Mind Tools E-book
	The key tools on the Mind Tools site, brought together into one easily downloadable, easily printable PDF. More>>

Introduction to Problem Solving Skills

The tools in this section help you understand complicated, difficult situations. Without them problems might seem huge, overwhelming and excessively complex.

These techniques help you conduct a rigorous analysis of the problems you face, helping you look at as many factors as possible in a structured and methodical way. They give you a starting point in business problem solving (and other problem solving situations) where other people would just feel helpless and intimidated by the situation.

We look at the following tools:

• Extracting maximum information from facts - Appreciation
• Understanding problems in detail - Drill-Down
• Identifying possible causes of problems - Cause & Effect Diagrams
• Understanding how a process works - Flow Charts
• Understanding the way factors affect one-another - Systems Diagrams
• Analysing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats - SWOT Analysis
• Making Cash Flow Forecasts with Spreadsheets
• Methods of Risk Analysis
• Understanding where the power lies - Porter's Five Forces
• Understanding the big picture - PEST Analysis
• Identifying what really matters to customers - Value Chains
• Find your competitive edge with USP Analysis

The first half of the section covers general approaches. Appreciation is a useful technique for extracting good information from dry facts. Drill Down helps you to break large, seemingly unmanageable problems down into achievable parts. It also helps you to see where you need more information. Cause & Effect Diagrams are very useful for making sure that you have considered all factors relating to a problem, while Systems Diagrams are hugely powerful tools for showing how factors interact in complex situations.

The second half of the section discusses specific tools for specific situations. SWOT Analysis helps you to work out a survival and success strategy in a competitive environment. Forecasting with Spreadsheets shows you how to make financial models of your organisation or projects. You can use these to work out whether projects are viable and use them to forecast the effects of changes in underlying factors. Risk Analysis provides a formal framework for identifying the risks you face, and helps you to work out a strategy for controlling them.

MindTools.com - Join Our Community!

In our first article, we look at Appreciation, a useful technique for getting as much information out of the facts you have available. To read this, click "Next article" below. Other relevant destinations are shown in the "Where to go from here" list underneath.

Spread the Word:

Where to go from here:		Join Mind Tools		Free Newsletter
		Download & Print		Next Article

New Articles (Not included in the Mind Tools E-book.)
* Shows articles available in full only to Career Excellence Club Premium members

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) - Spotting problems early on*
TRIZ - A powerful methodology for creative problem-solving
The Straw Man Concept - Build it up, knock it down, create a solid final solution
Heuristic Methods - Using rules of thumb*
Writing a Procedure - Making sure things are done without mistakes and omissions.
Swim Lane Diagrams - Mapping and improving organizational processes*
5 Whys - Getting quickly to the root of a problem
Root Cause Analysis - Tracing a problem to its origins
Using Aides Memoire - Remember everything that's important*
CATWOE - Understanding the different elements that contribute to a problem*
Inductive Reasoning - Drawing good generalized conclusions*
Avoiding Logical Fallacies - What they are, and how to avoid them*

A full list of Mind Tools articles is available here.

return to top

Learn to manage the stress in your life with our sister site, stress.mindtools.com.

Mind Tools Store: Mind Tools Ebook, Make Time for Success
 Stress Management Masterclass, How to Lead, Design Your Life
 Relaxation MP3s

© Mind Tools Ltd, 1995-2008, All Rights Reserved

For requests to reprint or reproduce material from this site, please contact our Permissions Center.

Store · Search · Newsletter · Downloads · Advertisers · Affiliates

MindTools.com is one of the Internet's most-visited career skills resources.
Click here to see analysis.