it problem solving template

Continuous Improvement Toolkit

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A3 Problem Solving Template

A3 thinking is a logical and structured approach to problem solving adopted by Lean organizations around the world. It can be used for most kinds of problems and in any part of the business. This A3 template uses a four stages model that is based on the PDCA management philosophy. It makes the problem-solving progress visible to the entire team while allowing the lessons to be learned by others.

This template is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that you can use and modify to meet your specific requirements. For example, you may expand the implementation or follow-up plans by increasing the number of rows. The template is available in two variations: a user-friendly straightforward version, and a more detailed one that requires providing in-depth information.

A3 Template (32 KB)

A3 Template – Simple (216 KB)

A3 Template – Detailed (340 KB)

Related Templates

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CIToolkit Content Team

Lean Events and Training / Forms and Templates

Forms and Templates

Downloads for A3 problem solving, standard work , project management, and value stream mapping .

Problem Solving Templates

A3 Action Plan Form (from Getting the Right Things Done)

• The action plan template helps define the who, what, when, where, and how of a plan on one page.
• Helps track progress and highlight problems so action can be taken.

A3 Status Review Form (from Getting the Right Things Done)

• Top box provides an overview with respect to our critical end-of-pipe metrics.
• Second box provides an overview of activities, and usually reflects what’s been prescribed on the action plan of the right side of the strategy A3.

A3 Strategy Form (from Getting the Right Things Done)

• A strategy A3 is a one-page storyboard on 11-inch by 17-inch paper that helps tell the strategy “story.”
• Logic flows from top left to bottom right, and each box leads to the next one.

Detailed A3 Template (from Managing to Learn)

• Print this A3 template out to remind you of each section of the problem-solving A3 as you are creating your own.

PDSA A3 Template (from On the Mend)

• A3 Template, in Excel, following the PDSA cycle.

Problem Definition Worksheet

• This worksheet can help you breakdown the problem into a clearly defined gap as well as see how the problem aligns to the needs of the business or your True North purpose.

Root Cause Template

• This template gives you space to record the problem as well as the direct causes and underlying causes.

Four Types of Problems

Art Smalley

Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process

Perfecting Patient Journeys

Beau Keyte , Tom Shuker and Judy Worth

Getting the Right Things Done

Pascal Dennis

Standard Work Templates

Standard Work Operator Balance Chart (OBC)

• The operator balance chart helps create continuous flow in a multi-step, multi-operator process by distributing operator work elements in relation to takt time.

Standard Work Process Study Sheet

• The Process Study Sheet is used to define and record the time for work elements in a process.

Standard Work Production Analysis Board

• A Production Analysis Board is a display that must be located at the exit of the cell (or the line) to show actual performance compared with planned performance on an hourly basis.

Standard Work Skills Training Matrix

• The Skills Training Matrix shows the required and attained skills of every operator.
• The training schedule also should be shown.

Standardized Work Chart

• The standardized work chart shows operator movement and material location in relation to the machine and overall process layout.
• It should show takt time, work sequence, and standard WIP.

Standardized Work Combination Table

• The standardized work combination table shows the combination of manual work time, walk time, and machine processing time for each operation in a production sequence.
• This form is a more precise process design tool than the Operator Balance Chart.
• It can be very helpful to identify the waste of waiting and overburden, and to confirm standard.

Standardized Work Job Instruction Sheet

• The job instruction sheet is used to train new operations.
• It lists the steps of the job, detailing any special knack that may be required to perform the job safely with utmost quality and efficiency.
• It can also be useful for experienced operators to reconfirm the right operations.

Standardized Work Process Capacity Sheet

• The Process Capacity Chart is used to calculate the capacity of each machine to confirm true capacity and to identify and eliminate bottlenecks.
• Processing capacity per shift will be calculated from the available production time, completion time, and tool-change time (and other factors as necessary) for each work piece.

Waste Walk Template (from Perfecting Patient Journeys)

• Taking a “waste walk” is one way to make the waste visible again.
• A waste walk is simply a planned visit to where work is being performed to observe what’s happening and to note the waste. It differs from go-see activities in that you are specifically looking for waste.

Kaizen Express

Toshiko Narusawa and John Shook

Lean Lexicon 5th Edition

Lean Enterprise Institute

Training Within Industry (TWI) Templates and Downloads

8-step TWI problem solving card - as presented by IBM

• 8-steps to problem solving handy pocket card printable.

Solving Problems with TWI

• Solving problems with TWI deployment graphic.

Template of Job Breakdown Sheet

• Job breakdown sheets are created to list the steps and highlight the main factors or key points that go into completing a job.
• It also provides reasons for these key points.

TWI Job Instruction Card

• TWI Job Instruction card in a handy pocket printable.

TWI Job Methods Card

• TWI Job Methods Card in a handy pocket printable.

TWI Job Relations Card

• TWI Job Relations Card in a handy pocket printable.

Lean Solutions

James (Jim) Womack, PhD and Dan Jones

Lean Thinking, 2nd Edition

Project Management Templates

Master Schedule and Action Plan Template for One Goal (from Perfecting Patient Journeys)

• Use this template in your project tracking center so you can track both goals and action items on the same form.

End of Project Review Template (from Perfecting Patient Journeys)

• The following template will help you capture your end-of-project reflections and make decisions about what to do next.

Master Schedule Template (from Perfecting Patient Journeys)

• This template will help you answer this question by letting you include the project goals with space to indicate whether each goal is on track as originally planned and whether the scheduled progress review has taken place.

Team Board Form (from Getting the Right Things Done)

• A team board is a window on both routine and improvement work.
• The board on this template addresses both daily production and strategic issues, and is organized according to SQDCM—safety, quality, delivery, cost, and morale.

Value Proposition Template (from Perfecting Patient Journeys)

• Align the stakeholders around what will be included in addressing the problem,
• Identify the stakeholders who will be added to the project team and actively engaged in creating the current- and future-state value-stream maps,
• Identify additional stakeholders necessary to drive the implementation of the future state,
• Serve as an agreement—a proof of consensus—on the specific problem to be solved, and with the problem statement serve as authorization for the entire project.

Action Planning Template (from Perfecting Patient Journeys)

• Identify the specific changes that need to be made and translate those changes into clearly stated goals and actions (i.e., the means) to achieve those goals.
• Identify the specific methods and action steps you think will help you achieve the goals. These action steps and targets constitute the action plan to achieve a specific goal.

Value-Stream Mapping Templates

Value-stream Mapping Icons for Excel

• At the request of some of our readers we have posted the most commonly used mapping icons so that they can be downloaded for Excel spreadsheets.

