Problem Solving and Decision Making Tools and Techniques

and Decision
Making
Techniques
A Lecture Presentation for
PRDP Beneficiaries
Aug. 25, 2021

• Differentiate an issue, problem and challenges
• Use analytical tool and processes namely fishbone, Five
whys, and tree diagram problem analysis and decision
making
Objectives

• Frameworks a basic structure underlying a
system, concept
• Process a series of actions or steps taken in
order to achieve a particular end
• Problem Solving Tools

Problem Solving and Decision-Making Techniques
a) Definition and characteristics of Issues, Problems, Challenges
b) Problem Solving Frameworks
- Organizational
- Personal
b) Tools in Problem Solving (problems, identification and
analysis)
b) Sustainability Mechanism for Resolution

Framework: Development
SD + Ed + PD + ED = Multidimensional

Process
IDEA: I = Identify
D= Develop
E= Execute
A= Assess

Introduction
• Another day, another journey, another problem and
another decision to make.
• Most executives, managers and supervisors need to
assess problems and make decision frequently
• Some of this problems are “routine” while others are
very complex, difficult and unclear

Unpredicted problems
may occur in any team or
process. However, problems
are just symptoms of deeper
issues. Fixing a problem
quickly may be a convenient
solution, however, it doesn’t
protect your work process
from recurring mistakes. This is
why your team needs to focus
on finding the root cause and
tackle it properly
Finding the root cause and tackle it properly

What is the difference
between issues,
problems and
challenges

Issues : Over population
Deforestation, wildlife trade, air and
water pollution, human diets, climate
change and other issues have all fed into a
breakdown of our natural systems, leading
to new and fatal diseases, such as the
current pandemic
Human-Caused
Environmental Degradation
Challenges:
• Food Security
• Increase productivity
• Increase Income
• Improve quality of life

Personal Problems
Stress Unhappiness o How do you respond to the situation?
o Control of your personal
stress/unhappiness
o Attitude is the way, you approach problem
as it arises
o People are overwhelm from stress – talk
whose to blame, damage caused, Not
helpful
o Concentrate your energies of what can be
done to solve the problem,
o Think of more solutions ( ideas – most/less important)
o Think of better solutions (effective)
o Think of more creative solutions
o More problems solved, more competent you have
become
Worry
Anxiety

Mindset: Change your thinking
• Break habit of
procrastination
• Do it now
• Push the trigger to
your subconscious
mind

Organizational
Development
What
How
Problem Solving
Decision Making

Relationship
Dimension
Task
Dimension
Samuel Certo, Supervision p230-234
Do right things in the
right way and you will
get the things you desire
Transformation of
the Philippine
Agriculture

Competency Development
Knowledge
and tools
Reflective
Analysis
Exercises
Application
Breakout
Session

Management Competencies
Analytical
thinking
Problem
Solving
Decision
Making
the process of finding solutions
to difficult or complex issues

Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese
quality control expert, is credited
with inventing the fishbone diagram
to help employees avoid solutions
that merely address the symptoms
of a much larger problem.
In management, the
first concern of the company
is the happiness of people
who are connected with it, If
the people do not feel
happy and can not be made
happy, the company does
not deserve to exist
Quality controls
starts and ends
with trainings
Fishbone Analysis

Goal
To illustrate in a graphical way the
relationship between a given outcome
and all the factors that influence the
outcome
Outcomes

Fishbone Diagram Procedure
1. Agree on a problem statement (effect)
2. Brainstorm the major categories of causes
of the problem
3. Write the categories of causes as branches
from the main arrow.
4. Brainstorm all the possible causes of the
problem
5. Again ask "Why does this happen?" about
each cause.

https://www.slideshare.net/HemantKumar98/fish-bone-diagram-a-problem-solving-tool

