The Anatomy of Problem Solving to Win Dr. Armin T. Ellis Founder, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Anatomy of Problem Solving to Win

• Dr. Armin T. Ellis

Founder, Exploration Institute Aerospace and Defense Forum February 16th, 2018

Summary

Part 1:

• A systems engineer’s approach to problem

solving Part 2:

• Assessing the health of an organization

Why do some projects surpass expectations and

• thers slip?

A Practical Approach

• People:

– Attitude & culture – Incentives – Some experience

• Process:

– Quality of communications – Enhancement of skills – Stable, repeatable foundation

• Politics:

– Constraints – Alignment

Best Practices

• Design thinking
• Six Sigma
• Scrum
• Lean and Agile
• Systems Thinking
• DevOps

One tool to Unite and Bridge them

Today’s discussion is on the structural approach to problem solving

Anatomy of Problem Solving

Preparation Ideas Options Decision Execution

Prepare Before Solving

Knowledge: Understanding of the foundations, possibly technical. Context: Interaction of parts, competition, constraints Framing: Finding the solution space and the qualities of the solution

Formulate the right question to solve

Key to the creative state

• Why do people think creatively in the shower?
• MRI scans show low stress amygdala activity

connected to creativity

• Creating the right environment for

brainstorming:

– Safe to share – Flow of ideas – Build on ideas – Value all ideas – Reduce stress

Generating more ideas

Perspectives New Applications

Mis- understandings

Accidents Creativity Imagination Experience & Knowhow Privileged Information

Ideas to Options

• Options are that best ideas that have been

evaluated in context of desirability

• Evaluation criterion

– Usually measurable – Must satisfy the framing requirements

• Evaluation ranking

– Best guess ranking for each idea – Conscious – Subconscious/assumptions

Ideas becoming options

Option:

1. Negotiate deals with FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, etc. 2. Create own fleet

Idea:

Use drones to deliver goods

Options:

• Change FAA rules
• Change customer behavior
• Create technology

Options to Decisions

Time to pick an option:

• Can the job be done vs. Will the job be done?
• Confidence in:

– Skills of team – Access to resources/resourcefulness – Timeline – Worthiness of risk

Warning: Deciding Under Influence

• Belief System
• Risk/Reward Appetite
• Clarity and Commitment

to Vision

Options to Decisions: Reality

• Options are usually based around theoretical
• utcomes (sometimes ideal, sometimes simplistic)
• Always based on a belief of “best” payoff
• Very hard to define the TRUE goals of the deciders
• Group decisions and individual leader’s decisions can

suffer from cognitive dissonance and group thinking

• Time machine is the only real tool for studying

complex decisions

• Systems and systematic approach really matters

Implementation: Philosophy no longer Implementation plan

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”

• D. Eisenhower

Execution = Art of Implementation

“Persuasion and the allocation of resources to achieve

• bjectives”
• High quality direction: Vision (where you want to go), mission (how to get

there, given present reality),

• Use of resources and resourcefully obtaining other resources
• High quality decisions: disciplined and on a regular basis, including

changing direction, and making time every week to make them

• Persuasion and partnerships (aka marketing and branding): Is it marketed

right, is the right solution appealing for the

• Customer experience
• Solution delivery (operations)
• Engineering Business Systems and functions
• Alignment at all levels of the organizations
• Preparing for and investing in the future

Preparation Ideas Options Decision Execution

Cycle of Ideas to Implementation

Part 2: Organization Health Check Assessment

Corporate Health Check

§ Industry leader § Niche led supplier § Process led supplier § Technology led IP company § Vision led disruptors § Opportunity led

Questions

1. Describe the level of decision-making autonomy within your

• rganization.

2. How long does it take for your company to make a $100,000 decision? 3. Do you have a process for hiring high quality candidates? Do you have a process for matching emplyees to the right jobs? 4. Are your employees clear about what they need to do? 5. Do your employees love your mission? Are they clear about it? 6. Are you making healthy profits? 7. Are you actively looking out for the business you need to be in

• ver the next 10 years?

8. Do you have a clear way for all levels on your organization chart to communication with each other and become familiar with different functions?

Questions

• 9. Are the ideas in your company being killed before

they get to you?

• 10. Are you making wise investments into your future

success based on a well thought out strategy?

• 11. Are your clients coming back?
• 12. Are you regularly receiving new clients?
• 13. Are your company’s growth strategies focused more
• n leveraging your technology or your network of

partnerships within your current industry?

• 14. Do you have clear ethical standards?

Contact

Services:

• 2-day Project Workshops
• Training programs
• One-on-one programs

Armin Ellis, Founder, Exploration Institute ate@exploration.institute