Running head: A BIZARRE APPLICATION OF APA



Running head: FRAMING OR DEFINING A PROBLEM OR ISSUE

Framing or Defining a Problem or Issue

Michael R. Vest

CLO410 – Decision Sciences

April 7, 2013

Terry Burr

Southwestern College Professional Studies

Framing or Defining a Problem or Issue to Solve

Have you heard the old saying “there is more than one way to skin a cat”? This is a popular saying that has been in our culture for centuries. It means that there are many solutions to fixing or addressing a problem. It is these many solutions to problems or issues that keep management consistently looking for better ways to operate, cut cost, and find more efficient ways of doing business. It is the essence of being a manager.

Before one can begin to isolate and work a problem, one must have an environment that is conducive to effective decision making. This is essential to being able to defining a problem or issue (Harvard Business Essentials, 2006). Providing an organization is willing to establish an environment for problem solving success, let’s look at how to identify problems or issues that will arise.

First, one must be able to frame or define a problem or issue to solve. Second, one must ensure the issue or problem is framed or defined correctly. Third, identify a problem that can be currently evaluated with the tools provided, and finally, describe how one intends to apply techniques learned to the identified problem that is being evaluated.

Group Best Practices for Defining or Framing a Problem or Issue

Framing consist of identifying a problem, process, or opportunity that needs to be addressed and further evaluated for a desired result (Harvard Business Essentials, 2006). It is a tool that encourages the forming of a “common ground” when working to resolve a perceived issue within an organization (Local Health Integration Network Collaborative (LHINC), 2009). Framing can considered as a tool that provided the foundation for solving a problem or issue and keeping people focused on the task at hand.

There are many ways to frame a problem of issue. Surveys, charts, graphs, etc. can be used to establish a frame around the perceived problem or issue (Brassard & Ritter, 2010). Groups of individuals can be called together (as in a Tiger Team) to act as think tanks to look at perceived problems or issues. Finally, individuals can supply information that may start management to believe there is a perceived problem that needs to be addressed to ensure success within the company.

Because there are many tools that can be used to frame a problem or issue, each person can see a frame in many different lights. For example, if the issue is low pay, one person might see the frame as stockholders not wanting to give up profits while another person sees a low economy as the frame for low pay. Neither is wrong, they are just seeing the issue of low pay inside of a different frame. Framing is used to draw focus to the issue at hand and to drive focus on solutions for the identified problem. Framing also allows discussions to be directed to the task at hand and helps in controlling distractions that might take away from the main point of resolving the issue.

Framing also allows for individuals to bring their views and perceptions to the table to define a problem or issue. These views are often very different because of such factors as educational backgrounds, cultural heritage, and corporate resources and opportunities (Local Health Integration Network Collaborative (LHINC), 2009). Because of these factors, it is often possible to incorrectly frame a problem or issue because of these factors. While framing is a good starting tool, it must be done carefully and correctly to effectively achieve the required results. In the initial stages of framing, the problem or issue may be change several times as people separate symptoms from the “root” problem (Reed, 2011).

Best Practices for Ensuring a Problem is Correctly Defined or Framed

Because framing involves many facets of factors like educational background, cultural heritage, and corporate resources and policies, it is easy to misdiagnose a problem or issue. When a problem or issue is incorrectly identified or defined, it often drives the decision making process down the wrong path a can be seen as decisions that really never fixed a problem but only a symptom.

As stated earlier, there are many tools that can be used to gather information to help frame a problem or issue. One such tool is brainstorming. Brainstorming provides critical key data if followed correctly and participants are encouraged to provide input without fear of reprisals. Flow charts are useful in defining processes within organizations to bring many areas together that may be geographically separated or are unaware of the full process of operations (Brassard & Ritter, 2010). Fishbone diagrams are good for defining cause and effect of problems and issues and help to allow the personnel to see causes and symptoms and to drill down until a “root” cause is identified (Brassard & Ritter, 2010).

