About this session
Workplace problems often generate solutions before the problem itself has been properly understood. A recurring service issue becomes a new checklist.
A missed deadline becomes a request for more people. A customer complaint leads to retraining.
Sometimes those responses help. Sometimes they address only the visible symptom and the problem returns.
Structured problem solving provides a disciplined alternative.
Participants learn to define what is happening, establish the evidence, select a method that fits the challenge, investigate why the problem occurs, generate alternatives, test countermeasures, and review what actually changed.
The course introduces several complementary approaches rather than presenting one framework as universally superior. A generic eight-step sequence provides an end-to-end structure for a substantial problem.
PDCA supports iterative testing and improvement. SCAMPER provides prompts for deliberately generating alternatives when the team needs to rethink an existing process, service, or solution.
Other techniques support specific stages of the work.
The emphasis is on judgment. Participants learn when a framework adds useful structure, when a lightweight approach is enough, and when specialist analysis is required.
The objective is not to complete more templates. It is to make stronger problem-solving decisions and create solutions that survive contact with the real workplace.
What your people take away
- Define a workplace problem clearly before generating solutions
- Select a problem-solving approach according to the challenge rather than habit
- Build an evidence-based current-state picture and investigate plausible causes
- Use structured methods to generate and compare countermeasures
- Test solutions proportionately before wider implementation where appropriate
- Use review and PDCA cycles to learn, adapt, and sustain improvements
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: Frame the Problem & Choose the Right ApproachA focused 30-minute session on three key points from Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach: define the gap, separate problem, symptom & issue and choose the level of structure.
- Define the gap
- Separate problem, symptom & issue
- Choose the level of structure
Covers 3 of 4 points in Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach.
60 minutes
Structured Problem-Solving EssentialsA focused introduction to problem framing and framework selection. Participants define one workplace problem, distinguish evidence from assumptions, and choose an appropriate structured approach before moving into solution mode.
- Problem vs. symptom
- Current vs. desired condition
- Problem statement
- Evidence and assumptions
- PDCA vs. deeper investigation
- Eight-step sequence overview
- SCAMPER's role in solution generation
- Problem-Solving Quick Charter
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 4 parts: Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach.
90 minutes
From Problem Definition to Credible CausesThe extended session covers Modules 1 and 2. Participants frame a real or realistic workplace problem, build a current-state picture, break the problem into useful patterns, and develop evidence-based causal hypotheses. Solution design is introduced but developed in greater depth in the longer formats.
- Module 1 — Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach
- Module 2 — Investigate the Problem & Identify Credible Causes
- Problem-Solving Charter
- Current-State Evidence Map
- Problem segmentation
- Cause-and-effect analysis
- Five Whys as a focused questioning technique
- Causal hypothesis testing
- Framework Selection Guide
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 4 parts: Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach and Investigate the Problem & Identify Credible Causes.
3 hours
Covers 3 of 4 parts: Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach, Investigate the Problem & Identify Credible Causes and Generate, Compare & Test Solutions.
Full day
Structured Problem-Solving Application LabA four-hour workshop, including breaks, covering all four modules. Participants take a bounded problem from definition and evidence through cause analysis, solution generation, option evaluation, test design, and implementation planning.
- Module 1 — Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach
- Module 2 — Investigate the Problem & Identify Credible Causes
- Module 3 — Generate, Compare & Test Solutions
- Module 4 — Implement, Learn & Sustain the Improvement
- Problem-Solving Charter
- Current-State Evidence Map
- Problem Segmentation
- Cause-and-Effect Map
- Causal Hypothesis Review
- SCAMPER Solution Lab
- Countermeasure-to-Cause Map
- Solution Comparison Matrix
- Test Design
- PDCA Implementation Cycle
- Guided output: Structured Problem-Solving Blueprint
- Live Q&A
Covers all 4 parts.
Also available as a 4-week or 8-week program, for change that lasts. Ask us about it.
What’s covered
Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach
Every length- Define the gapParticipants describe the difference between the current condition and the desired or expected condition.
- Separate problem, symptom & issueParticipants distinguish the visible symptom from the underlying problem requiring investigation and separate future uncertainty from an issue already occurring.
- Choose the level of structureNot every problem needs an eight-week investigation.
- Build the problem-solving charterParticipants define the scope, intended outcome, owner, affected stakeholders, available evidence, constraints, and decision authority for the work.
Investigate the Problem & Identify Credible Causes
90 minutes and longer- Build the current-state evidenceParticipants examine what is actually happening using relevant observations, records, process information, work samples, customer evidence, or other appropriate sources.
- Break the problem into useful partsLarge problems can hide several different failure patterns.
- Generate & test causal hypothesesParticipants use techniques such as cause-and-effect mapping and focused questioning to identify plausible causes.
- Avoid the 'human error' endpointA mistake made by a person may describe what happened without explaining why the system allowed or encouraged it.
Generate, Compare & Test Solutions
3 hours and longer- Design countermeasures around the causeParticipants connect each proposed countermeasure with the mechanism it is intended to change.
- Use scamper to open the solution spaceWhen the challenge requires redesign rather than only correction, participants use SCAMPER prompts.
- Compare options against clear criteriaParticipants compare alternatives according to expected effect on the problem, evidence strength, feasibility, cost or effort, implementation time, dependencies, risk, and other relevant criteria.
- Design a proportionate testWhere the solution can be tested before wider implementation, participants define what will change, where the test will occur, what evidence will be collected, and what result would support continuing, adapting, or stopping.
Implement, Learn & Sustain the Improvement
Full day only- Turn the solution into an implementation planParticipants specify actions, owners, timing, resources, dependencies, communications, and evidence needed for implementation.
- Use PDCA as a learning cycleParticipants use Plan–Do–Check–Act to structure iterative improvement.
- Check whether the problem actually improvedParticipants return to the original problem definition and compare the relevant measures before and after implementation over an appropriate period.
- Standardize useful learning & reopen when neededWhere the new approach performs sufficiently well, participants identify what should become part of normal work.
Tools and materials
- Problem-Solving Charter
- Framework Selection Guide
- Current-State Evidence Map
- Problem Segmentation Canvas
- Cause-and-Effect Map
- Causal Hypothesis Review
- SCAMPER Solution Prompts
- Countermeasure-to-Cause Map
- Solution Comparison Matrix
- PDCA Review Canvas
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Structured Problem-Solving Frameworks
How long is Structured Problem-Solving Frameworks?
Structured Problem-Solving Frameworks runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach: define the gap, separate problem, symptom & issue and choose the level of structure. A 60-minute session covers Frame the Problem & Choose the Right Approach in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Investigate the Problem & Identify Credible Causes. A 3-hour session adds Generate, Compare & Test Solutions. A full-day session adds Implement, Learn & Sustain the Improvement. It is also available as a 4-week or 8-week program.
Can Structured Problem-Solving Frameworks be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Structured Problem-Solving Frameworks?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Structured Problem-Solving Frameworks to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.