A Cause-Effect Diagram can help you understand the complex relationship between an effect (a problem or goal) and its causes. You can use this diagram to improve problem solving.
Groups using brainstorming techniques produce the most effective Cause-Effect Diagrams. Read more…
I got a call yesterday from a former client who I’ve been trying to reach for the last couple of months (truth be told it was more like three months!).
He usually gets back to me within two days tops. So, you can guess my surprise at getting his call! Seeing his name pop up on my caller ID I picked up immediately.
My client apologized profusely for not getting back to me. He mentioned that I’ve been on his mind and on his “to call” list but has never quite found the time to fit me in. He said, “Meetings, meetings, meetings! I’m in them all of the time and I can’t seem to get any work done! As a matter of fact, I only have five minutes to talk before I go into my next meeting!”
I thought to myself, “You can’t get any work done? What’s the purpose for having all of those meetings anyway?”
Some of the tools we have presented in our Tuesday’s Tool of The Trade series take longer to implement than others. When it’s essential to get quick participation and commitment from each group member we suggest a structured decision-making process called nominal group process.
The nominal group process is a quick tool for identifying problems, selecting which ones to work on. And, determining the order in which to work on the problems. Read more…
A client called and thanked me for the DIY Tuesday Tools of the Trade series. She commented that her team has used several of the DIY tools but still face a hurdle. They can’t seem to reach a consensus on the best approach to take!
A group sometimes has difficulty reaching a consensus when several possible solutions to an issue exist. Using a decision matrix can make it easier for the group to agree on solutions to complex problems. Read more…
Being “Overwhelmed” is a common complaint we often get from clients after a brainstorming session. You can quickly reach a state of extreme over load when brainstorming a problem and its possible causes.
With so many ideas it’s difficult to identify what Dr. Joseph Juran called “the significant few among the insignificant many.”
Our response to clients is “Relax,” we got a tool for that! Read more…
Brainstorming is a great tool for generating ideas from your team about business problems and identifying opportunities for improvement. But, when the brainstorming session is over it’s now time to move on and focus on problem solving and improvement techniques. Read more…
It’s been said that the three most difficult things to get people to do are 1) to think; 2) to do things in order of importance, and: 3) to focus.
So, how do you overcome these challenges? Najera Consulting suggest applying the Pareto Analysis tool also known as the 80/20 rule. Read more…
Brainstorming is a tool you can use to list as many ideas as possible in a short period of time. Teams often use it because it encourages active participation from all team members. This tool will help a team think about and list all dimensions of a problem or solution. Read more…