Problems Encountered by
Cooperatives/Associations
Limited
Resources
Leaders
are
hesistan
t to lead
Lack of
know how
to run the
organzatio
n
No
Developmen
t Plan
No
Operationa
l Policies
Poor
Governance
and
Management
No
trainings Members
not
engaged
Lack of
internal
control
High
past
dues
Governmen
t
Regulations

Limited
Resources
-SMCBUP not
enforced
-No consultation
- No follow up
- No updating of
records
-- No FB acct
--no viable
business activity
-Lack of info
dissemination
Method

Limited
Resources
-SMCBUP not
enforced
-No consultation
- No follow up
- No updating of
records
-- No FB acct
--no viable
business activity
-Lack of info
dissemination
Method Manpower
-Not aware of their
obligation
-Limited area to
recruit members
--not
technologically
equip
-- not supportive to
coop undertakings
-Lack
capability/skills
-Lack the spirit of
cooperativism
- Some officers are
inactive
-- No performanmce
evaluation
- poor communication

Limited
Resources
-SMCBUP not
enforced
-No consultation
- No follow up
- No updating of
records
-- No FB acct
--no viable
business activity
-Lack of info
dissemination
Method Manpower
-Not aware of their
obligation
-Limited area to
recruit members
--not
technologically
equip
coop undertakings
-Lack
capability/skills
-Lack the spirit of
cooperativism
- Some officers are
inactive
-- No performanmce
evaluation
Machine
-Lack of
equipments
for office use
- No access
to internet
provider
- poor
internet
connectivity
Material
-No report
-No regular
meeting
- No
information
materials on
the programs
/projects
Machines are
expensive for
small farmers

Limited
Resources
-SMCBUP not
enforced
-No consultation
- No follow up
- No updating of
records
-- No FB acct
--no viable
business activity
-Lack of info
dissemination
Method Manpower
-Not aware of their
obligation
-Limited area to
recruit members
--not
technologically
equip
coop undertakings
-Lack
capability/skills
-Lack the spirit of
cooperativism
- Some officers are
inactive
-- No performanmce
evaluation
Machine
-Lack of
equipment
for office use
- No access
to internet
provider
- poor
internet
connectivity
Material
-No report
-No regular
meeting
- No
information
materials on
the programs
/projects
Measurement
-No FS to know
the status of
the
organization
- Not familiar
with subscribed
capital
-- No
Subscription
agreement

Limited
Resources
-SMCBUP not
enforced
-No consultation
- No follow up
- No updating of
records
-- No FB acct
--no viable
business activity
-Lack of info
dissemination
Method Manpower
-Not aware of their
obligation
-Limited area to
recruit members
--not
technologically
equip
coop undertakings
-Lack
capability/skills
-Lack the spirit of
cooperativism
- Some officers are
inactive
-- No performanmce
evaluation
Machine
-Lack of
equipment's
for office use
- No access
to internet
provider
- poor
internet
connectivity
Material
-No report
-No regular
meeting
- No
information
materials on
the programs
/projects
Measurement
-No FS to know
the status of
the
organization
- Not familiar
with subscribed
capital
-- No
Subscription
agreement
Environment
-Due to pandemic
members are
restricted to go out
-- No Transportation
-- No other means
of income
-- Limited
opportunity in the
community
--No coop
office/space
-Additional cost for
health protocols
-Government
regulations and
- Costly auditors

Factors Controllable Preventable Not detectable
therefore no protection
1. Not aware of their obligation x
2. Limited area to recruit members x
3. Not technologically equipped x
4. Not supportive to coop undertakings x
5. Lack capability/skills x
6. Lack the spirit of cooperativism x
7. Some officers are inactive x
8. No performance evaluation x
9. Poor Communication x
10. Internal corruption x
10. Trust issues x
Figure out the following: C- Controllable
P Preventable
N Not detectable therefore no protection
Manpower
Categorize

