Team Skill 1 Analyzing the Problem The 5 Steps in Problem Analysis (5) 1
Jan 21, 2016
Team Skill 1 Analyzing the Problem
The 5 Steps in Problem Analysis (5)
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Analyzing the Problem
•What should be the results of analysis?▫Understand the users’ needs ▫Understand problems▫Define the users/actors
•How will we meet these needs?▫Develop a clear understanding of critical
issues that could be road blocks
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Analyzing the Problem• What are problems in reference to analysis
▫ A problem is the difference between what’s perceived and what’s desired
▫ Perceptions of how things work and what is possible are not always reality
▫ Some customer needs may not be realistic
• Problem Analysis is doing the following for user needs▫ Eliciting▫ Understanding▫ Documenting ▫ Validating ▫ Proposing a solution??
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Analyzing the Problem
• 5 steps of problem analysis
1. Gain agreement on problem definition2. Understand root causes3. Identify users & stakeholders4. Define solution system boundary5. Identify constraints on solution
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Analyzing the Problem
•Gaining agreement▫First
Use company accepted format Denote a targeted release date –
priority/Urgency▫Second
Document the problem Seek agreement
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Analyzing the Problem
•Table 5-1 (Problem Statement Format)
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Element Description
The problem of … Describe the problem
Affects … Identify stakeholders affected by the problem
And results in … Describe the impact of this problem on stakeholders and business activity
Benefits of a solution …
Indicate the proposed solution and list a few key benefits.
Analyzing the Problem•Table 5-2 (Sales order Problem
Statement)
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Element Description
The problem of … Inaccuracies in sales orders.
Affects … Sales order personnel, customers, manufacturing, shipping, and customer service.
And results in … Increased scrap, excessive handling costs, customer dissatisfaction, and decreased profitability.
Benefits of a solution …
That creates a new system to address the problem include:• Increased accuracy of sales orders at point of entry• Improved reporting of sales data to management• Ultimately, higher profitability
Analyzing the Problem•Understanding root causes
▫Problems often have underlying causes that usually take further analysis to discover Use a Tool to help!
•Example▫Our product is not profitable▫Why
Poor marketing? Bad pricing? Poor customer retention? Combination?
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Analyzing the Problem
•In Total Quality Management (TQM), One way is “root cause” is determined is …
•Fishbone diagram▫Start with the problem, on a horizontal line▫Look for causes of the problem▫Then look for causes of the causes; repeat
•Could do this is other formats like distinction analysis, deviation analysis, …
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Analyzing the Problem•Figure 5-1 (Fishbone Diagram)
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Analyzing the Problem
•Root causes’ impacts can vary
•Determine which ones to fix▫Pareto (bar) chart -depict relative impact
•Can also use other formats▫Rank
Risk & Priority Impact & Effort Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA)
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Analyzing the Problem•Figure 5-2 (Pareto Chart of Root Causes)
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Analyzing the Problem•Figure 5-3
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Analyzing the Problem
•Did you get a distinctive answer?
•You can do another analysis to determine what is causing the issues you have identified
•Repeat the fishbone process
•Gives you a better identification of what exactly is causing the problem
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Analyzing the Problem
•Identifying stakeholders & users•Stakeholder
▫Who, if anyone is affected by a system?▫Users are a subset of stakeholders
•These are not always obvious▫Can be internal
managers
▫Can be external customers, regulatory agencies, etc.
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Analyzing the Problem•How to identify stakeholders
1. Who are the users of the system?2. Who is the customer?3. Who else will be affected by outputs?4. Who will evaluate & approve the system?5. Are there other external or internal users?6. Who will maintain the system?7. Is there anyone who cares? legal/regulatory, etc.
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Analyzing the Problem•Table 5-3 (Users and Stakeholders)
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Users Other Stakeholders
Sales order entry clerks MIS Director
Sales order supervisor Chief Financial Officer
Production control Production Manager
Billing clerk
Analyzing the Problem
•Figure 5-5 (System Boundary)
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Analyzing the Problem
•Determining the system boundaries can be difficult▫What pieces are included within our system▫Interfaces with external systems
Can be very difficult to design but can be worth it Interfaces are needed E.g. – credit card processing, shipping
manifesting Why are interfaces so important?
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Analyzing the Problem
•Some questions to help discover actors▫Who will supply, or remove information
from the system?▫Who will operate the system?▫Who will perform any system maintenance?▫Where will the system be used?▫Where does the system gets its
information?▫What other external systems will interact
with the system?
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Analyzing the Problem•Figure 5-6 (System Perspective)
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Analyzing the Problem
•Identify constraints on system▫Are a restriction on the degree of freedom we
have in providing a solution ▫Non-functional requirements usually impose
major restrictions on the system▫Which can be
Human resources Technological Policy/legal/regulatory Performance etc.
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Analyzing the Problem
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• Constraints Example (More on page 38)▫Economics
What financial or budgetary constraints apply? Are there costs of goods sold or any product pricing
considerations?
▫Technology Are we restricted in our choice of technologies? Are we prohibited from using any new technologies? Are we expected to use any purchased software
packages?
▫Systems Is the solution to be built on our existing systems? Must we maintain compatibility with existing solutions?