Other tools that help with defining the correct framing are to use various resources at one’s disposal to gather information. This allows for the group to get information from the subject matter experts as well as leadership and customers. While people will have their own agendas in wanting to identify problems and issues, gathering information from multiple sources can help reduce this possibility. For example, example by using surveys that are focuses on particular groups of individuals such as customers, leadership, and workers, one can insert key questions that identify commonality in the desired results sought after even though bias will be a given. Because one group does not know the others surveys, all are on the same playing field and it is harder to work in a bias control over a decision. A good example is the survey that many stores issue to new employees. Many of these surveys have multiple questions that focus on the act of stealing but are written in such a way that one will not catch all of the questions. These questions are pre-identified and should provide a pre-determined pattern by the survey writers. Employees who don’t meet the pattern may not be hired because of a pre-determined chance of theft against a company. This concept can easily apply to the multiple surveys. Key questions on the surveys help to eliminate bias and attempt to focus the answers on the real “root” problem verse the symptom.

As stated earlier, the problem or issued may be framed many times before the final framing occurs (Harvard Business Essentials, 2006). As in the construction of a house, the final frame is what counts; all of the other temporary framing means nothing once the final frame is complete. Once the final frame has surrounded the problem or issue, the group has a better chance of success and making decisions that will lead the group to a successful answer.

Identify and Describe the Presenting Problem for Final Project

The thought of retiring and starting a new career can be a massive partaking. There are many decisions that need to be made prior to initiating retirement. Do I stay in my current career field? Do I change career fields? Do I move or do I stay? What needs to be completed prior to retirement? Do I retire?

Retirement is a major decision that one should not take lightly and an individual should look at all of their options before electing to retire. Many of the questions one asks oneself are symptoms of the “root” problem. Leaving the security of one’s current job position in an economy that is unstable is a risky move. Families will be affected and they should be involved in the process of framing the retirement issue because they are key members along with the retiring member. Their lives will also be affected by the decision to retire.

Intention to Apply Framing and Defining a Problem

The “root’ problem is, “am I ready to retire?”. While there are many factors that will play a role in the decision leading up to retiring, the information needs to be collected and analyzed to ensure one is ready to retire.

The environment is already there for establishing a context for success because there is always some form of support for individuals that need someone to talk to and knowledge is readily available for those who seek it out. Framing the retirement “root” problem seems fairly easy but in reality is hard to define because of the many factors that come into play and could easily be used to frame retirement in the wrong way. Retirement is a way of life that will change one’s current culture and safety zones. By focusing on retirement itself, once can better frame the issue and prevent the many symptoms from becoming the issue.

Conclusion

Framing is a process that allows management or individuals to address problems that will affect the overall organization or individual (Harvard Business Essentials, 2006). It allows individuals to focus their efforts in a direction that is not wasted and not isolating a symptom verse a problem (Reed, 2011). Framing basic goal is to build a foundation around a problem so that it can be addressed and resolved for the betterment of the organization. Framing is the key to having a successful outcome. Improperly framing a problem or issue will bring additional problems verse having the desired effect of resolving the problem. It is like having a meeting to discuss what was just said at the meeting. It is a waste of time and resources and the problems still exists.

While people will see each frame differently, such as a wood frame verses a steel frame, if they isolate the correct problem, the end result will be the same. This result is a house or decision that works and provides a sound structure that will be used for years to come.

References:

Brassard, M., & Ritter, D. (2010). The Memory Jogger 2 Tools for Continuous Improvement and Effective Planning (2nd ed.). Salem, NH: GOAL/QPC.

Harvard Business Essentials. (2006). Harvard Business Essentials Decision Making 5 Steps to Better Results. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press.

Local Health Integration Network Collaborative (LHINC). (2009). Identifying & framing the issue. Retrieved 04 07, 2013, from epicontario.ca:

Reed, A. (2011, 01 02). The importance of framing a problem correctly. Retrieved 04 07, 2013, from :

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