Problem Solving 心法篇

Problem Solving統稱為解決問題的能力，係指是以邏輯拆解問題，找出適當的解決方案，屬於通用能力的一種(不專屬於任何一個專門領域)，你認為解決問題的能力算是一門專業嗎?McKinsey & Company提出一套關於解決問題的系統方法與步驟，運用科學方法與邏輯思考，將問題逐層抽絲剝繭，導出合理且正確的答案；這樣的能力不論你在哪一個領域都會派上用場，即便解決問題的技巧稱不上一門「專業」，但至少有人以他為「事業」，遺憾的是我們的學校不會為了這個技巧而開課，想必你沒聽問題解決系或者問題解決研究所吧?但不論你是在哪個領域，比較能解決問題的人可能會比較受同儕喜歡或者上司賞識，因此該如何獲得這項能力的模組是本篇文章想分享的。

｜影響人行為的不是事實，而是認知。 

McKinsey & Company提出的7-Step Problem Solving：

Problem definition

Any one with McKinsey cooperation between the customer's case, all began in defining problems, namely to clarify the scope of the problem or context, which includes several elements: What is the problem to be solved? Services who is the object? Who is required to make decisions or take actions of man? Policymakers need or concern is what? In the process of solving the problem, is not there any kind of special considerations or limitations?
Decision-maker in what criteria to assess the success of the solution?
Customers must get an answer within the time-which? And customers need to be precise answer to what extent and so on.
Ethan ‧ Progreso (Ethan Rasiel; worked in McKinsey's New York office) in the "professionalism: McKinsey's success" (The McKinsey Way) in his book, "At McKinsey, we found that customers did not know ...... understand their troubles went wrong. "
Therefore, to determine their own take over the case, whether the problem is really the only way to focus is to collect more in-depth information, in-depth research, issued a doubt, four exploration, and then submit a "problem statement" (problem statement).
The most important thing is to communicate clearly and clients to determine the real issues to be resolved before we begin the case.

Problem structuring

After a broadly defined in the complex issues or problems, then that is the use of a structured chart (the most commonly used is the logical tree), the dismantling of a series of clear, comprehensive and easy-to-child issues, or proposed fact-based assumptions (that is relevant to the issue under the hands of a limited facts, without making further conclusions stemming under study), and sufficient to support the hypothesis put forward arguments. Example 1 Problem: hotel industry what to do, in order to enhance revenue?
Example two questions: what to do felting industry to increase profits?

Prioritization

Any assistance commissioned McKinsey executives will say: "Time is precious." On the one hand is pressed for time, the other is "really expensive price tag McKinsey consultants." Therefore, McKinsey developed many techniques to help teams quickly the raw data into the proposal of practical value.
However, when time and resources are limited, it appears to be inconsistent with regard to comprehensive benefits. Therefore, the progress to this stage, it is necessary priority scheduling issues, identify the problem of the most influential factors, and the focus here, and weed out the "less critical issue" (non- critical issues).
For example, in considering whether there is an opportunity to enhance the profitability of Company A, although the total list of 10 may be able to increase revenue or reduce costs approach, but added "the actual impact on the financial performance" and "execution Difficult "After these two criteria, we can further identify key projects, and what is the prioritization can be placed back again considered. 

