project management problem statement examples
Plus, discover how to use it to transform your organization and check out 4 examples. It should not identify a solution or create a bias toward a specific strategy. Project approval is probably one of the most exciting parts of project management, and a project proposal sets your project up for success. With this methodology, having a robust project plan is vital and lots of work needs to be done upfront to get really clear on the project goal. Great! Here are the best ways to start practicing self-discipline today. Dales willing to try anything once. Nobody thinks that having claim forms with errors is good. This represents a 20% decline compared to the same period in the year prior. He is a leading speaker and presenter on business and technology trends, and is co-author of Six Sigma Workbook for Dummies, Process Intelligence for Dummies, BPM Basics for Dummies and The Intelligent Guide to Enterprise BPM. While these examples represent three types of problems or goals, keep in mind that there can be many other types of problem statements. Einstein was probably exaggerating to make a point. The first step in examining a problem is understanding what exactly is subject to problematic circumstances. Never attempt to solve the problem or steer the solution at this stage. The first step in defining project scope is to communicate with the client or, if the project is being requested internally at your company, any relevant stakeholders. A project manager is first and foremost a team leader. A problem well stated is a problem half solved., Charles Kettering, Early 1900s American Inventor. A faculty member at the Lean Enterprise Institute, the author uses many case studies from his work as a business consultant. Note the statement makes it clear that the issue has been present in multiple surveys and it's significantly worse than the previous year. To simplify the process, weve broken it down into three steps: Use data from research and reports, as well as facts from direct observation to answer the five Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. Why is it important to solve this problem? Here are the steps you can take to define your project scope: 1. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(9253440, '8381199b-4f67-4ce4-b96c-c66eb44bfc0c', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. A problem statement is a short description of a problem or an issue which needs addressing or a condition which needs improvement. Example: The average customer service on-hold time for XYZ company exceeds five minutes during both its busy and slow seasons. Bruce Williams is Vice President of Pegasystems, the world leader in business process management. DE | Youre probably ready to start exploring solutions. A problem statement helps clarify goals and generates support for its solutions. From economic uncertainty and laying off employees to hiring freezes, change is constant. Project Justification: Explain the problem or opportunity and why the project is necessary. When problem statements are well written, people readily grasp and understand what youre trying to accomplish.
\nWrite the problem statement with the audience in mind. Neil DeCarlo was President of DeCarlo Communications. Maybe; maybe not. List assumptions regarding decisions outside the project team's control. Find a way to pose the problem that will lead to more creative solutions. Ideal situation The first thing your problem statement should describe is what the ideal situation would be if there wasn't a problem you needed to address. Neil DeCarlo was President of DeCarlo Communications. Lead with a strong statement and a powerful . We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion. See how innovative companies use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce. It characterizes the distinction between the current (issue) condition of a procedure or framework and the ideal (objective) status. We must frame the problem appropriately, setting the context for the audience that might not be familiar with the problem. For individuals, it can mean enhancing their own personal well-being. Do not combine multiple problems. That way, you can take advantage of more growth opportunities. (Or so the story goes.). Writing the problem statement to the standards of Six Sigma provides the level of information needed to make an informed decision:
\nBetter Problem Statement 3: Insurance claim forms originating at the Fremont North Memorial emergency department are causing a loss of revenue, excessive rework costs, and delayed payment to the hospital. You can use problem statements for a variety of purposes. Problem statement examples in business Problem statements are used in all sorts of business projects, including new business launches, revenue optimization initiatives, competitor analysis, and more. Bruce Williams is Vice President of Pegasystems, the world leader in business process management. Those who find themselves in a leadership position will know exactly what project management brings to the table. : Labor conditions are not suitable for the potential drivers that would have been retrieving the gaskets from the gaskets point