Learning to See

Mike Rother and John Shook

VSM Getting Started Set

Lean Enterprise Institute , Mike Rother and John Shook

Mapping to See: Value-Stream Improvement Workshop

Beau Keyte , Jim Luckman , Kirk Paluska , Guy Parsons , John Shook , Tom Shuker and David Verble

Improvement Kata / Coaching Kata

Improvement Kata Learner's Storyboard

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10 Free Problem Statement Templates in Word & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

No matter what your position title is, solving problems is likely part of your job description. From project managers to IT team leads to administrative agents at government organizations, we all have to address issues that threaten to derail our objectives. 

One of the best ways to achieve success is to have a process in place to identify and respond to potential risks. Many business owners and managers choose problem statements as an effective option. These tools highlight existing problems, offer context, and are designed to generate discussion for solutions. 

Here, we’ll explain what problem statement templates do and discuss when to use them. Plus, we’ll show you what to look for when choosing one and share 10 free problem statement templates to use in ClickUp and Word. 👀

What is a Problem Statement Template? 

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A problem statement is a project management tool that describes an existing issue that needs to be solved. It explains the current status, lays out a desired solution, and analyzes the scope of the process required to reach the end goal. 

It’s a process tool that encourages creativity when developing potential solutions to issues, rather than highlighting a specific solution.

A problem statement template makes it easier to compile the necessary information and present it to relevant team members. That way everyone on the project knows the goal and can play a part in creating a road map to solve the problem. 💡

Here are four key elements of a problem statement:

• Current status: Briefly explain the current problem as succinctly as possible and outline a statement of work blueprint
• Ideal goal: What would the situation look like without the existing problem? Describe what your end goal is in finding a viable solution
• The reason it matters: Analyze how the problem affects different team members and the company goals. Also, determine the consequences of not addressing the problem
• Proposal: A problem statement doesn’t have to list solutions. Instead, focus on providing context for research so the team can develop answers creatively

Not all problem statement templates are created equal. You want to choose one that briefly explains the problem, highlights the end goal, and offers room for creative discussion.

A good problem statement template will:

• Start with a goal: Give your team an objective to aim for. Highlight multiple outcomes and provide context for what an ideal solution will be using an effective problem statement template
• Explain the specific problem and current state : A good problem-solving template will highlight how the issue prevents you from reaching the stated objective
• Identify knowledge gaps: You can’t find a solution if you don’t have all the relevant data. Use the template to describe what information you’re missing and what data you need to come up with possible solutions
• Avoid proposing a specific solution: The goal here is to generate ideas and creative discussion. There’s more than one solution to a problem, so instead of laying out one solution, offer a framework for coming up with answers and ideas

10 Problem Statement Templates to Use in 2024

Problem statements take time to draft, especially if you’re using them repeatedly as part of your workflows. To cut down on time creating these useful documents, turn to problem statement templates.

These handy tools make it easy to outline the problem and turn it into actionable insights while getting input from your team.

Ready to start improving your processes? We’ve gathered 10 of the best problem statement templates to streamline how you respond and adapt to issues. From incident reports and remediation plans to addressing customer problems, you’ll find what you need to address issues that matter at your company.

Here are the best problem statement templates to use whether you work in IT for the government, run a small product agency, or head human resources at a midsize firm. 🛠️

Use ClickUp’s Customer Problem Statement Template to identify common customer issues to develop products and services that better address customers’ needs. Fill in the customer profile section to keep track of different audience needs. 

Next, break down what that type of customer wants, and what roadblocks prevent them from their goals during the customer journey . Be sure to give context on why those issues are present—as well as a proposed solution.

Create new pages for each problem and share each one with the relevant team members. Generate tasks to break down the teamwork based on department, and use the different ClickUp views to keep the team on schedule and monitor results across problem statements. ✅

Before you can lay out a road map to success, you need to anticipate the root cause of a problem. Create a concise problem statement and improve your decision-making process by using the Root Cause Analysis Template from ClickUp .

This problem statement template breaks the bigger problem down into a list of issues, making them easier to assign to various team members. It’s an effective tool for predicting issues and laying the groundwork to prevent them from derailing a project.

Use the nine custom fields to draft problem statement examples and tasks for the team to tackle. Add priority to the most pressing issues, and hop into the Needs Action view to see what’s in progress and to track issues that still need to be addressed.

As a project lead, an action plan is your best friend. It highlights stakeholders, provides a roadmap to success, and offers metrics to gauge performance.

With ClickUp’s A3 Action Plan Template , map out long-term projects while staying organized and improving productivity. When using this problem statement template, start by brainstorming to identify and define your business problem statement.

You can collaborate with other team members through ClickUp Docs . After this step, you can gather data, develop a solution, and then create an action plan. 

With the view types in ClickUp’s problem statements, you can monitor goals, timelines, and action steps. Plus, the four custom fields let you manage tasks with breakdowns by department, complexity, progress, and type. 📝

Create an action plan for corrective action using ClickUp’s Remediation Action Plan Template . From ideation and methodology processes to execution and integration in workflows, this template makes it easy to come up with solutions for even the most complex problems.

Use the template to identify remediation steps and to automate assigning the tasks to the relevant team members. Assess risk levels, and add priority tags to tasks that need to be addressed immediately. 

Develop an action plan by using custom fields for each risk, and track progress using ClickUp Checklists . These to-do lists populate within the task, making it easy to break down repetitive tasks and incorporate company procedures in your remediation workflows.

Whether you’re midway through a long project or one has just wrapped, you need to assess the process and make adjustments for the future. The After Action Report Template from ClickUp is useful in determining what went well, deciding what needs improvement, and generating new workflows to streamline the process. 

This simple one-page template highlights project participants, the basics of the project, the project scope, and results based on project data. 

Incorporate this template into your workflows as part of a review step. The template is an excellent tool when preparing for employee reviews since it lists the actions they took and documents the overall team workflow. Use this tool to evaluate how well your workflows performed and if anything broke down during the process. 

The ClickUp After Action Report Template also helps you celebrate team success. While it’s easy to focus on what went wrong, this template highlights things that went well and team members that performed .

You can emphasize areas where employees avoided budget issues, overcame resource management issues, and adjusted their workflows to keep the project on track. 🌻

One of the biggest project management challenges is managing safety and correctly recording workplace incidents. With ClickUp’s Report Work Incident Template , you can gather incident reports and compile mitigation procedures in one easy-to-access space. 

In the task card, collect information about a specific incident, and choose from 13 custom fields—including basics like the date of the incident, parties involved, and location. If the local authorities were involved, you can add information on officer contact information and police report filing details. 

In addition to recording the pertinent information, you can suggest a corrective action to improve the processes and prevent a repeat incident.

This template also features seven different view types, so you can get the information you need at a glance. For example, the Incident Report Summary view is excellent for getting a quick overview of what occurred.

The Progress Board and Reports views keep you on top of solutions and how things are getting worked out. 

With the Incident Response Report Template from ClickUp , it’s easier than ever to identify threats, draft steps to address the risk, and develop insights from the incident response process. The template includes a simple step-by-step approach to creating an incident report, including sections for risks, next steps, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned.

