Problem Solving for Product Managers
A problem well defined is a problem half-solved — Charles Kettering
Problem Solving for Product Managers
A problem well defined is a problem half-solved
— Charles Kettering
Goal
The main goal of this tutorial is to introduce learners to the most important concept in any problem-solving situation - identification of the true problem. Upon completing this tutorial, you will be able to:
Define the concept of problem solving
Describe the differences between puzzle problems, well-structured problems, and ill-structured problems
3 Prerequisites for a good solution
Communicate “The Why”
Problem-solving strategies
Problem-solving methods
Concept of problem-solving
Today's businesses want employees who can adapt to new situations rapidly and effectively.
The ideal employee is a master of basic skills such as reading, writing, and numeracy.
The ideal employee is also a master of learning, communication, critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving.
The ideal employee can respond to a problem quickly, correctly, and with little or no supervision.
If you can solve problems, you can write your own ticket to whatever job you want.
Defining Problem Solving
Problems can be classified into puzzle problems, well-structured problems, and ill-structured problems.
Simple Problems
Many games contain puzzle problems and are not "serious" in nature, nor is there any real-life consequence for failing to solve them.
Well-structured Problems
Some problems which are simple and well-defined are called well-structured problems and include a set number of possible solutions - solutions are either 100% right or 100% wrong. An example of a well-structured problem is a typical mathematical (2 + 2 = 4) question. This question has a definitive correct answer.
Ill-structured Problems
In contrast to well-structured problems are ill-structured problems. In these cases, problems may have many possible answers because they are complex and poorly defined. The "best" solutions to ill-defined problems depend on the priorities underlying the situation. What is "best" today may not be "best" tomorrow. Ill-structured problems, because they are more difficult to "solve," require the development of higher-order thinking skills and the ability to construct a convincing argument for a particular solution as opposed to all other possible solutions.
To summarize ill-structured problems:
They are complex and poorly defined.
They have many possible answers.
They do not have one best answer.
Here is an example of an ill-structured problem:
The population of your community is growing. Your water supply will not support many new people.
What do you do?
This is a complex problem. It affects the people, the environment, and the quality of life itself. To arrive at a good solution, you need to use math, science, political science, psychology, and probably more!
This problem actually occurs frequently in areas with a growing population. In one community facing this problem, more than 20 possible solutions were presented to the public. A solution was then chosen upon which the majority of the public agreed. It wasn't the "right" solution because all of the 20 possible solutions had strengths and weaknesses.
The lesson here is that ill-structured problems usually have several workable solutions. Each solution has advantages and disadvantages that depend on who is affected by the solution. The solution chosen is often the one that has the best argument for it.
3 Prerequisites for a good solution
He realized there are three essential prerequisites for good solutions:
The product must be defined to allow for the development of useful solutions.
The potential solution must fit the defined problem space and product scope.
The product team must have understood the problem.
Understanding the problem
Whether the problem comes from your users or another set of stakeholders, you need to properly understand the problem. The only way to do that is through a combination of research, and empathy. This means gathering both qualitative and quantitative data. Find out how the user/stakeholder feels about the problem, as well as how they behave in response to it.
Communicate “The Why”
As a product manager, your most important why is the customer problem that your product is trying to solve. Include your team and other stakeholders in understanding the customer problem and selecting the right goal metric to grow. This way, everyone can contribute, feel ownership, and stay motivated to solve the problem even if the product changes.
Communicate Why Constantly Once you’ve aligned on the why with your team, you need to communicate it regularly to everyone. It may seem redundant to remind people about the customer problem and goal all the time, but this constant communication achieves two objectives.
First, it helps everyone internalize “the why” so they can make decisions with the same goal in mind.
Second, if people are not aligned on “the why”, they’re more likely to bring up objections if you talk about it constantly.
Keep It Simple When communicating with others, the most critical question that you need to answer is, “Do people understand?” If people don’t understand the why, they won’t be able to execute.
Keep your communication simple, short, and specific. Check to see if people understand your message by asking them to explain it back to you
Make a risk vs reward assessment
Once you know what the problem is, you need to lay the groundwork for your plan on how to proceed with solving it. Analyze the potential risks and rewards of the project. So if a stakeholder is asking that a new feature be implemented, work out how much of your team’s work hours, budget, and resources will be needed to complete the project and solve the problem.
Balance this out by seeing how the best-case scenario (eg, you completely solve the problem) will benefit your product in terms of OKRs, and the bottom line.
Define Success
Defining the success of a project really boils down to the final part of your risk vs reward assessment. What does the best case scenario look like?
If the answer isn’t obvious, think about your company’s North Star metrics, or your team’s KPIs. If the project is worthwhile, its goals should align with either, if not both, or these.
I learned to approach every problem from multiple angles. It was the combination of both qualitative and quantitative insights that led us to our proposed solution. Also, a variety of perspectives are critical.
Learning to Ask the Right Questions: Define the Problem Statement
Problem-solving strategies
Abstraction: solving the problem in a model of the system before applying it to the real system
Analogy: using a solution that solves an analogous problem
Brainstorming: (especially among groups of people) suggesting a large number of solutions or ideas and combining and developing them until an optimum solution is found
Divide and conquer: breaking down a large, complex problem into smaller, solvable problems
Hypothesis testing: assuming a possible explanation to the problem and trying to prove (or, in some contexts, disprove) the assumption
Lateral thinking: approaching solutions indirectly and creatively
Means-ends analysis: choosing an action at each step to move closer to the goal
Method of focal objects: synthesizing seemingly non-matching characteristics of different objects into something new
Morphological analysis: assessing the output and interactions of an entire system
Proof: try to prove that the problem cannot be solved. The point where the proof fails will be the starting point for solving it
Reduction: transforming the problem into another problem for which solutions exist
Research: employing existing ideas or adapting existing solutions to similar problems
Root cause analysis: identifying the cause of a problem
Trial-and-error: testing possible solutions until the right one is found
Problem-solving methods
OODA loop (observe, orient, decide, and act)
PDCA (plan–do–check–act)
Root cause analysis
RPR problem diagnosis (rapid problem resolution)
TRIZ (in Russian: Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadach, "theory of solving inventor's problems")
Mental model to keep in mind
Second-Order Thinking: What Smart People Use to Outperform — Second-order thinking is a mental model that smart people like Warren Buffett & Howard Marks use to avoid problems. Read this article to learn how it works.
Reference :
http://tutorials.istudy.psu.edu/problemsolving/problemsolving2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_solving
http://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/epgpdata/uploads/epgp_content/S000031PY/P000672/M010666/ET/1469428958PSY_P1_M23_e-Text.pdf