of production. Step 5: Get feedback from stakeholders. A solid problem statement will fully examine a problem from as many angles as possible to fully interpret any blockers or shortcomings that stand in the way of successfully completing the project. A natural tendency is to write a problem statement too simplistically because youre already familiar with the problem. To identify a gap, you first have to decide how things work best. He is a leading speaker and presenter on business and technology trends, and is co-author of Six Sigma Workbook for Dummies, Process Intelligence for Dummies, BPM Basics for Dummies and The Intelligent Guide to Enterprise BPM. By scraping the surface of a problem, youre not going to effectively solve it. An effective problem statement needs to be actionable, concise, and thorough before it may be presented to a team in good faith. Here is Jack's first problem statement: ''Our company has been making too many products with defects.'' This statement would be considered a poor problem. We are going to miss our production deadline. It can be useful for exploring issues and potential solutions that impact specific groups of people. Yes, having high inventory levels is a problem, but a problem statement containing so little information significantly reduces your ability to take specific action, enlist support, and obtain improvement.\n\nThe problem statement must not include any indication or speculation about the cause of the problem or what actions will be taken to solve the problem. Whether it's to pass that big test, qualify for that big promotion or even master that cooking technique; people who rely on dummies, rely on it to learn the critical skills and relevant information necessary for success. Six Sigma Problem: At the New Jersey factory, 45% of the employees report to work within 15 minutes after the time that they were supposed to report to during the beginning of the shift causing a fall in daily productivity by 5%. ADVANTAGE GROWTH, VALUE PROPOSITION PRODUCT SERVICE PRICING, GO TO MARKET DISTRIBUTION SALES MARKETING, ORGANIZATIONAL ORG DESIGN HR & CULTURE PROCESS PARTNER, TYPES OF VALUECOMPETITIVE DYNAMICSPROBLEM SOLVING, OPTION CREATION ANALYTICS DECISION MAKING PROCESS TOOLS, PLANNING & PROJECTSPEOPLE LEADERSHIPPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, 168-PAGE COMPENDIUM OF STRATEGY FRAMEWORKS & TEMPLATES, 114-PAGE MARKET & COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS PRESENTATION. At BetterUp, this idea of continuous improvement hinges on curiosity. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9791"}},{"authorId":9792,"name":"Bruce Williams","slug":"bruce-williams","description":"
Craig Gygi is Executive VP of Operations at MasterControl, a leading company providing software and services for best practices in automating and connecting every stage of quality/regulatory compliance, through the entire product life cycle. Referring to a proven business project proposal template or example helps you craft a winning proposal because different types of projects and circumstances warrant different types of proposals. First, it significantly clarifies the current situation by specifically identifying the problem and its severity, location, and financial impact. 168-PAGE COMPENDIUM OF STRATEGY FRAMEWORKS & TEMPLATES 100-PAGE SALES PLAN PRESENTATION 186-PAGE HR & ORG STRATEGY PRESENTATION114-PAGE MARKET & COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS PRESENTATION18-PAGE BUSINESS MODEL TEMPLATE. These two steps will help you uncover the root cause of a problem: People often perceive problems differently. For example, the following problem statement is more detailed than Poor Problem Statement 1A, but its still, well, problematic:
\nPoor Problem Statement 1B: Having too few forklifts is making inventory levels too high.\nBy saying Having too few forklifts in Poor Problem Statement 1B, youre purporting that you know what the solution is. He is a leading speaker and presenter on business and technology trends, and is co-author of Six Sigma Workbook for Dummies, Process Intelligence for Dummies, BPM Basics for Dummies and The Intelligent Guide to Enterprise BPM. Neil DeCarlo was President of DeCarlo Communications. How will changing a process or circumventing the problem area change the, A problem statement exists to not only state the existence of a problem but also to, When the doughnut shop (who) closes at 3 p.m., which is the end of its customer volume, it, Understanding the Purpose of a Problem Statement, Best Project Management Software for 2023, Best monday sales CRM Alternatives & Competitors. Whenever possible, get out in the field and talk directly with stakeholders impacted by the problem. It is essentially the beginning of a new project. Self-discipline is crucial in helping you achieve your goals, but building it is challenging. It also makes it clear that merely increasing sales is not an acceptable solution if higher marketing costs offset the net gains. Problem statements such as the following are effective at enlisting peoples attention, energy, and support:
