**Workshop 7 - Problem solving and decision making

Question 1

What are the 6 steps to problem solving?

Answer 1

1) Problem definition
2) Finding the causes
3) Finding solutions
4) Evaluating and selecting solutions
5) Planning
6) Implementing and measuring

Question 2

What is a problem?

Answer 2

Problem definition describes the gap between the ideal situation and the current situation

Question 3

What is a complex problem?

Answer 3

A problem which does not have a clear cause nor a clear solution

Question 4

What does a problem statement do?

Answer 4

Describes the problem, states the gap between what is and what should be, identifies the problem, uses exact terms and quantities, tells you why the problem is important

Question 5

What is the interrelationship diagram used for?

Answer 5

To identify root causes when the relationships among the effects and causes are complex

Question 6

What does selective perception mean?

Answer 6

Select part of the information based on personal interests, needs and biases

Question 7

What are confirmation biases?

Answer 7

People only look for information according to their pre-existing viewpoints about a problem

Question 8

What are the 5 factors that can contribute to ineffective decision making?

Answer 8

1) Biases in gathering information
2) Biases in interpreting information
3) Strong members or unequal power
4) Groupthink
5) Group polarisation

Question 9

What does illusionary correlations mean?

Answer 9

The tendency to perceive a correlation between 2 sets of events that are in fact not correlated

Question 10

What does fundamental attribution errors mean?

Answer 10

The tendency to assume that the behaviour of someone is due to their traits, which may infect be caused by a surrounding situation

Question 11

What is groupthink?

Answer 11

A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group

Question 12

What does cohesion mean?

Answer 12

The glue that makes the members of the group stick together

• commitment to a group goal
• a strong positive effect towards other members

Question 13

Why is groupthink problematic in decision making?

Answer 13

• Can cause members to think their decisions cannot go wrong
• Think that their decisions are better and more moral than others
• Feel pressure to conform to the majority
• Fail to share ideas due to fear

Question 14

What does group polarisation mean?

Answer 14

The tendency for a group and team to make decisions that are more extreme than the decisions would have been had those individual members been working alone

Question 15

What is the nominal group technique?

Answer 15

A technique that aims to minimise the impact of dominant members during a group discussion, enhance uniform sharing and allow for alternative solutions to be carefully considered before making a decision

Question 16

What are the stages to nominal group technique?

Answer 16

1) Members work individually
2) Members get together to list out all their ideas
3) The group goes through each idea for justification and clarification
4) Members silently vote for the decision

Question 17

What are the 4 ways to make a decision?

Answer 17

Majority rules, consensus, plurality and truth wins

Question 18

What is dialectical inquiry?

Answer 18

Technique designed based on the notion that conflict can be used for improvement

Question 19

What are the steps to dialectical inquiry?

Answer 19

1) Group divided into 2 sub groups
2) each sub group generates and analyses ideas and develops solutions
3) Sub group 1 provides potential solution
4) subgroup 2 receives recommendation and privately critiques
5) subgroup 2 provides counter recommendation
6) subgroup 1 also receives recommendation and critiques it
7) Both subgroups get together to present their recommendations
8) both subgroups debate on the recommendations proposed
9) once they have agreed on facts, assumptions and arguments, the two subgroups work together to find the best possible solution

Question 20

What is multi voting?

Answer 20

A structured and time saving procedure to narrow down a list of ideas

• Individual members generate ideas
• Similar ideas combined
• Each member votes for a certain number of ideas
• The facilitator identifies ideas that receive the greatest number of votes
• As the list gets shorter, each member gets to vote again but only for half the number of ideas

Question 21

Problem solving definition?

Answer 21

Identifying creative, unique and effective solutions

Question 22

Decision making definition?

Answer 22

Considering the ideas generated and deriving with a final solution