Solution Cycle

The Solution Cycle is a simple tool that has been developed over the years and proved successful in achieving goals. The chronological steps to the Solution Cycle are as follows:

Develop a succinct goal:

• Written
• In one or two sentences
• Create SMART goals
  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Relevant
  • Trackable

Identify the single biggest problem that keeps you or your organization from achieving this goal:

• List as many problems as you can.
• Be very realistic in your assessment of what can be a problem.
• People can be problems, too, if they choose to block change or aren’t getting their job done.
• Choose the one most impacting problem as your target “fix.”
• Only work on the most impacting problem.
• Do not choose more than one problem even if it feels like several problems all need major attention.

List potential solutions targeted to this specific problem:

• Brainstorm as many solutions as possible but make sure each solution targets the specific problem you identified as your “biggest” problem.
• Limit your brainstorming time to 10-15 minutes.
• There are no wrong answers in a brainstorm.
• Have several people be part of the brainstorming team.
• Give yourself freedom to suggest solutions that are outside the normal box.

Choose the single best solution:

• Give each idea a fair look, even if it seems “over the top.”
• Develop 5-point criteria and weigh each solution against each other with a standard measure.
• Even if two solutions seem like they may work equally well, choose only one solution to implement.

Make a plan that puts the solution into action:

• List the activities necessary to implement this specific solution.
• Organize the activities into a step-by-step strategy.
• Make sure you balance your plan with other activities so that you solve the first problem and don’t create others.
• Think about who will do the work and how much it will cost. Make the plan simple.

Create a schedule to implement the plan:

• Determine when to start – give yourself plenty of lead time.
• Make sure everyone involved completely understands what you are trying to accomplish and the schedule.
• Get the schedule in writing – you have to think through details to write it down.
• Leave it lay a day or two and come back to the project with fresh eyes.

Report on progress:

• Establish the times for reports.
• Develop a format that gives accurate reports.
• Get the reports to the right people.

Evaluate Effectiveness:

• Is the corrective action actually impacting the original problem and are you moving toward the original goal?
• What new problems have been created by implementing this solution?
• Is what you are doing worth the effort (common sense look)?
• Are the costs more than the benefits?

Brainstorm potential revisions to the plan to increase effectiveness:

• Can we be more effective by changing the plan a bit?
• Should we throw out the idea and start over?
• Is there something that will make this plan more user-friendly or reduce the costs?
• All ideas are good, but generally only one or two will really work.