\nBetter Problem Statement 1: Inventory levels at the West Metro inventory storage process in Scottsdale are consuming space, taking up asset management time, and creating cash flow issues. Developing a problem statement that provides a brief description of an issue you want to solve is an important early step in problem-solving. Looking for a career in Project Management? Here are a few elements that make for an effective problem statement: Focused and Concise: A problem statement should be based on fact and should be just a few sentences. By entering your email address and clicking the Submit button, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Dummies.com, which may include marketing promotions, news and updates. Neil DeCarlo was President of DeCarlo Communications. The purpose of the problem statement is to identify the issue that is a concern and focus it in a way that allows it to be studied in a systematic way. Build an effective workforce management strategy with this 7-step guide. This means that a problem statement written by a competent project manager is more than simply a place to vent frustrations about a lagging production schedule. Following are examples highlighting the depth and quantification of a Six Sigma project definition. Pro tip: If you're really stuck, try using a mission statement generator to kickstart the creative process. With access to virtual coaching, your people can get personalized support to help solve tough problems of the future. Let's apply this to an example. Maybe; maybe not. This delay is adding costs of $145,000 per month in overtime, contractor labor, and rework costs.\nAnd one more:
\nPoor Problem Statement 3: Our hospital has a problem with the number of insurance claim forms submitted with errors to the insurance company.\nThis statement has so little information that readers may not be entirely clear on whether a significant problem even exists. Identify constraints that limit a project team's options for developing a solution. Near the project's completion, this statement can help you verify if the solution addressed the initial problem effectively. There are various situations in which you might have to write a problem statement. Developing a problem statement is an iterative brainstorming process. Problem Statement: Rigorous labor-intensive processing due to manual paperwork management. These levels have exceeded the target of 25 days 95 percent of the time since January 2012. For example, is it in a specific department, location, or region? You can use the Problem Statement Worksheet to further define the problem by answering the 5 Ws and 1 H. The key is to find the right problem statement all stakeholders feel strongly about, in that, if the problem statement were solved, the problem would be solved. $250,000 could be saved per year if inventories were at the targeted level.
Look at the amount of information that is available in this example. For example, the following problem statement is more detailed than Poor Problem Statement 1A, but its still, well, problematic:
\nPoor Problem Statement 1B: Having too few forklifts is making inventory levels too high.\n
By saying Having too few forklifts in Poor Problem Statement 1B, youre purporting that you know what the solution is. 3. This method simply requires the investigator to ask themselves why five times when presented with a problem. A problem statement is a short, clear explanation of an issue or challenge that sums up what you want to change. Neil DeCarlo was President of DeCarlo Communications. This is helpful in performing the root cause analysis and determining how this problem can be solved. One example is outlined in the book, The Conclusion Trap: Four Steps to Better Decisions, by Daniel Markovitz. Does the statement stimulate brainstorming and discussion? By keeping a good pulse on your course of action, youll be better equipped to pivot when the time comes to change. Yes, having high inventory levels is a problem, but a problem statement containing so little information significantly reduces your ability to take specific action, enlist support, and obtain improvement. We know organizations everywhere are grappling with tough, complex challenges. This process cannot be understated and must be . Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more. He is a leading speaker and presenter on business and technology trends, and is co-author of Six Sigma Workbook for Dummies, Process Intelligence for Dummies, BPM Basics for Dummies and The Intelligent Guide to Enterprise BPM. A problem statement should be concise and include the following: A brief description of the problem and the metric used to describe the problem, Where the problem is occurring by process name and location, The time frame over which the problem has been occurring. Good job! Why? Asking why until youre satisfied that youve uncovered the root cause of the problem will help you avoid ineffective band-aid solutions. For example, a specific improvement that would make a product more competitive on the market. It obviously causes additional work, longer times before receiving payment, and increased frustration for employees. If youre going to recruit support and resources to solve your problem, others have to understand the context and the significance in order to support you.
