risk, seriousness and visibility
• Agreeing what and what not to address
• Refining the solution
• Agreeing contingency plans and the way forward

Module 5: The Problem Solving Process

Putting all the problem solving skills together to go through the full problem solving process:

• Detection
• Analysis
• Design
• Selection
• Risk
• Deployment

Chapter 1 – Creative Thinking & The Nature of Problem Solving

• Creative Thinking
• Left and Right Brain Functions
• Steps to Achieving Creativity
• Creativity Techniques Summary

Chapter 2 – Blocks to Creativity & Using Idea Generation Techniques

• Blocks to Creativity
• Solution Blockers
• Idea Generation Techniques
• Idea Generation Golden Rules

Chapter 3 – The Problem Solving Process & Detection

• Creative Problem Solving
• The Problem Solving Methodology – The Steps
• The Problem Solving Methodology – An Analogy
• The Problem Solving Methodology – The Outputs
• The Methodology – Detection
• Definition of A Problem
• Problem Properties
• Common Types of Problem
• Whose Problem?

Chapter 4 – Introduction to Problem Analysis

• The Problem Analysis Process
• Questioning Attitude
• Folding Paper Question
• Language
• The Journey

Chapter 5 – Detailed Problem Analysis

• The Problem Analysis Process in Detail
• Problem Definition Revisited
• Detection of Causes
• Problem Properties Revisited
• Problem Description Form
• Example Problem
• Problem Name
• Problem Description
• Problem Location
• First Detection
• Problem Impact Assessment
• Problem Ownership
• Problem Stakeholders – Complainants
• Problem Stakeholders – Affected
• Problem Detection Outputs
• Detection – At The Beginning
• Detection – Following Investigation
• Detection – Candidate Causes
• Detection – Further Deductions
• Detection – Final Deductions
• Mainframe Failure Problem

Chapter 6 – Root Cause Analysis

• Root Cause Analysis
• Root Cause Analysis
• A Problem to Analyse
• The Recruitment Problem
• Root Cause Analysis – Basic Principles
• The Relationship
• Cause Exactly Matches
• Quantification
• The Three Column Approach
• Ishikawa’s Fishbone Diagram
• Using Root Cause Analysis

Chapter 7 – Critical Examination

• Critical Examination
• Effectiveness
• Exercise in Effectiveness
• Efficiency
• Exercise in Efficiency
• Exercise – Authorise Credit
• The Credit Check
• Critical Examination Form
• What We Might Find
• The Relationship Between Techniques
• Golden Rules

Chapter 8 – Problem Solving

• Problem Solving
• Solution Criteria
• Problem Solving Methods
• Language
• Algebra
• Motivation
• Idea Generation Techniques
• De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats
• Brainwriting
• Alex Osborn – Brainstorming
• Validation and Selection
• Problem Solving Deliverables

Chapter 9 – Decision Making (Part of Problem Solving)

• The Methodology – Selection
• Selection
• Quality
• Acceptability
• Decision Making
• Decision Making Techniques
• Buridan’s Ass
• T-Charts
• Plus Minus Interesting (Pmi)

Chapter 10 – Risk Management (Part of Problem Solving)

• Risk
• Types of Risk
• Level of Risk
• Solution Risk
• Identifying the Risks

Chapter 11 – Deployment

• Deployment
• Improving Business Processes
• A Business Process
• What? – Consider the Achievement
• Where? – Move
• When? – Re-Sequence/Make Parallel
• Who? – Change the Processor
• Why? – Consider the Purpose
• How? – Improve Deployment
• To Improve or To Excel
• Project Initiation
• Summary

• Problem Analysis Techniques 
• Separating Analysis from Design

“Very valuable course, specifically in identifying a formal framework for problem solving” – Functional Analyst, Medibank Private

“Good techniques & methodologies for problem solving which can be implemented at any level” – Business Analyst, ATO

“Good stimulating exercises which induced creativity” – Business Analyst, Dept of Health & Ageing

“Brilliant introduction into BA way of thinking. Presented in easy to digest bite size blocks of information” – Business Analyst, Country Energy

“Excellent course which really helps to develop analytical and problem solving skills” – Senior Business Analyst, Swinburne University

“Provides great tools to communicate effectively with clients” – Business Analyst, ING Direct

“Very useful… learnt information that I can take back to work, and tools that I can use for my personal benefit” – Business Analyst, Avanteos (Commonwealth Bank)

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