“…You can learn problem solving just like you can learn another language, or how to cook an egg without it catching fire.”
We all know that guy that’s just got his stuff together. (Note: To avoid pronoun hell, I’m just using “he” everywhere instead of “he/she” and “him/her”) I mean you can ask him anything .. anything at all, and he’ll give you a logical, well-thought out response. He just seems to know how to “think” .. how to work through a problem, no matter how tough, in a cool, straightforward manner that just leaves everyone else in awe.
It used to be the case that you either had this skill, or you didn’t.
But not anymore.. because it turns out you can learn problem solving just like you can learn another language, or how to cook an egg without it catching fire (something I’ve had many struggles with myself).
Learning how to think about problems
Things get pretty meta when you’re talking about learning to solve problems — it’s not something many people think they need. When faced with a problem, most people might just Google their specific problem, instead of taking a step back and looking at the overall approach they’re using. The plus side to that is that you can apply this same thinking process almost any place .. at the office for work, with your wedding, while fixing the shower head .. that’s right, practically anywhere.
When faced with a problem, most people might just Google their specific problem, instead of taking a step back and looking at the overall approach they’re using.
How do I know you know what you’re talking about?
Good question — Before starting @whitepayments, I was a Black Belt at a Fortune 100 company. I was directly responsible for solving big, icky problems of the million dollar magnitude. I closed several projects during that time (with ~$5M in savings .. each), and eventually became a certified Six Sigma instructor — one of just 2 in the entire Middle East region.
Six Sigma teaches you how to think, and for far too long, it’s been locked away in plain sight – behind the impenetrable bars of obscure formulas and misinterpreted mathematics. You’ll find plenty of books out there that will “explain” Six Sigma using formulas the length of a Shakespeare sonnet. I wanted to write a book that covered the key concept, without using a single formula.
The Technique
Enough yapping .. let’s get to the core of this topic .. HOW? How can you go from a normal guy into a problem-solving ninja? What is this super secret technique that you proclaim to have? Tell me right this instant, or forever withhold your silence!
Well it’s actually quite simple — Six Sigma ultimately boils down to a series of steps that you can follow to get from Problem to Solution. Use these steps when confronted with a problem – any problem – and you won’t have to worry about feeling overwhelmed.
There are 5 steps, that can be (not so conveniently) remembered by the mnemonic: DMAIC.
Step #1: Define.
Albert Einstein said: “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” A lot of people put a lot of words in Albert’s mouth, but if he really did say this, then he’s every bit the genius people make him out to be.
The hardest part of any problem .. is understanding the problem .. I mean, really understanding it. There’s a few smaller parts that go into the Define step.
Albert Einstein said: “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
A. What’s the problem? Come up with a problem statement that is specific and measurable. Don’t tell me “you’re fat!” .. but instead tell me “you weigh 150kg, which would be totally fine if you were 15m tall .. but you’re only 1.8m tall which make you severely obese”.
B. Why does it matter? (aka the business case) .. assuming that the problem is really a problem (we’ll get to the steps involved in verifying that a lil bit later), why should I care? It’s important to tie this problem to something that has a direct and obvious outcome. For example, don’t tell me “being fat is bad”, but instead tell me “being severely obese means you’ll die 10 years before your healthier friends will”.
C. What’s the one metric that matters? Find the single metric that’s problematic, and make sure everyone’s clear on what that is (assuming you’re working as part of a group). For example, for weight that could be waist size (in inches), weight (in kg) or some other metric. Be clear on which you’re pursuing (even though they are all somewhat inter-related). Don’t tell me “you’re fat because you look fat”, but tell me “you weigh X kg which is considered obese”
There’s a bunch more steps but that’s all we have time for folks! You’ll find the complete book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Six-Sigma-Introduction-Yazin-Alirhayim-ebook/dp/B00Y0RX6MS/