\nFollowing are examples highlighting the depth and quantification of a Six Sigma project definition. Using the most objective lens possible to create a useful and actionable problem statement will not only prevent any targeted interpersonal grief but will also illuminate the road ahead and prepare fertile ground for problem-solving. I really enjoy coaching clients and they get a ton of value too. A good problem statement should create awareness and stimulate creative thinking. 1. This type of problem statement is useful for launching initiatives to help an organization achieve its desired state. Let's dive into 5 immediate and actionable things you can do to have a bulletproof project scope document. Learn about the theory behind The Golden Circle and how it works. What makes a good business? Bruce Williams is Vice President of Pegasystems, the world leader in business process management. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9794"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34249,"title":"Project Management","slug":"project-management","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34249"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":208300,"title":"Six Sigma For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"six-sigma-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","project-management"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/208300"}},{"articleId":204999,"title":"How to Create a Cause and Effect Analysis for a Six Sigma Initiative","slug":"how-to-create-a-cause-and-effect-analysis-for-a-six-sigma-initiative","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","project-management"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/204999"}},{"articleId":175743,"title":"The Tools-Methods Landscape of Six Sigma","slug":"the-tools-methods-landscape-of-six-sigma","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","project-management"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175743"}},{"articleId":175736,"title":"The Six Sigma Scale","slug":"the-six-sigma-scale","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","project-management"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175736"}},{"articleId":175735,"title":"What Is Six Sigma? It helps to make sure youre focusing on the right problem and have a well-informed understanding of the root causes. How large is the gap between the current and desired state. Bruce Williams is Vice President of Pegasystems, the world leader in business process management. Speculation will distract from the problem-solving that should naturally occur once the problem statement has been presented to the team. But is this problem worthy of being worked on as stated? Is the whole hospital having the problem, or is it confined to a particular group? Heres another example of a problem statement with insufficient information, along with a rewritten Six Sigma alternative:
\nPoor Problem Statement 2: Human resources is taking too long to fill personnel requests.\n
Better Problem Statement 2: Recruiting time for software engineers for the flight systems design department in San Jose is missing the goal of 70 days 91 percent of the time. Yes, having high inventory levels is a problem, but a problem statement containing so little information significantly reduces your ability to take specific action, enlist support, and obtain improvement.\nThe problem statement must not include any indication or speculation about the cause of the problem or what actions will be taken to solve the problem. Continuing with the example above, here's a project management project description sample to avoid in your resume because it's vague. The problem statement must not include any indication or speculation about the cause of the problem or what actions will be taken to solve the problem. They help to meaningfully outline objectives to reach effective solutions. Weve all encountered problems on the job. When problem statements are well written, people readily grasp and understand what youre trying to accomplish.
\nWrite the problem statement with the audience in mind. Or taking customer service calls to learn more about customer pain points and problems your employees may be grappling with. This food waste costs the shop at least an hour of lost production time in the mornings (what). Example: In the last three quarterly employee engagement surveys, less than 30% of employees at the XYZ company stated that they feel valued by the company. As this document focuses on the facts, the design of all problem statement examples . Keep asking why (and check in on the progress). Keep it short. Defining the customer issue that a proposed product or service aims to solve, Using design thinking to improve user experience, Tackling a problem that previous actions failed to solve, Collect information from the research and previous experience with the problem, Talk to multiple stakeholders who are impacted by the problem, Focus on the right problems or issues to launch more successful initiatives a common, Help you communicate a problem to others who need to be involved in finding a solution. 3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702, English | This will help keep options open for potential actions. This means that interactive check-ins are critical to solving tough problems. It can also help you develop some case studies to illustrate the problem. Click here to learn more about me or book some time. Most managers consider financial issues as one of the biggest hurdles in effective project management. Engineering problems are no exception. Once you know all the factors, then you need to create an impeccable plan, perform alternative analysis, and ensure proper communication between stakeholders and the development team. Understand the client's or stakeholder's needs. Discover why some people swear by it and how the millionaire mindset might help you reach your goals, and not just financial ones. Learn everything you need to know to develop a Problem Statement by an Ex-McKinsey consultant. Why: Why is this important or worth solving? Heres another example of a problem statement with insufficient information, along with a rewritten Six Sigma alternative:
