This document provides a six-step process for solving technology problems: 1) Stay calm, 2) Identify the problem, 3) Understand the problem, 4) Define your goal, 5) Develop solutions, and 6) Measure results. It emphasizes maintaining calmness and clear communication when problem solving. Tips are provided for each step, such as gathering diverse perspectives to understand the problem fully, establishing specific goals, and engaging stakeholders to develop solutions. The process advocates iterating and measuring results to continuously improve outcomes.

1. Problem Solving
For Technology
Phil Reynolds
CEO / Founder
BriteCore

2. Problems are Frustrating!

3. Ever Felt Like This?

4. Or This?
Suit Guy’s
Fault!
Sweater Guy’s
Fault!

5. “I feel like I bought a Ferrari but I can’t roll
the windows up and down.”
- Anonymous Client

6. Technology issues are so complex.

7. Building Blocks

8. Produce a
Stable Stack

9. Or a Mess

10. Planning greatly reduces errors.

11. You will still encounter hurdles.

12. Train
for problems

13. Read This!

14. Overcome

15. 1. There is no answer… you have to find it.
2. Solutions are very technical.
3. Sometimes you won’t like your options.
4. Requires mental flexibility.
5. Processes require discipline.
Problem Solving Isn’t Easy!

16. You can achieve
consistent positive
technology outcomes
by following a
consistent process.

17. 1. Stay Calm
2. Identify the Problem
3. Understand the Problem
4. Define Your Goal
5. Develop Solutions
6. Measure Results
Problem Solving Blueprint

18. Stay Calm
Identify the Problem
Understand the Problem
Define Your Goal
Develop Solutions
Measure Results
Step 1
Stay Calm

19. 1. Identify the Problem
Don’t Panic.

20. Great way to teach
yourself how to stay calm
is to understand the
human brain and
recognize symptoms of
stress and anxiety.

21. Amygdala Sends Alarm
Triggering Fight or Flight Response

22. 1. Pituitary Glad Releases ACTH
2. Adrenal Gland Releases Epinephrine
3. Chemical Messengers Release Cortisol
Panic Response
Fight or Flight!

23. 1. Increased Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar
2. Spike in Heart Rate
3. Burst of Energy
4. Muscle Tension
Panic Response
Fight or Flight!

24. Problem in 25,000 BCE
Chased by Mastodon

25. Problem Today:
Delayed Printing

26. Feels the Same

27. The Same
NOT

28. It’s Normal to Feel this Way.

29. To work with
people, you need
teamwork and
cooperation.

30. Panic divides
people and leads to
faulty decisions.

31. Effects Panic
1. Suppresses Pre Frontal Cortex, Inhibiting Rationality
• Emotional Outbursts
2. Reduces our Ability to Make Decisions
• Analysis Paralysis or Self-Destructive Behavior
3. Hyper Awareness of Threat-Related Information
• Exaggeration and Paranoia
4. Negative Bias Toward Ambiguous Stimuli
• False Conclusions and Red Herrings

32. Breathe…

33. KEEP
CALM
SOLVE
ON
AND

34. Stay Calm
Identify the Problem
Understand the Problem
Define Your Goal
Develop Solutions
Measure Results
Step 2
Identify the Problem

35. To solve a
problem, you
first have to
see it.

36. Be Vigilant.

37. Recognize Patterns

38. Identify Trends

39. Spot Anomalies

40. Need Inputs

41. • Premium Written
• Premium Earned
• Losses Incurred
• Losses Paid
• Premium Growth
• Application Volume
• Expense Ratio
• Processing Time Per Policy
• Underwriter Productivity
• Customer Satisfaction
• Time to Closed Claim
• Time to Complete Quote
• Time to Adopt Initiatives
• Data Correlations
Traditional Innovative

42. Signal to Noise Ratio

43. Too many inputs is the same as no input.

44. Scope

45. Solve Traffic Problem

46. Solve Electrical Problem

47. Wiring
Diagram

48. Traffic Patterns

49. 1,000 Foot View
(Macro)

