Problem Definition and Classification

Definition of Problem:

A problem, which can be caused for different reasons, and, if solvable, can usually be solved in a number of different ways, is defined in a number of different ways. This is determined by the context in which a said problem or problems is defined. When discussed, a problem can be argued in multiple ways. Generally speaking, there are two positions to take, the polemic or the defensive. An example of this is the mother who has a problem with how her daughter is going out, dressed in a particular fashion. She may tell her daughter, there is no way she is leaving the house looking like that. In this example, the mother would be on the polemic side, and the daughter, who presumably would like to go out dressed however she pleases, would be on the defensive side.

Six Sources of Business Problems

When looking at your operations, nearly all frustrations and problems stem from six basic sources that you should be able to spot and remedy.

• Human – A person is not a good fit for the job, not skilled or properly trained, not motivated, or perhaps doesn’t get along with their supervisor or peers.
• Process – The business system or process is poorly designed, communicated, or executed. Half-baked systems always produce inferior results.
• Policy – You have a company policy that hinders performance. For example, over-ambitious production goals cause hurry and sloppiness. A policy not to take checks or credit cards causes a loss of sales.
• Equipment – Equipment is outdated, slow, or worn-out and causes downtime or excessive waste.
• Materials – Cheap or low quality materials cause inefficiency, rework, or customer complaints.
• Environment – The work environment is not conducive to high performance—too hot or cold, dangerous, cluttered and disorganized, stressful, and so forth.
• Each of these general causes of poor performance provides a starting point for getting to the root cause. Identify your problem. Ask employees or customers for their perspective. Then fix the step or component in the system that will correct the problem.