\nPoor Problem Statement 2: Human resources is taking too long to fill personnel requests.\nBetter Problem Statement 2: Recruiting time for software engineers for the flight systems design department in San Jose is missing the goal of 70 days 91 percent of the time. A natural tendency is to write a problem statement too simplistically because youre already familiar with the problem. It also serves as a great communication tool, helping to get buy-in and support from others. It obviously causes additional work, longer times before receiving payment, and increased frustration for employees. There are four key elements you should include when writing a problem statement: 1. Keep in mind that you probably have to both convince management to provide resources to solve the problem and enlist team members to assist you; you dont want to spend your precious time explaining over and over what youre trying to accomplish.\nA problem statement should be concise and include the following:
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A brief description of the problem and the metric used to describe the problem
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Where the problem is occurring by process name and location
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The time frame over which the problem has been occurring
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The size or magnitude of the problem
\nYou must be careful to avoid under-writing a problem statement. Get the major stakeholders in a room for a few hours and start the process by having everyone write down what they think the problem is on index cards. Knowing how to develop a great problem statement is also a valuable tool for honing your management skills. He is an operations executive and internationally recognized Lean Six Sigma thought leader and practitioner. Neil DeCarlo was President of DeCarlo Communications. It is recommended that these solutions are noted and saved until a problem statement has been successfully formulated and presented to the relevant parties. Often, the most effective problem statements force the prioritization of issues and opportunities. By organizing and structuring your problem solving, you can more effectively get to the root cause of high-impact problemsand devise a solution. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9791"}},{"authorId":9792,"name":"Bruce Williams","slug":"bruce-williams","description":"
Craig Gygi is Executive VP of Operations at MasterControl, a leading company providing software and services for best practices in automating and connecting every stage of quality/regulatory compliance, through the entire product life cycle. Does the problem statement lack an obvious solution? A good way to test a problem statement for bias is to ask questions like these: Does the problem appear to have only one possible solution? Define the business need and the expected outcome of the project. Lean on your growth mindset to keep asking why and check in on the progress. ","slug":"what-is-six-sigma","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","project-management"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175735"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":275133,"title":"What Is Agile Project Management? BetterUp can help. The ability to pick out the source of the problem will produce more effective problem statements. In turn, this methodology will help you craft a problem statement that will lead to more viable solutions. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) and enjoys poetry and fiction. First up: a statement with too little information:
\nPoor Problem Statement 1A: Inventory levels are too high and must be reduced.\nHow many times have you heard a problem statement like this one before? Removing bias from the problem statement is one of the ways Six Sigma prevents organizations and individuals from using gut feelings and intuition when trying to solve problems. Identify. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(9253440, '18bbac98-d8f0-4f4f-a151-74e23b6c5002', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); The best time to create a problem statement is before you start thinking of solutions. The manufacturing and assembly process for Product X is as efficient as possible. But problem statement examples in business are targets to solve specific business needs like increasing sales targets, establishing businesses online or reducing employee . He is an operations executive and internationally recognized Lean Six Sigma thought leader and practitioner. Streaming Entertainment Service Company. It also serves as a great communication tool, helping to get buy-in and support from others. Other problems may be giving you worse headaches than this one. Maybe; maybe not. Keep the discussion going by asking why. It will also encourage the exploration of more options. For example, if the pain point relates to pricing, it's best to consult with your revenue and account management team. Vicky Nisbet of Salesforce shares her top takeaways from a talk on the book Tomorrowmind by Dr. Martin Seligman and BetterUp's Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman. Keep in mind that you probably have to both convince management to provide resources to solve the problem and enlist team members to assist you; you dont want to spend your precious time explaining over and over what youre trying to accomplish.
\nA problem statement should be concise and include the following:
\n\n
\n- \n
A brief description of the problem and the metric used to describe the problem
\n- \n
Where the problem is occurring by process name and location
\n- \n
The time frame over which the problem has been occurring
\n- \n
The size or magnitude of the problem
\nYou must be careful to avoid under-writing a problem statement. The five Ws do not have to be the guidepost a project manager uses to understand the contours of a problem that has presented itself, but they are the easiest to remember. The most effective question that Ive used in over a thousand meetings and conversations is simply what are we trying to solve? It cuts through the clutter, confusion, and misalignment, and quickly centers the focus and energy of everyone.
