Investigating Problems With CATWOE Video

[Detective/Narrator] It was just one of those days, nothing doin', until she turned up. She had a problem that needed fixing, and I was just the guy for the job. She's an actress starring in the latest Broadway smash, and someone has filched her diamonds from her dressing room. They're no ordinary diamonds. These Tiffany rocks are part of the show's finale and the reason why lots of people have bought a ticket.

Like most of my clients, she's been looking at her problem from the wrong angle, but the CATWOE method is a surefire way to help you see situations from different perspectives. It's all about defining the core problem, drilling down to get to the root of the issue. Here's the low down on how it works.

So let's start with the C, your Customers, the victims or beneficiaries of your current scenario. Who are they? Are the internal customers, external or both? How does your issue affect them, and who stands to gain or lose from any solution you put in place?

Next, you need to consider the Actors. Who else is involved in your situation? Investors? Employees? Who's gonna be involved in implementing solutions, and what factors are likely to impact on their success?

T is the Transformation Process, the inputs and the outputs, and all the steps in between. So what activities, processes, or systems are affected by your problem?

You also gotta consider the bigger picture, so the W stands for Worldview. What are the wider impacts of your problem? Will it have far-reaching, long-lasting effects or is it pretty short lived? It's all about stepping back and getting a bit of perspective.

Next, O, that's Owner. Who are the decision makers, the big guns that own the process or situation you're investigating? Who can shut things down? Is it you? Your boss? Your boss's boss? What might get in their way, and what would motivate them to help you out?

Last, but not least, the E is your Environmental Constraints. These are usually outside of your control. What are the constraints and limitations impacting on your problem? The policies, the procedures, the regulations, and how you gonna deal with these?

So that's it. The CATWOE method... simple, huh? Use it, and your answers will help you shed some light on those underlying issues, the ones that might have the biggest impact on the problem you're trying to solve. Then you can separate out these problems and zero in on them to start solving them.

So next time you have a problem, remember CATWOE's here to help you figure it out.