With this template, report existing incidents, track proposed solutions, and gather intel so that you can adjust your procedures to better address future incidents. Plus, with its five custom fields, you can easily track supporting documents and keep an audit trail of who created, approved, or reviewed an incident report. 

The documentation is also invaluable when responding to legal issues. 👩🏿‍⚖️

Whether you work in product management or lead an IT team, you know how important it is to stay on top of risks. With ClickUp’s IT Incident Report Template , you can easily track bugs and software issues that affect the performance of your IT system. 

The 14 custom fields offer a high degree of personalization. That means that you can truly leverage this template to meet your specific company needs. 

When using this template, get insight into the IT threat by filling out the basics of the problem, including affected software systems, platforms, and build versions. Next, highlight the severity of each incident and explain the reasons for the incident as well as the impact. 

Finally, lay out a path for solutions, and use the data gathered to inform your incident management process.

Problem statements are a great way to generate new ideas, support a creative-thinking process, and get buy-in from various team members in different departments. 

This Problem Statement Template from Sample.Net is compatible with MS Word, Google Docs, and Powerpoint. It features a one-page layout explaining the existing problem, a description of the issue, risks, and ideas for solutions.

Use this template to design thinking processes and creatively brainstorm solutions with your team. Each person can share their specific point of view as you work together to develop solutions to the issue and hand. 🏆

This simple Research Problem Statement Template makes it easy to draft a quick breakdown of an existing issue and offers support for coming up with solutions. It’s available as a Google Doc, Apple Pages, or MS Word file. 

Save time formatting and use this template to quickly fill out the sections for the description, risks, and solution for your problem statement examples. 

The template features branding customization in such a way that you can add a company logo and contact information if you’re sharing this document with an outside agency that’s supporting your resolution process. Change the color scheme and font style to match other company documentation and to meet branding standards.

Solve Problems Fast and Effectively With ClickUp

With these problem statement templates, you’re well on your way to being a more effective leader and employee. From reporting incidents and tracking IT issues to generating discussions on how to solve common customer problems, these templates are sure to make your work life easier.

Try ClickUp today to create a problem statement that propels your business forward and builds the basis for better products and services. Browse hundreds of free templates to improve your project management style, assist with incident reporting and track performance on all of your objectives. ✨

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• Business strategy |
• Problem management: 8 steps to better p ...

Problem management: 8 steps to better problem solving

Problem management is an 8 step framework most commonly used by IT teams. You can use problem management to solve for repeating major incidents. By organizing and structuring your problem solving, you can more effectively get to the root cause of high-impact problems—and devise a solution. Solving the root cause prevents recurrence and creates a repeatable solution to use on similar errors in the future.

In an IT department, errors and mishaps are part of the job. You can't always control these problems, but you can control how you respond to them with problem management. Problem management helps you solve larger problems and reduce the risk that they’ll happen again by identifying all connected problems, solving them, and planning for the future.

What is problem management?

Problem management is an 8 step framework most commonly used by IT teams. Your team can use problem management to solve for repeating major incidents. By organizing and structuring your problem solving, you can more effectively get to the root cause of high-impact problems—and devise a solution. Problem management is a process—used mostly by IT teams—to identify, react, and respond to issues. It’s not for every problem, but it’s a useful response when multiple major incidents occur that cause large work interruptions. Unlike problem solving, problem management goes beyond the initial incident to discover and dissect the root causes, preventing future incidents with permanent solutions.

The goals of problem management are to:

Prevent problems before they start.

Solve for repetitive errors.

Lessen each incident’s impact. 

Problem management vs. incident management 

Example: Someone leaves their unprotected laptop in a coffee shop, causing a security breach. The security team can use incident management to solve for this one, isolated event. In this case, the team could manually shut down the accounts connected to that laptop. If this continues to happen, IT would use problem management to solve the root of this issue—perhaps installing more security features on each company laptop so that if employees lose them, no one else can access the information.

Problem management vs. problem solving

While similar in name, problem management differs slightly from problem-solving. Problem management focuses on every aspect of the incident—identifying the root cause of the problem, solving it, and prevention. Problem solving is, as the name implies, focused solely on the solution step. 

Example: You’re launching a new password management system when it crashes—again. You don’t know if anything leaked, but you know it could contain confidential information. Plus, it’s happened before. You start the problem management process to ensure it doesn’t happen again. In that process, you’ll use problem solving as a step to fix the issue. In this case, perhaps securing confidential information before you try to launch a new software.

Problem management vs. change management 

Change management targets large transitions within your workplace, good and bad. These inevitable changes aren’t always negative, so you can’t always apply problem management as a solution. That’s where change management comes in—a framework that helps you adjust to any new scenario.

Example: Your company is transitioning to a new cloud platform. The transition happens incident-free—meaning you won’t need problem management—but you can ease the transition by implementing some change management best practices. Preparing and training team members in the new software is a good place to start.

Problem management vs. project management

Project management is the framework for larger collections of work. It’s the overarching method for how you work on any project, hit goals, and get results. You can use project management to help you with problem management, but they are not the same thing. Problem management and project management work together to solve issues as part of your problem management process.

Example: During problem management, you uncover a backend security issue that needs to be addressed—employees are using storage software with outdated security measures. To solve this, you create a project and outline the tasks from start to finish. In this case, you might need to alert senior executives, get approval to remove the software, and alert employees. You create a project schedule with a defined timeline and assign the tasks to relevant teams. In this process, you identified a desired outcome—remove the unsafe software—and solved it. That’s project management.

The 8 steps of problem management

It’s easy to get upset when problems occur. In fact, it’s totally normal. But an emotional response is not always the best response when faced with new incidents. Having a reliable system—such as problem management—removes the temptation to respond emotionally. Proactive project management gives your team a framework for problem solving. It’s an iterative process —the more you use it, the more likely you are to have fewer problems, faster response times, and better outputs. 

1. Identify the problem

During problem identification, you’re looking at the present—what’s happening right now? Here, you’ll define what the incident is and its scale. Is this a small, quick-fix, or a full overhaul? Consider using problem framing to define, prioritize, and understand the obstacles involved with these more complex problems. 

2. Diagnose the cause

Use problem analysis or root cause analysis to strategically look at the cause of a problem. Follow the trail of issues all the way back to its beginnings.

To diagnose the underlying cause, you’ll want to answer:

What factors or conditions led to the incident?

Do you see related incidents? Could those be coming from the same source?

Did someone miss a step? Are processes responsible for this problem?

3. Organize and prioritize

Now it’s time to build out your framework. Use an IT project plan to organize information in a space where everyone can make and see updates in real time. The easiest way to do this is with a project management tool where you can input ‌tasks, assign deadlines, and add dependencies to ensure nothing gets missed. To better organize your process, define:

What needs to be done? 

Who’s responsible for each aspect? If no one is, can we assign someone? 

When does each piece need to be completed?

What is the final number of incidents related to this problem?

