LEARNING OUTCOME THREE

Implementing the Solution

 Problem Solving Strategies – Unit Standard 14927

3.1. The implementation ensures that stakeholders are consulted

before and during the trial of the solution and the solution is
monitored for effectiveness using standard practices where possible.

Implementing Solutions

A systematic and well planned approach is essential. Piloting or testing the solution
is also wise but may not be appropriate in all circumstances. If a solution is not
implemented properly, more severe problems may arise.

Develop an Action Plan

Below is an example of an action plan.

Before we develop an action plan, we need to gather support for the

implementation from any person who is affected by it.

Action to be Method Resources Special Needs Person Deadline

taken responsible

Decision making forms an essential part of selecting an appropriate solution. We will

explore various methods of decision making, and also techniques to comparing
different options, so that a considered decision can be made.

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Piloting

This is a technique to test a solution on a small scale before rolling it out on a large
scale so that any unforseen problems can be eliminated before the impact is
broader.

Selecting a pilot site or region is important. This must be done with consideration for
the objectives of the pilot as well as the similarities to the broader market for later
roll out.

Monitoring

Once implementation has started, we must monitor the outcomes. This will be done
in line with the needs of the individual project.

A review is usually scheduled at appropriate time intervals. The various need to be

involved in these reviews. Some may attend the meetings others will be included in
the written feedback which follows.

Any adjustments are made as necessary.

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Decision Making and Problem Solving

Making decisions in the problem solving process will determine whether the solution
and its implementation are of suitable quality or not. Decisions need to be based on
fact. We have to guard against decisions which are tainted by personal opinions,
exaggeration or personal agendas.

W. Edwards Deming recommends seven charts which can be used as tools to help
with objective information gathering on which to base decisions:

 Cause and effect

 Flow Chart
 Pareto Chart
 Trend Chart
 Histogram
 Control Chart
 Scatter Diagram

Cause and Effect

These are the Fishbone Diagrams as explained earlier in this course. They are also
known as Ishikawa diagrams. The benefits of using the Fishbone are:

 Creating the diagram is enlightening

 Diagrams help to focus the group
 Causes are separated from symptoms
 Broad range of use for any problems

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Formative Exercise 3.1. (a)

Flow Charts

Flow charts graphically show the way a process flows. By charting the process, we
can identify problems with it. If we ask a few of the same team members to chart a
process, we can compare their charts afterwards and if they are different then we
find our problem. We can also ask people to chart how it is and then draw another
chart of how they think it should be.

Example:

Receive Order

Stock Available Out of stock

Capture on Back
Capture on ADS Order system
system

Send to Warehouse
and debtors

Despatch

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Formative Exercise 3.1. (b)

Flow Charts

In the space below, chart a process in your organisation. This can be any process
with which you work and are familiar. The finished product will be a flow chart.

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Pareto Chart
Used to help us find our priorities. For example, a supermarket has a problem with
shoplifting. They draw the following Pareto Chart of the stolen merchandise to help
them prioritise which aisles are the most vulnerable to theft.

12

11

10

9
Average
Theft in 8
Units /
month 7

Toiletries Cereals Toys Stationery Outdoor

From the above it can be seen that the Toys department has the greatest problem.
This chart can be expanded on further by making it the average cost of the losses per
month per merchandise category.

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Trend / Run Chart

Trend charts help us to monitor what is happening to a certain identified problem

over time. This enables us to see if it is worsening, improving etc and to establish the
severity of the problem.

The following trend chart plots absenteeism by week day to determine any trends.
The outcome is clear.

20

18

16

14 

Number of 12
absences
10

6

4  

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

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Histogram

These chart how often something happens. For example: If a factory wants to set a
standard time for costing purposes for the production of a certain item, using the
average time may be unrealistic and instead the most frequent time may be closer to
the actual standard time.

For example:
If we want to calculate a standard time that it takes to produce a certain product to
help us with our standard costs, we might use a Histogram to help us with this
standard. The best standard may not be the average time. The most frequent time
may be the best time. This can be established by drawing up a Histogram such as
that below.

Frequency

20

15

10

0 5 10 15 20 25
Production Time - Hours

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The greatest frequency lies between 6 and 7 hours as we produced 9 and 12 items
respectively. The longest time was 24 hours for 1 item and the shortest was 4 hours for 2
items. If we included these extreme figures in calculating an average, when clearly
something was not correct, it would produce an inaccurate standard time.

Scatter Diagrams

These show the relationship between two variables. For example:

If we want to show the relationship between training time for workers and the reject
rate for those same workers, we would use a scatter diagram.

Reject Rate

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Hours

Clearly, it can be seen that the more hours training per month, the lower the reject
rate per worker.