50. 1 Foot View
Micro

51. Can’t See the Forrest for the Trees.

52. Can’t See the Trees for the Forrest.

53. Some problems
can only been
seen through a
microscope

54. Others through
a telescope.

55. • Narrow
• Procedural
• Specific
Micro Macro
• Broad
• Visionary
• Aggregate

56. Micro and Macro Depend on each other
and are equally important.
Pay Attention to Both!

57. Stay Calm
Identify the Problem
Understand the Problem
Define Your Goal
Develop Solutions
Measure Results
Step 3
Understand the Problem

58. Educate yourself on the topic

62. Communicate
Openly and Honestly
Understand the Problem

63. Emphasize
Teamwork

64. Collaboration
Yields the Best Results

65. Admit
your failures
Accept
Responsibility

66. 1. Honest: Say what you mean.
2. Thoughtful: Choose your words wisely.
3. Clear: Use common vocabulary and concepts.
4. Focused: Stay on message and on task.
5. Non-Violent: NVC is a great technique.
Characteristics
Of Effective Communication

67. Read This Too!

68. Perspective & Context
Understand the Problem

71. Context Alters Perspective
Solid Grey

74. 1. Diverse: Consider different viewpoints.
2. Thoughtful: Respect and reflect on options.
3. Neutral: Don’t assume intent.
4. Balanced: Tone is contagious.
5. Informed: Knowable questions answered.
Characteristics
Of Healthy Perspective

75. Determine
Causation
Understand the Problem

76. What is the root cause?

77. Case Study

78. Case Study
“Approval Over Availability.”

79. Who is
Responsible?
Case Study

80. All of us.

81. All failures are
process failures.

82. Stay Calm
Identify the Problem
Understand the Problem
Define Your Goal
Develop Solutions
Measure Results
Step 4
Define Your Goal

83. Values
What do we care about?

84. https://goo.gl/6f9AlG

85. Benefit
What benefits are we
trying to protect?

86. Damage
How Does This Issue
Harm Benefits?

87. Goal
Clear Picture of What
Should be True.
* Note true not done.

88. Goal Statement
Values: Ease of doing business and Financial Stability. We want to be highly
accessible to insureds while minimizing our overhead.
Benefit: Insureds make payments online for convenience which consequently
reduces Non-Pay Cancellations for us.
Damage: Some valid credit cards have been rejected in the public gateway
preventing insureds from making online payments. This frustrates insureds and
increases our Non-Pay cancellations.
Goal: Insureds should able to pay with any valid credit card. If online payment fails,
they should be redirected to make a payment through a CSR and reassured that
online payments will be restored quickly.

89. Stay Calm
Identify the Problem
Understand the Problem
Define Your Goal
Develop Solutions
Measure Results
Step 5
Develop Solutions

90. Engage
the issue

91. 1. Fear: Don’t want to feel weak or vulnerable.
2. Urgency: Deal with the problem later.
3. Overwhelmed: Problem seems too large.
4. Insecurity: Worried about failure or image.
5. Politics: Dislike or disagreement.
Engagement Can Be Tough

92. 1. Just Do It: First step is the hardest.
2. Chunk: Break large projects into small pieces.
3. Proof Of Concept: Learn a little to know a lot.
4. Dates: Give yourself deadlines.
5. Flexibility: Fail early, fail often.
Best Advice

93. Gather Input
Ideas Can Originate Anywhere

94. Your team can be an idea factory
if they see action.
Employees Partners
Advisors
Forums
Customers

95. Communication
Two-way communication
is CRITICAL.

96. Activity Time!

99. Dialogue, not Directives

100. Stay Calm
Identify the Problem
Understand the Problem
Define Your Goal
Develop Solutions
Measure Results
Step 6
Measure Results

101. Establish Metrics
Track Key Indicators

120. What Can You Measure?

121. Iterate, Iterate, Iterate…
Close the Feedback Loop

122. Phil Reynolds
CEO / Founder
BriteCore
phil@britecore.com
http://www.slideshare.net/PhilReynolds2