Are any of these tasks dependent on another one? Do you need to set up dependencies ?

What are your highest priorities? How do they affect our larger business goals ? 

How should you plan for this in the future?

4. Create a workaround

If the incident has stopped work or altered it, you might need to create a workaround. This is not always necessary, but temporary workarounds can keep work on track and avoid backlog while you go through the problem management steps. When these workarounds are especially effective, you can make them permanent processes.

5. Update your known error database

Every time an incident occurs, create a known error record and add it to your known error database (KEDB). Recording incidents helps you catch recurrences and logs the solution, so you know how to solve similar errors in the future. 

6. Pause for change management (if necessary)

Larger, high-impact problems might require change management. For example, if you realize the problem’s root cause is a lack of staff, you might dedicate team members to help. You can use change management to help them transition their responsibilities, see how these new roles fit in with the entire team, and determine how they will collaborate moving forward.

7. Solve the problem

This is the fun part—you get to resolve problems. At this stage, you should know exactly what you’re dealing with and the steps you need to take. But remember—with problem management, it’s not enough to solve the current problem. You’ll want to take any steps to prevent this from happening again in the future. That could mean hiring a new role to cover gaps in workflows , investing in new softwares and tools, or training staff on best practices to prevent these types of incidents.

Read: Turn your team into skilled problem solvers with these problem-solving strategies

8. Reflect on the process

The problem management process has the added benefit of recording the process in its entirety, so you can review it in the future. Once you’ve solved the problem, take the time to review each step and reflect on the lessons learned during this process. Make note of who was involved, what you needed, and any opportunities to improve your response to the next incident. After you go through the problem management process a few times and understand the basic steps, stakeholders, workload, and resources you need, create a template to make the kickoff process easier in the future.

5 benefits of problem management

Problem management helps you discover every piece of the problem—from the current scenario down to its root cause. Not only does this have an immediate positive impact on the current issue at hand, it also promotes collaboration and helps to build a better product overall. 

Here are five other ways ‌problem management can benefit your team:

Avoids repeat incidents. When you manage the entire incident from start to finish, you will address the foundational problems that caused it. This leads to fewer repeat incidents.

Boosts cross-functional collaboration. Problem management is a collaborative process. One incident might require collaboration from IT, the security team, and legal. Depending on the level of the problem, it might trickle all the way back down to the product or service team, where core changes need to be made.

Creates a better user experience. It’s simple—the fewer incidents you have, the better your customer’s experience will be. Reducing incidents means fewer delays, downtime, and frustrations for your users, and a higher rate of customer satisfaction.

Improves response time. As you develop a flow and framework with a project management process, you’ll be better equipped to handle future incidents—even if they’re different scenarios.

Organizes problem solving. Problem management provides a structured, thoughtful approach to solving problems. This reduces impulsive responses and helps you keep a better problem record of incidents and solutions.

Problem management leads to better, faster solutions

IT teams will always have to deal with incidents, but they don’t have to be bogged down by them. That’s because problem management works. Whether you employ a full problem management team or choose to apply these practices to your current IT infrastructure, problem management—especially when combined with a project management tool—saves you time and effort down the road.

With IT project plans, we’ve made it easier than ever to track your problem management work in a shared tool. Try our free IT project template to see your work come together, effortlessly.

Related resources

9 steps to craft a successful go-to-market (GTM) strategy

Unmanaged business goals don’t work. Here’s what does.

How Asana uses work management to effectively manage goals

Beat thrash for good: 4 organizational planning challenges and solutions

• 8D Problem Solving Template

Subject: Template

• Learn Lean Sigma

8D Problem Solving Excel Template

8D Problem solving does not need to be an unstructured problem-solving processes with our 8D Problem Solving Excel Template. This template is designed to streamline your problem-solving journey by providing a structured and systematic approach. With a clear to follow and customizable fields, you can easily track your problem-solving progress and store important information.

Download now and experience a hassle-free problem-solving process that saves you time and effort. Best of all, it’s completely free to download!

Learn More about 8D Problem solving

Requirements

Training information.

Here are some of the key features of the 8D Problem Solving Excel Template:

Structured 8D approach: Follows the standard 8D (Eight Discipline) problem-solving methodology for effective and efficient problem resolution.

Customizable Sections: Allows you to tailor the template to fit your specific needs and requirements.

User-friendly Design : Easy-to-use interface with clear and concise information flow.

Problem tracking: Keep track of the progress made in solving a problem and monitor its status.

Evidence collection: Store and organize relevant information, such as root cause analysis, corrective actions, and verification results.

Time-saving: Automates completion of fields from previous sheets so the problem-solving process and saves you time and effort compared to manual methods.

Completely free: This template is completely free to download and use, providing a cost-effective solution for your problem-solving needs.

This template works on any recent Microsoft Excel software, including Office 365.

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Top 10 Problem Solving Templates with Samples and Examples

In today's competitive business world, excelling at problem solving is crucial for achieving success. A recent study by McKinsey has shown that companies that are skilled at problem solving tend to outperform their peers in terms of revenue growth and shareholder returns. In fact, the top quartile of problem-solving organizations achieved 50% higher revenue growth and 33% higher total returns to shareholders compared to the bottom quartile. Therefore, it's clear that mastering problem solving is essential for any business to thrive.

Finding effective solutions to business challenges, however, can be daunting. That's where SlideTeam's Problem-solving Templates come in to provide a step-by-step approach enabling you to break down complex issues into manageable parts and develop effective solutions. We offer a range of templates, including SWOT analysis, Fishbone diagrams, and Root Cause Analysis, that will equip you with the tools you need to tackle any business problem.

Problem-Solving Templates

If you're tired of struggling to find solutions to the challenges your business faces, explore these Problem-Solving Templates. Don't let obstacles hold your business back – try our templates today and take your business to the next level.

Let’s begin.

Template 1: Organizational Problem-Solving Tool PowerPoint Presentation

For an organization, problem-solving is required in all its operational aspects-right, from planning, controlling, marketing, and manufacturing to managing financial aspects, products as well as customers. This PPT template presents slides that enable an organization to analyze information across all its operations and departments and identify problems and then solve these problems. This editable PPT Template enables an organization to plan its progress path by allocating the right people and resources to solve problems.

Download Now!

Template 2: Problem Solving Approach Business Organizational Analysis Assessment Systems

This editable PPT Template with its attractive graphics and design, enables any business to adopt the right approach to problem-solving. The template enables any organization to analyze different approaches like three-phase approach, collaborative approach, strategy-based approach, etc.

Template 3: Sample A3 Problem Solving Report Collection of Quality Control Templates PPT Diagrams

This easy-to-use PPT template helps organizations solve problems related to quality control. Using this template, an organization can identify the root cause of the problem and the background of the problem and formulate a plan of action to solve the problem. It includes sections for the current situation, checking, acting, and rectifying the errors.

