Hi everyone,
Today's question is from Bart from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Bart asks: "How can you do quick visual problem-solving? Is there a shortcut, or do you always need to follow a complex checklist and create gigantic visualizations?"
Wel,l Bart, good question! In this blog, I will answer your question by showing a limited checklist which we call for now: The Quick Problem Solving Checklist.
In fact, I am using the Dragon1 Open EA Method as a cookbook with ingredients and creating a new recipe (checklist), hitting the road running.
What's the problem, in what situation?
When you as an architect want to do some Visual Problem Solving, you can do it very quickly. You have to follow the steps in the next checklist. When you want to solve a problem, you know there are three things: a situation, a problem, and a solution.
In all cases, it is always most important to define the problem in all aspects before jumping to conclusions and solutions. In many projects, the main problem is that the chosen solution is unclear. So, we first write down the problem's situation and define the various words (nouns) we use in this description. Then, we search for a picture showing, with one blink of an eye, the situation where the problem occurs. In the image, you see a picture of the situation: a customer in a supermarket wanting to buy goods. The problem in that same picture is immediately clear: there are no goods available at the right time, making the customer unhappy and disappointed.
Important here is that this picture of the woman shopping contains the concepts: on-site shopping (1) in a supermarket (2). Also, some elements of these concepts are shown: customer, cart, shelves (status: mostly empty), and some leftover goods. Please practice this when you search for pictures: focus on the concepts and elements you want it to show. First, name and define concepts and elements, then search on the web or the company's photo database for a picture using these words. For instance "Customer is shopping in a supermarket and the shelves are empty."
Why, you might say, is it so important to state and visualize the situation with the problem? If you think of a solution to a problem, it might not cover or work in all situations. History shows that.
What's the Solution for what Strategy?
There are many, many solutions to solve a problem. But what is the company's strategy mostly dictates the wisest solution. Without looking at the strategy before, you know your (obvious) solution leads to sub-optimization.
An important step in finding solutions is knowing why the problem occurs and when it occurs. As an architect, it is very intriguing to ask: Are there other areas of science where the same type of problem occurs, and where have they already found a reusable type of solution?
In the image below, you see three types of solutions that everyone is familiar with, so acceptance for one of the solutions should be done to get.
You see an image showing a problematic situation and three reasonable solutions to deal with the problem in various ways. The best solution becomes clear when we fill in the formula in the table.
Tip: Try to find three solutions that are somewhat spread: low impact (improvement), medium impact (a big change), and high impact (a revolution/fundamental change).
Without having to make your eyes tired by reading text, in one blink, it immediately becomes clear in the image what the problem is and what possible solutions there are to solve the problem. This way of solving visual problems is much more effective than text. Seeing is believing.
Dragon1 Checklist for Quick Visual Problem Solving
For all those people who would like to give it a go themselves, we present here a checklist that tells step by step what to do:
- Step 1: Name and define a problematic situation, the concepts related (use literature referral), and the used principles (write them down) that tell or show the problem directly or indirectly.
- Step 2: Find an image that shows a situation with the concepts and key elements of the concepts so people see and recognize the problem and situation at once.
- Step 3: Think of, using the defined strategy, three concepts, and their principles (refer to literature) implementable in the organization that solves the problem in their specific way.
- Step 4: Find images that show key elements of the solution concepts in a situation that people can understand without being an expert that the solution takes away the problem.
- Step 5: Name benefits and concerns per concept to have the owner/client make a decision using the visualization.
Quick Visual Problem Solving
Below is a table I always create when executing the checklist. I first fill in the 'answers'. And next, look for the pictures. The pictures, when presented to the owner/client asking for a solution for the problem, can give feedback on how well the pictures match what they were thinking of.
| AS-IS (Current Situation) |
TO-BE (Desired Situation) |
Business Case per Concept |
Score per Concept |
|
Organization: Supermarket
Problematic situation: The suppliers do not deliver anymore on time, causing the shelves in the store to be empty at times when customers want to buy goods. More and more clients are going to the supermarket next door, never to return. This causes lower revenues and slows down the product cycle. The circle has become vicious. The amount of stock items is incorrect because of a lack of knowledge about this topic within the organization.
Concept: Stock Management & Control, knowledge, expertise, experience, …
Failing principle of stock management and control: Make sure that the amount of stock available is in line with revenue and stock cycle.
|
Solution Concept 1:
eProcurement is an IT concept in which suppliers keep track of the number of stock items remotely via the internet and do proactive delivery. They use the knowledge of product stock cycles for the optimum stock amount for certain items.
|
Benefits (strategic):
Concerns (strategic):
- A) Implementation Costs:
- B) Implementation Time:
- C) Implementation Impact:
- D) Quality of Solution:
- E) Performance of Solution:
Benefits (strategic):
Concerns (strategic):
|
((3*A + 2*B + C)/(D+E))*100 |
| Solution Concept 2:
Start selling products via the internet, surpassing the problem of Supermarket Stock Management & Control.
|
- A) Implementation Costs:
- B) Implementation Time:
- C) Implementation Impact:
- D) Quality of Solution:
- E) Performance of Solution:
Benefits (strategic):
Concerns (strategic):
| ((3*A + 2*B + C)/(D+E))*100 |
|
(Temporary) Solution Concept 3:
Take the time to redesign the processes in the organization and increase the knowledge needed (via training and hiring new people).
|
- A) Implementation Costs:
- B) Implementation Time:
- C) Implementation Impact:
- D) Quality of Solution:
- E) Performance of Solution:
| ((3*A + 2*B + C)/(D+E))*100
|
Well, that is about it for now. Thank you for reading my blog, and enjoy your visual problem-solving!
Mark Paauwe