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Control Charts

Control charts are used to continuously analyse processes so as to continually

improve them. These charts have an upper control limit, an average, and a lower
control limit.

A process runs for a period of time and the behaviour of the process is recorded.
Behaviour is defined by the particular process being recorded for example, it might
be: defects; time; mistakes; temperature etc, any factor critical to the process
involved.

After the time period has passed, the process is analysed to determine upper and
lower limits. Once limits are established, the process is said to be in control. From
this point forward, the process is plotted on a control chart, as long as the process
falls between the upper and lower limits it is said to be in control. If any point is
plotted outside of these limits, the process is out of control and the problem should
be corrected immediately. This is the principal upon which process control lines
operate in manufacturing. Bottles are filled to within their upper and lower control
limits as per the volume advertised on the bottle.

Upper Control Limit

50

40

30
Process Average

20

10

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Lower Control Limit

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Formative Exercise 3.1. (c)

Decision Making

Working with one or two people in a breakaway team. Look back at all of the seven
charts designed by Deming. Put each one into the context of your own organisation,
the problems, changes etc with which you are familiar there. In the space below,
please identify various organisational situations from your own company where you
think that the chart given could assist with business decision making and how and
why.
Chart Type My organisational application
Cause and effect

Flow Chart

Pareto Chart

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Trend Chart

Histogram

Control Chart

Scatter Diagram

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Employee Involvement in Decision Making

Employee involvement can improve the implementation process. The more involved
people are the more they feel part of the process and thus commit to it rather than
merely involve themselves with it. They tend to feel that they have a real interest in
the outcome.

Commitment / Involvement
When is comes to a breakfast of bacon and eggs, we can say that the chicken is
involved for providing the egg, however, the pig is committed for giving its life.

Disadvantages of team involvement

1. It takes longer when more people are involved and we may not have the time.
2. More people are taken away from their workplaces.
3. Conflict amongst team members may arise.
4. In trying to reach consensus, the final decision may not necessarily be the best
one.
5. Should a decision maker reject the advice of the group, resentment may result.

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Techniques to Involve Teams in Decision Making

1. Brainstorming (Discussed and workshopped in an earlier section)
2. Nominal Group Technique

Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

This is a form of brainstorming.

Step One
Facilitator states the problem and clarifies it.

Step Two
Each group member silently records his or her ideas.
No discussion takes place.

Step Three
Individuals’ ideas are made public by each individual giving one idea and it being recorded on
flipchart. When all ideas are recorded step three is over. Each idea is numbered.
By recording these ideas individually and one at a time, by the time we get to the end of the process
here, people have forgotten which ideas belonged to which people.

Step Four
Each idea is clarified to ensure everyone understands it. No judgements are made.
The person explaining their idea may not make any justifications.
The objective of this step is to clarify ideas only.

Step Five
Each group member votes on the ideas silently. Group members may record their five favourite
ideas on five separate index cards. Then each person must prioritise their cards by labelling them
from 1 to 5 with 5 being most favourite.
The cards are collected, the points added and recorded on the flipchart next to the ideas.
The idea with the most points is selected as the best idea.

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Formative Exercise 3.1. (d)

Nominal Group Technique

Your facilitator will present you with a problem statement and clarify it for you. We
will then apply the NGT to solving this problem.

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Problems with Group Decision Making

Groupthink is the phenomenon that occurs when people in a group focus more on
reaching a decision than on making a good decision.

Groupshift is the phenomenon that occurs when participants exaggerate a position

in an attempt to shift the group’s thinking in the direction of their real position.

For example:
If one person needs an expenditure of R10 000, he might recommend an
expenditure of R20 000 in the hope that the final decision will be R10 000.

Reducing the Impact of Groupthink and Groupshift

 Appoint certain group members to act as a devil’s advocate.

 Encourage constructive criticism.
 Avoid letting group rush to a hasty decision.
 Include people who are not familiar with the issue.
 Hold a last-chance meeting. Give group a few days to think the decision over and
then give them the opportunity to express any second thoughts.

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Formative Exercises 3.1.

Various exercises have been completed in this learning outcome and all of them are
integrated to the overall outcome. The evaluation below will include references to all
of these.

Formative exercise title: _________________________

Date: ________________________________________

Rating
1 – below requirements 2 – achieving 3 – competent 4 – Exceeds
competence requirements

Candidate’s rating

Comments:
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Signature: _________________________________________
(Facilitator refer to the Assessment Plan for the model answers)

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References

1. Rapid Needs Analysis Susan Barksdale / Teri Lund

2. Introduction to Total Quality David Goetsch / Stanley Davis

3. Administrative Management Ferreria / Erasmus / Groenewald

4. Mountains of Southern Africa David Bristow / Clive Ward

End of Document

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