Template 4: Sample A3 Problem Solving Report

This customizable and readily downloadable PPT template enables an organization to solve problems that are reflected in quality assurance reports. Any business can identify a quality-related problem, its background, its cause, as well as other aspects of the problem and then find the best solution to the problem using this template.

Template 5: Optimizing Transformation Strawman Proposal

For any organization, it is important to achieve operational efficiency. However, several issues are often faced when it comes to the operational aspects of a business, and identifying these is mandatory for an organization. Using this PPT Template, an organization can analyze its operational problems and discuss in detail how technology can be used to solve the problem and bring about a transformation that can help to enhance operational efficiency.

Template 6: Collaborative Problem Solving and Assessment Approach

This PPT template, available for instant download, helps an organization to use a collaborative problem-solving and assessment approach to analyze problems related to new products, technologies, ideas, etc., and adopt the best practices to solve the problem.

Template 7: Situation Complication Resolution Framework for Problem Solving

This attractive PPT Template, with its colorful graphics, enables an organization to adopt the framework model to solve a problem. This model enables any business to analyze the current situation, identify the complications associated with the situation, and then find the solution or the best way to resolve the problem.

Template 8: Five-circle Arrow Process for Problem Solving

This adaptable PPT template, with its attractive design, provides a five-circle arrow process for solving problems related to any aspect of the organization. Using this PPT template, an organization can define a problem, generate new ideas to solve the problem, evaluate and select solutions and implement and evaluate the solutions to ensure that the problem gets solved in the most optimal manner.

Template 9: 3-Step Process of Problem-solving Analysis

The process of problem-solving is not always easy because, most of the time, a business fails to identify the problem. Using this customizable PPT Template, a business can adopt a 3-step approach to problem-solving. With the help of this template, an organization can implement the stages of problem identification, problem analysis, and solution development to solve the problem in the most effective manner.

Template 10: 6 segments of problem-solving model

This PPT template presents 6 steps to solve a problem that an organization may face in any of its operational aspects. This PPT template is easy to edit and enables any business to adopt the stages of defining a problem, determining the root cause of the problem, evaluating the outcome, selecting a solution, implementing the solution, and developing alternative solutions. This model, when adopted by an organization, enables it to find the most optimal solution to the problem.

The Final Word

Every problem is a gift - without problems, we would not grow." - Tony Robbins. This quote highlights the importance of embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and development. When businesses approach problem-solving with a positive mindset and a willingness to learn, they can turn even the most challenging situations into valuable learning experiences.

Now that you know how using problem-solving templates can assist you in streamlining the entire process, it’s time to download these templates and get started.

FAQs on Problem-Solving

What are the 7 steps to problem-solving.

A business, during its operations, may face several problems that need to be solved so that the problem does not impact the organization in an adverse manner. However, to solve a problem in the most efficient manner, a business must adopt a seven-step approach to problem-solving. These steps include:

• Identifying the problem.
• Analyzing the problem.
• Describing the problem and all its parameters.
• Identifying the root cause of the problem.
• Developing solutions to solve the problem.
• Implementing the solution that seems to be the most effective.
• Measuring the results.

Why is problem-solving important?

Problem-solving enables an organization to handle unexpected situations or face challenges that it may face during its operations. For every organization, problem-solving is important as it enables the organization to:

• Identify activities, processes, and people that are not working in an efficient manner.
• Identify risks and address these risks.
• Implement changes when required.
• Enhance performance and productivity.
• Innovate and execute new ideas.
• Make effective decisions.

What are the five problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving is not an easy task, and any consultant in the organization who works to solve problems needs to exhibit some specific skills. These skills include but are not limited to:

• Creativity that enables the consultant to assess and analyze the problem from various perspectives to come up with the best idea.
• Communication to ensure that the problem and its solutions are easily communicated with others in the organization.
• Teamwork so that everyone in the team can work to solve the problem.
• Critical analysis to think analytically about a problem and solve it in the best manner possible.
• Information processing to process and analyze all information that is associated with the problem.

What are the 4 steps of problem-solving?

Problem-solving needs to be carried out using a series of steps that include:

• Identifying and analyzing the problem so that its cause is known.
• Planning and determining how to solve the problem by finding various solutions.
• Implementing the chosen solution to solve the problem.
• Evaluating solutions to know whether the problem has been resolved or not. 

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35 problem-solving techniques and methods for solving complex problems

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All teams and organizations encounter challenges as they grow. There are problems that might occur for teams when it comes to miscommunication or resolving business-critical issues . You may face challenges around growth , design , user engagement, and even team culture and happiness. In short, problem-solving techniques should be part of every team’s skillset.

Problem-solving methods are primarily designed to help a group or team through a process of first identifying problems and challenges , ideating possible solutions , and then evaluating the most suitable .

Finding effective solutions to complex problems isn’t easy, but by using the right process and techniques, you can help your team be more efficient in the process.

So how do you develop strategies that are engaging, and empower your team to solve problems effectively?

In this blog post, we share a series of problem-solving tools you can use in your next workshop or team meeting. You’ll also find some tips for facilitating the process and how to enable others to solve complex problems.

Let’s get started! 

How do you identify problems?

How do you identify the right solution.

• Tips for more effective problem-solving

Complete problem-solving methods

• Problem-solving techniques to identify and analyze problems
• Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions

Problem-solving warm-up activities

Closing activities for a problem-solving process.

Before you can move towards finding the right solution for a given problem, you first need to identify and define the problem you wish to solve. 

Here, you want to clearly articulate what the problem is and allow your group to do the same. Remember that everyone in a group is likely to have differing perspectives and alignment is necessary in order to help the group move forward. 

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner. It can be scary for people to stand up and contribute, especially if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Be sure to try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions.

Remember that problem analysis and further discussion are also important. Not taking the time to fully analyze and discuss a challenge can result in the development of solutions that are not fit for purpose or do not address the underlying issue.

Successfully identifying and then analyzing a problem means facilitating a group through activities designed to help them clearly and honestly articulate their thoughts and produce usable insight.

With this data, you might then produce a problem statement that clearly describes the problem you wish to be addressed and also state the goal of any process you undertake to tackle this issue.  

Finding solutions is the end goal of any process. Complex organizational challenges can only be solved with an appropriate solution but discovering them requires using the right problem-solving tool.

After you’ve explored a problem and discussed ideas, you need to help a team discuss and choose the right solution. Consensus tools and methods such as those below help a group explore possible solutions before then voting for the best. They’re a great way to tap into the collective intelligence of the group for great results!

Remember that the process is often iterative. Great problem solvers often roadtest a viable solution in a measured way to see what works too. While you might not get the right solution on your first try, the methods below help teams land on the most likely to succeed solution while also holding space for improvement.

