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Analytical Thinking

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Analytical Thinking

Divergent Convergent

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Problem Solving

Divergence and ConvergenceGenerate/eliminate

15%

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Analytical Thinking -

A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving

Problem

Hypothesis

FactsAnalysis

Solution

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Analytical Thinking -

A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving

Problem

Hypothesis

FactsAnalysis

Solution

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Problem Definition

A problem becomes known when someone

notices a discrepancy between:

the way things are and

the way things ought to be

IS OUGHT TO BE

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Analytical Thinking An Exercise

Develop a research plan for solving Torontos

traffic problem by completing the following steps:

1. Define the problem

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Problem Definition

How do organizations find discrepancies?

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Problem Definition

Where/how can you find discrepancies? Performance reports

Compare performance against goals and objectives

Benchmarking studies Compare performance against competitors or other industries

SWOT analysis What are we good at?

What is the environment telling us?

Complaints What are dissatisfied customers telling us?

Surveys What are potential customers telling us?

LISTENING or SCANNING

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Problem Definition Digging Deeper

What is the underlying problem?

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Employees are

leaving for other

jobs

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Employees are

leaving for other

jobsEmployees are not

satisfied

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Employees are

leaving for other

jobsEmployees are not

satisfied

Employees feel

that they are

underpaid

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Employees are

leaving for other

jobsEmployees are not

satisfied

Employees feel

that they are

underpaidOther employers

are paying higher

salaries

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Root Cause Analysis Technique -

Five Whys

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Employees are

leaving for other

jobsEmployees are not

satisfied

Employees feel

that they are

underpaidOther employers

are paying higher

salariesDemand for such

employees has

increased in the

market

Employee

turnover rate

has been

increasing

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Analytical Thinking -

A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving

Problem

Hypothesis

FactsAnalysis

Solution

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The consulting process revolves around

developing and testing hypotheses.

Graeme Deans

Partner, SECOR Group

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Analytical Thinking An Exercise

Develop a research plan for solving Torontos

traffic problem by completing the following steps:

1. Define the problem

2. Develop a set of hypotheses

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What is an Hypothesis?

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What is an Hypothesis?

Not just an educated guess

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What is an Hypothesis?

Not just an educated guess

A specific, testable, and tentative statement

that proposes a possible explanation to somephenomenon or event

Open to validation or refutation

The consulting process revolves around

developing and testing hypotheses.

Graeme DeansPartner, SECOR Group

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Analytical Thinking -

A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving

Problem

Hypothesis

FactsAnalysis

Solution

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Application: Toronto Traffic

What would your research plans look like?

What are the key questions you want to answer?

What type of information do you need to answerthem?

How will you study them?

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Analytical Thinking -

A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving

Problem

Hypothesis

FactsAnalysis

Solution

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Conducting the Analysis

Purpose: Testing the hypotheses

Making sense" of information collected

Statistical analysis Graphical analysis

Content analysis

Based on the data collected, what are the

answers to the questions posed?

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Analytical Thinking -

A Scientific Approach to Problem Solving

Problem

Hypothesis

FactsAnalysis

Solution

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Solutions

Choose the solution with the greatestimpact on the problem

15% principle!

Keys Credibility

Solutions require support from your previous analysis

Communication Build support and buy-in

This is a political process!

Experimentation

Test your solutions

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Solutions Key Messages

100% pre-packaged solutions dont exist

No solution is guaranteed Implementation matters!

Plan

Set milestones

Develop performance measures

Be willing to revisit your requirements

Solutions dont work by themselves You need to develop buy-in and commitment