CRITERIA
Pt
OPTIONS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Acceptability 10 10 10 7 10 5
Relevance 10 10 10 10 10 5
Doability/Viability 30 25 20 15 5 5
Cost-Effective 20 20 20 15 10 5
Impact 15 15 15 15 15 15
Sustainability 15 10 10 5 5 15
TOTAL 100 90 85 67 55 50
Identifying the best option by using criteria
Option 1. Coaching the members on SMCBUP.
Option 2. Assists members to fill up subscription forms
Option 3 Conduct training on the duties and responsibilities of members
Option 4 Request CDA to conduct fundamentals on Cooperative
Option 5 Avail loan

Options
Manpower 1. Coaching the members on SMCBUP.
2. Assists members to fill up subscription forms
Method 3.
4.
Machine 5.
6.
Measurement 7.
8.
Material 9.
Decision Making Exercise on Manpower

OPTIONS PROGRAMS/PROJECTS TIMELINE REQUIRED RESOURCES
Coaching Learning and Development 3rd Thursday of the
Month
Budget for supplies,
snacks, laptops,
internet/wifi
Filling up of
subscription
forms
Savings Mobilization and Capital
Build-Up (SMCBUP)
Every 15th day of the
Month
Payroll system (automatic
deduction) ; Every
harvest;
Loan retention
Training for
members
Education & Training Programs for
Members
Monthly Snacks/Supplies
Request CDA to
conduct
fundamentals on
Cooperative
Education & Training Programs for
Members
March 3rd Saturday Snacks/Supplies
Identified Programs and Projects

Lesson:
Congratulations ! You are
now a Problem Solver
Not Problem Maker

1. A simple Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
2. Easy to teach
3. Easy to use
4. Introduce people to problem solving
5. Prevents bad aid solution
The 5 Whys
Analysis

Origins of the 5 Whys Technique
Sakichi Toyoda, the Japanese industrialist, inventor, and
founder of Toyota Industries, developed the 5 Whys
technique in the 1930s. It became popular in the 1970s, and
Toyota still uses it to solve problems today
Toyota has a "go and see" philosophy. This means that its
decision making is based on an in-depth understanding of
what's actually happening on the shop floor, rather than on
what someone in a boardroom thinks might be happening.
The 5 Whys technique is true to this tradition, and it is most
effective when the answers come from people who have
hands-on experience of the process or problem in question.
The method is remarkably simple: when a problem occurs,
you drill down to its root cause by asking "Why?" five times.
Then, when a counter-measure becomes apparent, you follow
it through to prevent the issue from recurring.
Solutions
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Why?

• Have you ever had a problem that refused to
go away? No matter what you did, sooner or
later it would return, perhaps in another form.
• "Quick fixes" may seem convenient, but they
often solve only the surface issues and waste
resources that could otherwise be used to
tackle the real cause. Stubborn or recurrent
problems are often symptoms of deeper
issues.
5 Whys: Getting to the Root of
a Problem Quickly
5Ys is a simple but
powerful tool for cutting
quickly through the
outward symptoms of a
problem to reveal its
underlying causes, so
that you can deal with it
once and for all.

When applying the 5 Whys
technique, you want to get to
the problem's essence and
then fix it. Actually, the 5 Whys
may show you that the source
of the problem is quite
unexpected.
Often, issues that are
considered a technical problem
actually turn out to be human
and process problems.
This is why finding
and eliminating the
root cause is crucial if
you want to avoid
iteration of failures.
Slow Internet Connectivity
If wifi is used
there is
frequent
disconnection
The modem
provided by
Converse is
a defective
modem
Ask
company to
change
modem,
1. File complaint to
converge
2. Switch off
converge wifi to
netgear (HO)
same model of
modem was
provided –
problem
persists

the root cause analysis process should include people
with practical experience. Logically, they can give
you the most valuable information regarding any
problem that appears in their area of expertise.
One of the key factors for successful implementation
of the technique is to make an informed decision.
This means that the decision-making process should
be based on an insightful understanding of what is
actually happening on the work floor.
Why?