Issue analysis

In recognition of the priority issues, or to form a solution for the problem after the assumption then is to expand the analysis to refute evidence or issues you have raised or assumptions. In this stage of analysis issues, identify which analysis can not do the job right and wrong, but strong evidence can be drawn up, is also very important.
Once you have decided, after analyzing the job prioritization, and then begin to collect the necessary information and issues or assumptions in order to compare or cross-analysis. McKinsey is the emphasis on the fact that one of the characteristics, so data collection and acquisition, when the topic is an important basis for analysis. In addition to collecting internal reports, industry reports, statistics, the McKinsey consultants often through field interviews and learn important information. Although many sources of information, but the key is still in the information relevance, quality and correctness.
As for the analytical work carried out smoothly or not, the content and detailed planning work related to the degree. Ethan ‧ Progreso that a complete detailed work planning, must be based on the assumptions you build, all of the listed topics and sub-topics, and contains the following elements:
˙ In order to estimate the answer made assumptions.
˙ confirm or disprove this hypothesis analyzes are necessary for the operation and by priority to the column.
˙ when analyzing the required information.
˙ possible sources of information required (eg official statistics, focus groups or interviews, etc.).
˙ brief description of the possible output by analyzing the results.
˙ collect data for analysis or the person in charge.
˙ deadline to complete the job.
Step 1 define the problem
Step 2 Create Problem architecture
Step 3 prioritize
Step 4 Issues Analysis
Step 5 Archives
Step 6 Storytelling
Step 7 briefing a circulating loop compulsory questions from individuals' thinking is a habit, "start softly spoken, coherent Lin Jing Hua, calm attitude is very good, which exudes a sharp but not sharp temperament. When asked about his personal McKinsey consultant or whether there is any special trick to quickly brushed aside the fog of the problem, leading to its core and essence, he thought for a moment, slowly say: "I think this is a habit."
And this habit is in everyday life, encounters all sorts of problems, will naturally want to get to the bottom, then mastery. Ohmae in the "thinking" a book by mentioned that he was ignorant of the consultancy McKinsey into the case, which can only redouble their efforts than others, one of which is "thinking path of training."
The use of a 28-minute morning commute time, Ohmae will give yourself a topic, think about how to solve the problem. For example, see the hanging-style car ads, thinking, "If this advertising company president, asked me to help them enhance their performance, how can I do? 'Habit of thinking head, increasing speed becomes faster, and soon, he would From day one topic, progressed to every station you can think about a new topic.
We might think, McKinsey consultants all talented, but they did not say thinking is a gift, but a habit, a train, as long as you repeated practice. 

Synthesis 

No amount of data and analysis are not enough, because McKinsey's value lies in how to find the conclusions from the analysis, and for customers to develop the most effective recommendations, and a program of action to achieve their goals. Compared to the other steps, compiled this step is clearly the most difficult but also the most critical. Lin Jing Hua said, "The collection is not mathematics, but the experience and the arts." Ethan ‧ Progreso in many former McKinsey consultant interviews about data interpretation and aggregation, the following conclusions were reached:
˙ constantly ask themselves "how to do so?": That is, what is the meaning to do so? How can we improve?
˙ plausibility checks (sanity check): this practice is not what the standard answer, the purpose is to draw conclusions, and then double-check the results of operations and to quickly confirm whether an analysis of the extent feasible within, or whether they would have a major impact on organizations?
˙ Remember effectiveness analysis is limited: it is not to be discarded without analysis, but rather propose that complementary experience and intuition and analysis in order to obtain a more complete solution. Lin Jing Hua emphasized that collection is not abstract, for example, from "I lost the key," "My passport is not on my opinion of the place," "I'm two months late filing" in fact, we can conclude that, "I have not lost the keys and passport, and Evening tax ", but it may be compiled after the" I am very lazy. " 

Storylining 

Interpretation and analysis of data compiled after the final results come out, of course, is to be presented to the customer. Interpretation of the data from the integrated out the story in your mind that these data represent meaning.
Lin Jing Hua story building provides two methods:
The first is the use of "context", difficulties and solutions architecture, in turn describe problem situations, improve the situation, the difficulties encountered and to propose possible solutions paths.
The second is to use the pyramid structure (pyramid structure), are listed in the top center of the message to convey a clear main idea or proposition, and then listed in the lower corroboration or support information. 

So, when you say the story, on behalf of all the facts you want customers to know what parts inside without all the facts are added to the story. It seems based on the same facts, but the clever storytelling different, the only same, the ultimate goal is to solve the issue, for customers to maximize the benefits of the proposal.