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . A well-structured workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

In SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Tips for more effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

• Six Thinking Hats
• Lightning Decision Jam
• Problem Definition Process
• Discovery & Action Dialogue

Design Sprint 2.0

• Open Space Technology

1. Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

2. Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

3. Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

4. The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

5. World Cafe

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

6. Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

7. Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

8. Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

• The Creativity Dice
• Fishbone Analysis
• Problem Tree
• SWOT Analysis
• Agreement-Certainty Matrix
• The Journalistic Six
• LEGO Challenge
• What, So What, Now What?
• Journalists

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

10. The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

11. Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

12. Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

13. SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

14. Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

16. Speed Boat

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

17. The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

18. LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

19. What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

20. Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to narrow down to the correct solution.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team find consensus, compare possible solutions, and move towards taking action on a particular problem.

• Improved Solutions
• Four-Step Sketch
• 15% Solutions
• How-Now-Wow matrix
• Impact Effort Matrix

21. Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

22. Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

23. Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

24. 15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

25. How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

26. Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

27. Dotmocracy

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

• Check-in/Check-out
• Doodling Together
• Show and Tell
• Constellations
• Draw a Tree

28. Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process.

Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

29. Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

30. Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

31. Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

32. Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

• One Breath Feedback
• Who What When Matrix
• Response Cards

How do I conclude a problem-solving process?

All good things must come to an end. With the bulk of the work done, it can be tempting to conclude your workshop swiftly and without a moment to debrief and align. This can be problematic in that it doesn’t allow your team to fully process the results or reflect on the process.

At the end of an effective session, your team will have gone through a process that, while productive, can be exhausting. It’s important to give your group a moment to take a breath, ensure that they are clear on future actions, and provide short feedback before leaving the space. 

The primary purpose of any problem-solving method is to generate solutions and then implement them. Be sure to take the opportunity to ensure everyone is aligned and ready to effectively implement the solutions you produced in the workshop.

Remember that every process can be improved and by giving a short moment to collect feedback in the session, you can further refine your problem-solving methods and see further success in the future too.

33. One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

34. Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

35. Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Save time and effort discovering the right solutions

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of creative exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

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Problem Tree Template

Use the Problem Tree Template to promote holistic insights, enabling users to strategize more informed and impactful solutions. This method ensures that efforts are addressing symptoms and targeting the heart of the problem.

Trusted by 65M+ users and leading companies

About the Problem Tree Template

Dive into the complexities of any issue with the Problem Tree Template. This valuable resource provides a structured approach to problem-solving, helping users identify a problem's root causes and understand its ripple effects. Suitable for challenges in business, community, or personal initiatives, the template offers clarity and a broad perspective on complex issues.

What's a Problem Tree Template?

A Problem Tree Template is a structured visual tool designed to break down a central problem into its main effects and the underlying causes. Envision a tree:

The trunk represents the core problem.

The branches depict its direct effects.

The roots symbolize the deep-seated reasons behind it.

By mapping out the issue in such a detailed way, people and teams can gain a comprehensive view of their challenges. One significant benefit of using this template is that it fosters a holistic understanding of the problem, enabling more strategic and effective solutions. This method helps pinpoint where interventions might be most effective and encourages a more collaborative and inclusive approach to problem-solving.

How to use a Problem Tree Template in Miro

Using the Problem Tree Template in Miro is an interactive experience that brings your problem-solving sessions to life. With the help of sticky notes, emojis, and stickers, you can dynamically populate your tree diagram . Here's how you can do it in four steps:

Identify the central problem:  Start by placing a sticky note in the center of your board detailing the main problem you want to tackle. This serves as the trunk of your problem tree.

Map out the effects:  Above the central problem, use sticky notes to detail the direct effects or consequences of the problem. Think of these as the branches of your tree. Feel free to use emojis or stickers to add emphasis or to categorize.

Unearth the root causes:  Below the central problem, dive deep to uncover the underlying causes of the problem. Use sticky notes for each identified cause, and think of them as the roots of your tree. Emojis and stickers can once again be used to visualize the intensity or type of each cause.

Connect and organize:  Finally, draw lines or connectors between related effects and causes, helping to visualize the relationships and flow between different parts of your problem tree.

Learn more about Miro's tree diagram maker and find out other solutions for your decision-making process.

Can I customize the Problem Tree Template?

Yes, Miro allows you to customize any template. Feel free to add more sections and colors or even integrate other templates as needed to tailor the template to your specific needs.

Is this template suitable for group workshops?

Yes, the Problem Tree Template is ideal for group sessions. Multiple users can collaborate in real time, adding their insights and helping to map out a comprehensive view of the problem.

What if my problem has more than one main effect or root cause?

The beauty of the template is its flexibility. You can add as many effects and root causes as necessary to accurately represent your problem. Miro's visual workspace can be expanded indefinitely, so space won't be an issue.

Can I share my completed problem tree with others?

Of course! Miro allows you to easily share your boards with team members, stakeholders, or anyone else. They can then view or collaborate on your problem tree, depending on the permissions you grant.

Get started with this template right now.

V2MOM Salesforce Template

Works best for:.

Meetings, Strategic Planning

Align goals and strategies across your organization with the Salesforce V2MOM Template. Bring everyone together towards the same goals.

A3 Report Template

Product, Strategy and Planning

The A3 report template is a carefully designed tool that provides teams with a structured and visual methodology to tackle challenges. It divides the problem-solving process into background, current context, data analysis, and implementation plans, ensuring a comprehensive approach to each issue. One of the major advantages of this template is its "Data Analysis" section, which enables teams to delve deeply into concrete insights and trends. This data-driven approach ensures that all recommendations and actions are based on real, tangible evidence rather than just intuition, leading to more effective and strategic decision-making.

OODA Loop Template

Strategic Planning, Strategy

The OODA Loop template helps optimize decision-making processes by using four key stages- Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. Its well-structured layout allows teams to systematically break down complex decisions, leading to a shared understanding of the decision-making workflow. One of the key benefits of the template is its ability to enhance collaboration. Teams can seamlessly contribute to and iterate upon the decision-making cycle in real time, resulting in more informed decisions and a more efficient process. The template provides a clear and visual representation of each stage, accelerating the decision-making process and fostering a collaborative environment where teams can work together to navigate challenges and make well-informed decisions.

KPI Tree Template

Strategy & Planning

The KPI Tree Diagram is a visual tool that hierarchically illustrates an organization's objectives and breaks them down into their subsequent strategies, tactics, and measurable KPIs. By arranging these components in a tree-like structure, the diagram captures the interrelationships and dependencies between the overarching goals and the specific steps to achieve them.

REAN Template

Marketing, Strategic Planning, Meetings

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Free Problem Statement Slide Templates: PowerPoint & Google Slides

By Kate Eby | February 24, 2024

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Write effective problem statements and create engaging presentations for stakeholders with this roundup of problem statement slide templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides. Download these free, customizable templates and edit them for your needs.

On this page, you’ll find a  project problem statement worksheet slide template , a  customer problem statement slide template , a  5 Ws product problem statement template , and more. You’ll also find tips for  writing problem statements and links to  related problem-solving templates .