https://kanbanize.com/lean-management/improvement/5-whys-analysis-tool
Here is an
example of
applying the 5
Whys.
Sometimes it
is less than 5
whys or more
Solution: buy
batteries for the
alarm clock

Lesson
From Problem Solver
To Versatile Problem
Solver
Focus on finding
solution. Looking
means and ways
to help

• A strategic way to identify the focal (main) problem and
its causes and effects from the project teams. Stakeholders
and beneficiaries
Tree diagram is a new management planning tool that depicts the
hierarchy of tasks and subtasks needed to complete and objective

• When an issue is known or being addressed in broad
generalities and you must move to specific details, such as
when developing logical steps to achieve an objective
• When developing actions to carry out a solution or other plan
• When analyzing processes in detail
• When probing for the root cause of a problem
• When evaluating implementation issues for several potential
solutions
When to use tree diagram?

1. Implementation requires more time than was planned
2. Inadequate leadership and direction
3. Coordination and implementation not effective enough
4. Insufficient capabilities of officers
5. Inadequate training of staff
6. Insufficient information system
problems
7. Unclear statement of overall goals
8. Responsibilities are not clearly defined
9. Slow communication from officers
10. Passive membership
problems
problems

Its effects
Main problem
Causes
Branches
Trunk
Roots

Trunk: Demand of Products has Decreased
• I can’t make new products that buyers wants
• Don’t have the tools and skills necessary to
create a new product
• I’m isolated
• I don’t know how to access them
• I don’t know which products are in demand
• I don’t know what products to make
• Don’t have knowledge of the market or links
of the market
Roots: Causes

Effects
I can’t get good
health care and
education
Not able to
save
Not able to
improve my
situation
No skills
for new
products
Lack capital
to start a
business

Problem Tree to Problem Objective
• A process by which we turn causes into
means and effects into ends so cause and
effects becomes means and problems
becomes objectives.
• Not only the focal problem but all the
problems of the tree and eventually at the
end of the process we will have objectives
tree instead of a problem tree

Restate the Problems Tree – Objective Tree
I’m a members of the cooperative/Association
I have market linkages thru my membership
I’m aware of market demands
I have access to new resources and skills
I know how to make a new one and improved
products
Positive Solutions Already Happened

• Increase demand and stable of my product
• Families basic needs are being met
• Sufficient income
• Healthy children and are in school
• I have savings
• Improved quality of life
Outcomes - Results

Lesson
Congratulations ! You
are now a Solution
Oriented Person
Applying
solutions
most
appropriate
to mitigate
the effects of
the
problems
Find
meaning
to solve
problems
Implementing
the solutions
Taking
actions to
resolve a
particular
situation
Solution oriented people
in the organization are
valuable assets

“Mind-sets are
those collection of beliefs
and thoughts that make
up the mental attitude,
inclination, habit or
disposition that
predetermines a person's
interpretations and
responses to events,
circumstances and
situations.”
Where do we go
from here?

Fill your mind with
positive thoughts, if
not negative thoughts
will grow without any
encouragement
Mind vacuum
not empty, put
efforts to plant
positive
thoughts
Brian Tracy
Mental diet – feed mental protein.
Read educational bools that will
increase your knowledge, feed
minds of ideas that are uplifting, to
make you happier
Choose positive people to
associate with
All improvement begins in your
mental picture

Sustainability Mechanism for
Resolution
1. Learn, Unlearn, Relearn
2. Unfreezing, Improve
organization, refreezing
3. Keeping the community
motivated

Learn, Unlearn, Relearn
• Learn: acquire knowledge, skills, improve competencies.
• Unlearn: Obsolete knowledge, bad practices
lack of innovation, fear of the
unknown
• Relearn – Continual improvement Culture, invest in
Learning, Learn new tools, change is normal,
expect, embrace, accept it.
• Be part of the solution.

Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Theory
Time
P
E
R
F
O
R
M
A
N
C
E
Forces : Resistance
to Change
Forces : For Change
Solution:
a. Increase forces for
change by pushing,
motivating to change
will take place
b. Reduce resitancies
c. Inc/Dec (both)
Unfreezing
Improve
ourselves
Refreezing

P
E
R
F
O
R
M
A
N
C
E
Forces : Resistance
to Change
Unfreezing Improve
ourselves
Refreezing
Tools &
mechanisms
to unfreeze
from the
current state
Provide
environment
for the
change to
happen

Identify obstacles to overcome:

Conclusion
Identify obstacles to overcome:
a. Identify the knowledge and skills you will need
b. Select the most important goal
c. Identify tasks by sequencing and priority till completion and to make use of your valuable use
of your time
d. Identify people whose help and cooperation you will require
e. Take action
f. Keep tract of your progress
g. Make adjustment along the way
h. Make sure you are doing something on what you aspire in your life and to be more productive
and successful
Rule: Each minute spent in planning save ten minutes in execution

Life will test us with
setbacks but it is not
permanent, open your
doors for opportunities
waiting to be tapped

I can do things you can not, You can do things
I can not, TOGETHER we can do better and
do great thing
Mother Teresa

Feedback Write in the chat box (numbers) of your learnings Ex: 1, 4, 6
1. Fishbone Analysis
2. 5 Whys Analysis
3. Problem Tree
4. Problem Objective
5. Decision Making analysis
6. Chronic Procrastination
7. Mental Diet
8. Sustainability Mechanisms
9. Learn, Unlearn, Relearn Concept
10. Unfreezing, Improve Organization, Refreezing

Break out Session
A. Fishbone Analysis ; Facilitator Ms. Joi Pia Sison Santos
Fishbone Diagram Procedure
1. Agree on a problem statement (effect)
2. Brainstorm the major categories of causes
of the problem
3. Write the categories of causes (6Ms, 8Ps,5Ss) as
branches
from the main arrow.
4. Brainstorm all the possible causes of the
problem
5. Again ask "Why does this happen?" about
each cause.

6. Categorize sub problems as : C- Controllable
P Preventable
N Not detectable therefore no
protection
7. Identifying the best option by using criteria
8. Summary Decision Making Options
9. Identified Programs and Projects
10. Present your output
Cont. Fishbone Diagram Procedure

Factors (Sub Causes) Controllable Preventable Not detectable
therefore no protection
Figure out the following: C- Controllable
P Preventable
N Not detectable therefore no protection
2. Categorize

CRITERIA
Pt
OPTIONS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Acceptability
Relevance
Doability/Viability
Cost-Effective
Impact
Sustainability
TOTAL
3. Identifying the best option by using criteria
Option 1..
Option 2.
Option 3
Option 4
Option 5

Options
Manpower 1.
2.
Method 3.
4.
Machine 5.
6.
Measurement 7.
8.
Material 9.
5. Summary Decision Making Options

OPTIONS PROGRAMS/PROJECTS TIMELINE REQUIRED RESOURCES
6. Identified Programs and Projects

The 5 Whys Analysis : Facilitator Dir. Jun Defensor
How to Conduct a 5 Whys Analysis in 5 Steps
1. Gather a team. Collect the team members
who are knowledgeable about the process
that is to be examined
2. Define the problem
3. Ask “why?” five times
4. Take corrective action
5. Monitor and share your results
6. Report the 5 whys Analysis

Its effects
Main problem
Causes
Branches
Trunk
Roots
Problem Tree Facilitator: Dir. Ma. Lourdes P. Pacao

Trunk: State the problem
Roots: Causes

Restate the Problems Tree – Objective Tree
Positive Solutions Already Happened

References
• http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-issue-and-
problem/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCjC_cG4vF4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j-_Y7D35H4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj74ebMn55w
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAqnfgUNZjU

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