Presentation 

 Submit a suggestion to customers is to solve the problem McKinsey circulation loop in the final stage, which is coherent presentation framework to allow customers or key decision-makers admissible or accept the final results.
As the name implies, "presentation" is the succinct way to get the audience into your logical thinking. Therefore, the McKinsey consultants in the presentation, he will grasp "a briefing just pass a clear claim or argument" principle, and will support the argument graphed data or information, to be concrete, let the audience through a presentation page, enter They constructed the story.
And an argument accompanied by a chart of the match, not only allows the audience believe that presentations made by the argument that the data corroboration, intangibles also increased persuasive. Borrowing experience, treat their own advisers force
Companies usually run into the problem can not be resolved internally, will look on the outside consultants; individuals are often also in the face of insurmountable bottleneck, seek mentors listening or advice. However, living in the era of competition and upheaval, whether it is business or personal problems encountered, is bound only more, not less, if everything should help force the individual or organization will never stagnant growth before.
Either from Ohmae or Ge Sina body, we have seen the plight of McKinsey in the face of business thinking patterns and solutions, even out of the environment outside McKinsey, still apply, and even has become internalized McKinsey's values ​​and habits.
In daily life or at work, we encounter the problem may not have handled so complex McKinsey difficult, but we can learn in the same line of thinking to face every problem, try to McKinsey mouth "Customer", for as is the organization itself and every day must face the boss, through constant exercise McKinsey dismantling patterns or processes, develop and cultivate their own advisers force!
Enterprise compulsory questions McKinsey dismantling of five major weapon
1 based on facts
Ethan ‧ Progreso in the "professionalism: McKinsey's success," a book that McKinsey problem-solving approach are based on the fact that as a starting point. From the first day of next case, the ad hoc group will be a search of all documentation and internal research archives, gathering sufficient facts elements in order to convene the first team meeting, as part of which it is responsible Commentary .
"Facts" on the reason why the operation at McKinsey play such an important role, for two reasons:
First, the fact that elements can compensate for the lack of intuitive guess, McKinsey people certainly knowledgeable, experienced, but not necessarily proficient in various fields of expertise, and prefer to look at the facts, and then carry out other steps;
Secondly, the fact that information can reinforce the credibility problem analysis. Especially small fledgling consultant must be able to put forward a strong factual information as a backup, in order to convince big business CEO (situation is similar to a low-level manager to superiors Planning case). In the collection of facts, one important way is to conduct field interviews, to sort out than the corporate executives know more detailed information on the latest industry information and their companies, and then use that information as a fundamental place in a timely manner into the proposal being naturally easier to get accepted. As Ohmae said, "There is some evidence for the proposal, no overwhelmingly attractive."

在過去的經驗中，我們通常會花很多的時間在現況釐清和問題定義上，也有人戲稱：「你Problem Solving的時間都夠你再上一次大學了。」可想而知如果問題定義不正確，不但解決不了真正的問題，還會製造新的問題出來；因此在以解決問題為職業的專家眼中，為避免捷思法(Heuristics)帶來的決策捷徑，著實有其必要將客戶的問題進行嚴謹的解構，但讀者可以試想當你需要解決一個問題，一想到上述七個步驟，你可能會直接雙手一攤或者索性跳步驟走，因此在面對問題時筆者認為快速透析問題本質找出相對方案，比完整解構問題來的重要，如何快速反應可詳「打造你的物競天擇-OODA循環」，那麼究竟有沒有什麼方法可以讓我們運用在日常大大小小的問題的解決上? 筆者綜整後認為有以下這12種方法可使用：

放大問題法

問題大小影響格局，透過焦點的調整，我們可以分清哪些是當前急需解決的問題，哪些是解決起來比較容易見效的問題，大問題需要更自由大膽的思考模式。

借腦法

換位思考，如果是綠巨人浩克會怎麼處理這個問題？又或者是你老闆的話呢?人往往處在不同角色會有不同的處事風格，當你能從別人的角度出發來想問題，了解其人的難處和困惑之處，可以更加理性的做出正確的判斷，有時能有效的化解矛與盾的問題。

唱反調法

看到問題時腦袋出現的第一個想法，先檢視與那個問題有關的假設與習慣做法，然後試著推翻它並且重新設定框架，有點類似指定魔鬼代言人，試著提出與大家相反的意見，依序質疑每一個元素，你可能會發現，每一個專案大家先入為主的看法多到驚人。