Project Problem Statement Elements Slide Template

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PowerPoint | Google Slides

When to Use This Template: This template is perfect for project managers and team leaders who need to articulate the challenges and objectives of a new initiative. It provides a structured format for presenting a project's problems and requirements during planning meetings or proposal presentations. The template is particularly useful in meetings where gaining consensus or approval from decision-makers is crucial.

Notable Template Features: The template breaks down the problem, scope, objectives, benefits, and resources into clear sections, making complicated information easy to understand. This focuses the discussion and ensures that all aspects of the problem are considered. The color-coded sections also help make your presentation clearer and more appealing to stakeholders.

Three-Part Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Project managers or teams can use this template to clearly communicate challenges, proposed solutions, and expected results. It serves as a foundational tool for project planning and decision-making, helping teams effectively communicate critical issues to stakeholders and align efforts toward shared objectives.

Notable Template Features: This slide template helps guide the audience from problem identification to resolution and final outcomes. The bullet points under each category allow you to list key details and focus on what matters most.

Project Problem Statement Worksheet Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  This worksheet template is designed to clearly outline the central challenge of a new project or initiative. It provides a straightforward way to write a problem statement that is clear and actionable. Teams can use this tool at the outset of the planning stage to ensure that everyone understands the issues being addressed, the criteria for success, and the boundaries of the project.

Notable Template Features:  The template's comprehensive structure breaks down the problem statement into specific components, such as context, success criteria, stakeholders, and scope. This helps teams focus their discussions and ensure a shared understanding of the problem. Teams can also use this template in presentations to provide stakeholders with context for the problem statement.

Traffic Light Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Project or product managers can use this template to present a clear problem statement in meetings or in documents. This template is particularly useful during the initial stages of project planning or when addressing project roadblocks.

Notable Template Features: The template includes sections for identifying a problem, how to solve it, and what the results should be. Each part corresponds to the colors in the traffic light graphic, which reinforces the importance of a careful approach to problem-solving.

Single-Problem Statement and Solution Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: This template is ideal for project proposals, strategy meetings, or pitches where a clearly defined problem and solution can drive decision-making. The visual juxtaposition of problems versus solutions helps stakeholders quickly grasp the core issues and the strategy for resolution.

Notable Template Features: This template has a two-column layout that visually distinguishes challenges and solutions. Each section contains placeholders for text and icons, enhancing the presentation’s visual appeal. Icons such as question and check marks guide the audience from problem to solution.

Multiple-Problem Statement and Solution Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  Project or product managers can use this template in strategic planning sessions, problem-solving meetings, or any scenario where a clear comparative analysis is needed. The slide format, which shows each challenge next to its proposed solution, can be useful during team meetings where alignment on issues and remedies is crucial.

Notable Template Features:  This template has a two-column layout that guides the viewer from problems on the left to solutions on the right. Each problem and solution pair is clearly marked, making complex information more accessible for the audience.

Customer Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  Product managers and customer service teams can use this template to break down a customer's problem into tangible parts, clarifying the issue, the attempts to resolve it, the obstacles faced, and its emotional impact. This template is particularly effective for internal presentations that aim to align team members on customer pain points and drive home the urgency of finding a solution.

Notable Template Features:  The template provides a step-by-step layout that guides the presenter through the different aspects of a customer's dilemma. Color-coded sections make the narrative easy to follow through each step of the statement. This breakdown not only captures the complexity of the issue but also fosters a deeper understanding of the problem among team members.

Circular Customer Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template:  Use this customer problem statement template to get a full picture of a customer's issue, from who the customer is to their goals, challenges, and emotional responses. It is ideal for sessions focused on understanding and addressing customer experiences, ensuring that teams explore every facet of the problem and link it back to the customer's perspective.

Notable Template Features:  This template features a circular flow that tells the whole story of the customer’s issue, with each segment prompting a key part of the problem. Its design encourages comprehensive analysis, and the arrangement of sections ensures that thoughts flow logically. You can also customize the template to focus on the workflow around the problem or other details rather than only the customer story.

Product Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Product managers can use this template to clearly articulate the problem their product aims to solve. This serves as an essential tool during the initial stages of product development or when proposing enhancements to existing products. By structuring thoughts and research systematically, this template helps managers secure stakeholder buy-in and align cross-functional teams toward a common objective.

Notable Template Features: Each section prompts users to delve deeply into understanding the problem and its potential impacts, customer value, and business significance. The template allows you to link externally to supporting documentation to show that all claims and assumptions are backed by research. The template's simple structure helps to streamline the problem-solving process, while its thoroughness makes the problem statement more compelling.

5 Ws Product Problem Statement Slide Template

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When to Use This Template: Product managers and teams can use this template to define and document the who, what, when, where, and why of a problem. This ensures that team members align on the problem before moving toward solutions, fostering a focused approach to product development.

Notable Template Features:  This template prompts users to consider all aspects of a problem statement: who it affects, what the problem is, when and where it occurs, and why it is critical to address. Each column uses color-coding and clear bullet points for organized note-taking.

How to Write a Problem Statement

A problem statement serves as the foundation for any project, ensuring that everyone involved understands the core of the problem they need to solve. Crafting a well-defined statement is crucial for guiding a team toward a solution efficiently. 

Follow these steps to create a compelling problem statement:  

• Identify the Problem: Gather information about the issue through research, observations, or discussions with stakeholders. For customer problem statements, this might include using surveys or customer service calls to gather data on customer pain points. Use templates such as the 5 Ws to thoroughly understand the who, what, when, where, and why of the problem. 
• Explain the Impact: Describe how the problem affects the organization, customers, or stakeholders. Provide data or examples to illustrate the extent of the problem's impact. 
• Analyze the Cause: Investigate and identify the root causes of the problem. Understanding why the problem exists is crucial for finding an effective solution. Keep asking why and drilling down to the root cause to ensure that your problem statement describes the core problem rather than a symptom.
• Set Objectives: Define what a successful solution would look like. Outline the desired outcome and what changes or improvements you aim to achieve. Use financial and other measurable data to illustrate the benefits of your proposed solution.
• Specify Constraints and Requirements: Highlight any limitations — such as budget, time, or resources — that could impact the solution. Also, list any necessary criteria that the solution must meet, providing measurable benchmarks for success. 
• Review and Refine: Once you draft the problem statement, review it to ensure clarity. The statement can be referenced throughout the project to keep work on track, but keep in mind that factors can change, impacting solutions and action plans. Be prepared to pivot as the project progresses.

The key to an effective problem statement lies in its clarity and precision. Keep it succinct, focused on the problem, and free of jargon to ensure that it's accessible to everyone involved. 

For more tools, see this complete collection of free problem statement templates.

How Do You Present a Problem Statement?

