| |
| |
|
Management Information |
|
|
|
Problem-Solving Success Tip: Use Your Project Management Skills
Solving a big problem is a project: you're far more likely to solve it successfully if you treat it like one. That means you'll need to identify tasks, make and adjust assignments, and keep track of what is due when. Get on the right track immediately by starting a task list as soon as you start working on the problem. Every time you think of something that needs to be done, put it on your task list along with the owner, due date and completion criteria (how you're going to know the task is successfully completed). That way, you won't have to worry about forgetting important details, or waste time constantly reconstructing the list in your mind. Once the problem is defined, you can lay out a project schedule and estimate the resources you'll need. At the very least, you'll need access to key people who have knowledge of the problem. Some of them may need to be released from other responsibilities to work on your problem-solving team. You may also need money for travel, special equipment, exclusive use of a conference room, etc. Figuring this out in advance and making sure it is allocated will help you run your project smoothly. In addition to the tasks to analyze and solve the problem itself, you'll also need a communication plan and a contingency plan. The communication plan will identify who needs what information about your problem solving effort, when they need it and how you are going to provide it. The contingency plan identifies the things that could stop you from solving the problem and specifies what you are going to do about it. Add the appropriate tasks to implement your communication and contingency plans to your task list. HINT: Orient tasks to deliverables. Each task should result in something tangible, which will help you make sure the tasks actually accomplish something. copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved. Jeanne Sawyer is an author, consultant, trainer and coach who helps her clients solve expensive, chronic problems, such as those that cause operational disruptions and cause customers to take their business elsewhere. These tips are excerpted from her book, When Stuff Happens: A Practical Guide to Solving Problems Permanently. Find out about it, and get more free information on problem solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Dripping Faucet in Every Organization Each day millions of workers spend 8 hours or more at their respective jobs with many contributing to the dripping faucet within every organization. This faucet much like the leaking kitchen or bathroom faucet's steadily waste drops of a previous resource - water - every minute of every day until fixed. Quality Improvement is Free The point of a quality improvement program should not only be to improve a product or the delivery of healthcare but it should also be to save time and money by reducing or eliminating waste or errors. For example, a doctor or nurse practitioner writes a prescription. Executives and Emotional Self Awareness A major problem impairing an executive's performance is his Emotional Blind Spots. Emotions, whether we like them or not, have a significant impact on one's decisions. Recycling, Reverse Logistics and?..Candy The candy box is a container for all your favourite chew bars, gum and all your other favourite candy. A must-have for all kids and a great fashion accessory! The marketers are desperate for kids to user their box - so much so that they will soon be giving them away! There will be more about this new development later in this article, but before we get there, please consider HOW we get there: Pressure to Recycle The pressure for us to recycle and reuse goods has been steadily building these past few years and shows no sign of abating. Identifying Potential in Ourselves and Others If there is someone nearby as you read this look in their eyes. Look closely and you will see great potential inside this person regardless of how "successful" or accomplished they are. Factoring Financing: How to Grow Your Business Without Debt or Loans What is factoring?Accounts receivable financing, also known as factoring, is a powerful financial tool that has fueled the growth and success of a number of companies. Factoring enables companies to capitalize on their unpaid receivables by selling them to a factoring company for immediate payment. Take the Easy Route - Delegate It was 2.30 am. Contract Management Software: the Solution to the Problem of Coordination Charles Petrie, from Stanford, released a short article entitled "The Problem of Coordination," which highlights 4 categories in which businesses find it difficult to connect:InteroperabilityAgent Communication Semantic Unification CoordinationThough this article refers to a specific type of business, its principles are just as applicable to any business, especially when collaborating on a contract. Contract collaboration and management is difficult in any business, and the negotiations can go on for weeks, months, or even years. Success in Business Means Managing Negative Emotions You may have the MBA but if an internal critic constantly berates you, or you have feelings of self-doubt, low self-confidence, fears of rejection or other negative emotions your chances of success may be quite limited.More and more executives are beginning to realize that the next frontier in maximizing their chances for success is to start focusing on building personal internal skills that go beyond the business training that they have already received. Delegation Obstructions OBSTRUCTIONS: 1. Staff deficiencies. Effective Meetings: Why Most Meetings are a Waste of Time Whether your company holds one meeting a week or dozens of meetings a day it is essential that this time is used efficiently and effectively. Most meetings are less effective than they could be not because they are poorly managed, but because meeting managers spend all of their time focusing on the one or two hours when people will be gathered around the conference table or video screen. Your Biggest Problem in Business? Work Ethic US Work Ethic Issues and Lack of serviceWell many of us are getting upset with the lack of service these days and no one cares and somehow we have all lowered our standards to the fact that getting good service is not to be expected, but rather a nice surprise if it ever does occur. Many great companies have derelicts, under achievers, cry babies, and people which could really careless and this is causing a rift between the best customers and businesses. Creativity and Innovation Management: The Creative State Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. Internal Control - The Why and How Many retailers do not have good internal controls in place and place little importance on them. They are concerned with the buying and selling of merchandise and do not place enough emphasis on making certain that the sales get recorded, the money gets in the bank, the invoices are paid only once and the inventory reports are correct. Manage Communication to Add Value Management guru Tom Peters says white collar workers and managers in functional departments need to protect their futures.They have to learn "the difference between doing totally acceptable work and creating very new value. Giving a Good Appraisal Interview Although this performance discussion is an opportunity for you to discuss your employee's work during a given period of time, it is also, and importantly, a time for you and your employee to check perceptions and reach mutual understandings and agreements about the purposes and priorities of their jobs. This discussion can positively influence your mutual working relationship. Issue Management Methodology for Tracking Project Issues 1. What is an Issue?An issue is an incident, circumstance, problem or inquiry that affects or potentially affects the timely delivery of the project, product or service, it may also impact the quality of deliverables and the cost of production. More Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips (Part 2 of 2) Does your company need to retain the services of a competent computer consulting firm, but you have no idea how to really evaluate "competence"? In the first part of this two-part series on Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we looked at why small businesses find it so difficult to hire good computer consulting companies, as well as four basic questions that you must be addressed when searching for a new computer consulting vendor. Now in this second and final installment of this two part series on Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we'll look at how you can evaluate the true, often-confusing expenses of using a computer consulting company, as well as how to more thoroughly review the computer consulting company's professional credentials and experience. 2 Steps For Increasing Company Profits or Performing Business Turnarounds 1. Eliminate wasteEliminate reports, habits, products, duplicate input, and processes that waste time and money. How To Delegate for Fun and Profit Ah, the wretched pain of delegation. It comes easy to some people.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
