Problem Solving and Decision Making Workshop

Overview

Success in today�s rapidly changing and competitive environment depends upon being able to sort and analyze information, rapidly assess a situation, and come up with correct and timely solutions and decisions. However, today�s professionals are often overwhelmed by a mass of information from many sources. This workshop explains how to distinguish between important and less important inputs and how to apply effective techniques to the processes of problem solving and decision making. The workshop also includes exercises for establishing and reinforcing these techniques.

Prerequisites

An understanding of communication skills is desirable such as Communication Skills for IT Professionals workshop.

Audience

Persons in any jobs or roles in which problem solving and decision making are important.
Maximum number of participants: 12

Course duration

2 Days

Classroom Requirements

Room set up as horseshoe and large enough for team activities, or with break-out rooms for team activities. Overhead projector, flipcharts.

Format

Presentation
Written Exercises
Interactive Activities

Objectives

After this course a student should be able to

Recognize the drivers for effective problem solving and decision making
Describe the problem-solving and decision-making life cycles
Identify different types of problems and solutions and recognize the differences between symptoms and causes
Describe how to gather, organize, and analyze information inputs
Apply a variety of problem-solving and decision-making techniques
Apply appropriate techniques to select a solution and make a decision

Course outline

Introduction
Drivers for Effective Problem Solving and Decision Making

Motivating factors
- Business drivers
- Complex technologies
Ways of working in IT
- Teams and methods

The Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Process

Problem resolution

Types of Problems and Solutions

Problem identification
Causes of problems
- Causes versus symptoms
- Identifying the causes

Managing Information Inputs

Gathering information
Organizing and analyzing information

Creative Techniques for Problem Solving and Decision Making

Creative techniques
- Techniques for creative problem solving
- Brainstorming
- Sorting ideas

Selecting Solutions and Making Decisions

Selection techniques
Presenting a solution or decision
- Obtaining commitment and agreement

Conclusion

Case Study Scenarios