Presenting a problem statement is your opportunity to bring the problem to life, engage your audience, and set the stage for collaborative problem-solving. While a written problem statement can be as short as an elevator pitch, stakeholders need context to understand the significance of a problem and the reasoning behind any proposed solutions. 

Here are the elements to include in a problem statement presentation:  

• State the Problem Clearly: Present the problem statement in a clear and concise manner. Use simple language to ensure that everyone understands the issue at hand.
• Discuss Causes and Impact: Briefly introduce the background and relevance of the problem to your audience. Share your insights into the causes of the problem. This helps in building a common understanding of the problem's roots and complexity. Use data, anecdotes, or real-life examples to illustrate the significance of the problem and how it affects the organization, stakeholders, or customers.
• Clarify Outcomes: Clearly state what you aim to achieve by solving the problem. Define the desired outcomes and success criteria to give your audience a clear idea of the direction you propose. Acknowledge any limitations or specific requirements that could influence the approach to solving the problem. This transparency helps in setting realistic expectations.
• Invite Feedback: Encourage your audience to share their thoughts, questions, and suggestions. Foster an open dialogue to promote collaborative problem-solving.
• Conclude With Next Steps: End your presentation by summarizing the key points and outlining next steps to ensure everyone leaves with a clear understanding of the problem and the actions required.

Keep your presentation focused, clear, and interactive to maximize understanding and participation. The goal is not only to present a problem but to motivate and guide your audience toward finding a solution together.

Related Problem-Solving Templates

Using problem-solving templates can transform complex challenges into manageable tasks, guiding you from analysis to actionable solutions. Download one of the problem-solving templates below to clearly define problems, identify root causes, and create more successful outcomes.

Root Cause Analysis Template

This  root cause analysis template provides a comprehensive report with a list of questions to help you identify the cause of an event or issue, identify actions already taken, and recommend preventative strategies.

DMAIC Analysis Template

DMAIC stands for  define, measure, analyze, implement, and  control . This  DMAIC template takes you through this process of defining the problem, measuring its significance, analyzing factors contributing to the problem, identifying potential solutions, and planning to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

5 Whys Template

The 5 Why process is a method for investigating the root cause of a problem by asking why the issue is occurring, then repeating the question until you get to the root cause. Download this  5 Whys template to evaluate a problem and determine corrective actions.

Fishbone Diagram Template

Brainstorm the possible causes of an issue with a  fishbone diagram template. The diagram provides a visual tool for identifying cause-and-effect relationships and getting at the root of an issue.

Corrective Action Plan Template

Use this  corrective action plan template to identify problems, plan action steps to mitigate the issues, and track progress.

For more related templates, including a cause mapping template and an example report, see this full selection of  root cause analysis templates .

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Problem solving template

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Problem solving template frequently asked questions

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Problem Solving using the 5 Whys

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The 5 Whys template is a simple, yet powerful tool used for root cause analysis. Based on the technique developed by Sakichi Toyoda , it takes an iterative approach to problem-solving. Starting with an initial problem statement, a question beginning with ‘why’ is asked 5 times in order to zero in on the root cause. 

Along with the Fishbone Diagram , the 5 Whys template is a seminal technique for problem-solving through a deeper understanding of causal relationships. Let us understand this method in a little more detail. Or directly use the template . 

What is the 5 Whys root cause analysis?

The 5 Whys problem-solving method was originally developed for Toyota Motor Corporation’s production facility. The technique starts with a single problem and asks a ‘why’ question based on the answer to the previous question. 

The iterative process of asking ‘why’ ensures that each step is logically connected to the previous by a cause and effect relationship. Each ‘why’ takes you one step closer to finding the root cause. 

5 Whys analysis in six sigma

Six sigma is all about waste reduction, process optimization and quality improvements. The simplicity of the 5 Whys method lends itself well to the analysis stage of six sigmas. Since the technique eschews complex statistical methods, individuals from across functions and departments can participate in the process. It’s a great technique for driving process improvements and ensuring past mistakes do not reoccur.  

How to use the 5 Whys template

Since a 5 Whys session is in essence a brainstorming session, it is important to work with a whiteboard and sticky notes. Mapping out the process on an online whiteboard helps people better visualize what happened. Multiple stakeholders can work on Conceptboard’s collaborative template in real time and add their ideas on digital sticky notes . The template is completely editable.

Steps to using the 5 whys template

• Asking the right question – Before you embark on a 5 whys analysis, it is important to start with the right question. Here, a problem statement template can come in handy.
• Gather the right people – All key stakeholders and especially decision makers should be involved in the session.
• Assign a moderator – It is important for the moderator to drive the conversation, ensure each of the steps are followed and assumptions avoided 
• Prepare the board in advance – Load the template by clicking the ‘+’ button and choosing ‘Insert template’. Drag and drop the 5 Whys template and share the board with the team.
• Add sticky notes and write down your comments for each round of the process.
• Once the analysis is complete, identify the action points and export the board as a PDF or print it out.

5 Whys Example

Here’s an example of the 5 Whys process and the solutions that came up from the analysis.

• Why was the hospital’s new health care app delayed by 4 weeks? Answer : Additional complexities were revealed in the testing phase.
• Why did additional difficulties come up? Answer : The creation phase did not include a solution for a major use case.
• Why did the creation phase miss a major use case? Answer : The original brainstorming sessions did not include employees from the department.
• Why were key employees missing from the brainstorming sessions? Answer : The brainstorming session was led by a particular department. In this case, additional departments were brought in later in the development process.
• Why is this process managed by a particular department? Answer : This is how it’s always been done.

Solutions found:

Create a new process that builds on the strengths of all departments and encourages interdepartmental collaboration. Ensure key employees from every department are present in all brainstorming sessions throughout all phases.

If you’ve like this template, we’ve also rounded up 15 of our favourite brainstorming techniques and templates that help you generate new ideas and drive innovation. For additional problem-solving templates, you can use our A3 problem-solving template .  Also check out our list of retrospective ideas and templates you can use today with your team.

Use the free template with your team & customize as you go!

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2 comments . leave new.

I disagree with your statement “Six sigma is all about waste reduction, process optimization and quality improvements.”

Six-Sigma is all about “variation reduction” using statistical tools and techniques and pioneered by Motorola.

Lean is all about “Waste reduction” using Lean tools and techniques as part of Lean Manufacturing/the Toyota Production System developed by Toyota.

(1) The example solution is not a solution, it is the recognition that something new needs to happen, followed by requirements on how that is to be achieved.

(2) A single thread down (one answer per question) is insufficient for most difficult problems (i.e. ones that require a 5-why’s!) Each question will generate several answers, each of which is drilled down on. Then answers to different questions that are the same are linked into a lattice. If you are lucky it all comes together into a single item at the bottom of the diagram. One ends up with several dominant threads from top to leaf nodes, each of which has to be dealt with.

(3) The 5-why’s identifies several possibly independent causes. These must be dealt with using a problem solving method — which 5-why’s is not. It is a problem identification method.

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