加上限制法

就現有問題的加上額外的限制，譬如原問題為確保專案如何在指定期限內完成，已知期限為主要問題時，可再加上人數限制、預算限制；擾亂既定的思考模式，藉由這樣的發散方法，找尋更多未知的未知。

選擇架構法

這邊談的架構類似檢核清單(Checklist)，你在面對問題時可以快速利用經驗法則將已建立的框架套用至眼前的問題，另一方面來說，人們在這個框架下也會做我們希望他們做的事，譬如飛機駕駛員的檢核清單或者醫生手術前的手術風險檢核表等。

舊舊得新法

將舊元素重新排列產生新的組合，例如外帶+送餐=UBER；簡訊+E-mail=LINE，重新思考現有的組成分，冷飯可以熱炒。

結果回推法

先想好問題的最後解決方案，一步一步回推可進行的步驟。

迂迴繞道法

無須解決問題本身，而是想辦法繞過問題，舉例而言公司要搬辦公室，而是你被委由負責新辦公室的收納問題，此時你直接面對問題本身，想到的是什麼? 可能是買抽屜、收納櫃或者想想舊辦公室就沒有能沿用櫃子，然而繞道法可以幫助你思考，收納不是櫃子的問題，而是空間的問題，那麼我們的空間有多少可以用?平面多少?立體多少?各部門分配到多少?乍聽方法很瞎，感覺不是在解決問題，但這個方法有時能幫助你找到更關鍵的問題。

隨機加入法

往往問題解決有特定的過程，譬如常用的順序，慣用的工具甚至是指定的會議，偶爾擾亂一下這樣過程，加入出乎意料的事，將帶來創新。譬如產品開發部在開發新品的時候，流程為公司內部Brainstorming→市場調查→競品分析→供應商原物料找尋等，然而內部Brainstorming可能習慣找銷售部門進行，因為他們在前線做銷售，直觀上認為會對於產品的敏銳度較足，但若此時加入原本不會參與討論的部門，譬如營運部或者財務部，可能會有意想不到的結果，又或者先找供應商來討論，再來做市場調查，也能創造不同的火花。

拆題法

顧名思義，把問題拆開，你可能會發現問題只存在其中一、兩個部分。

不完美法

完美是美好的敵人，當你追求單題作答完美的時候，也可能忽略掉這份考券其他的考題。

接棒法

組合上述11種方法，先用A，再試B，若不行就繼續用C，譬如繼續以搬家為例，先用結果回推法，主管希望在6月底前能搬進新辦公室，回推法下把時間點一步步往前推，知道每個階段該安排何種東西進場，搬家公司怎麼安排、同仁物品收整、部門營運暫停等回推，再使用加上限制法，譬如搬家公司預算限制、同仁收整物品的時間、部門進場後的安置順序等，還可以再加上借腦法，如果今天是專業搬家公司，會怎麼搬家?如果這不是我第一次負責搬家專案，我會有什麼其他表現?

快速總結重點：

1. 長期是對當期事務的錯誤指導；當有人告訴你眼光要放遠來看問題的時候，某些情況可能沒錯，但也不一定全對，你得有你的判斷方式，而解決方法的方式百百種，上面提供的十二大心法可參考。
2. 每個企業主都有當過員工，同樣每個主管也都有非主管的時候，然而卻不是每個人都能當主管或者老闆，如果你想當主管或者老闆，解決問題的能力從現在趕快開始培養。
3. 解題沒有一定的步驟，就像是各大門派的武功、心法也都不相同，想要用一招半式打遍江湖是不可能的。
4. 「Relying too much on our knowledge」，不要過於依賴直覺而影響你的解題能力，避免捷思法(Heuristics)帶來的決策捷徑。
5. 問題千百種，而答案只有一種面貌，在你解題的過程中，紀錄你的解題細節，包含解題的時間、使用的方法、最後得出答案是否為最佳解；每次解題得到的答案都能使問題得到好的結局，你就是在提升你在組織的可信度加權分數，分數一高人品就高，自然而然薪水就高了。