David Cotton spent 21 years with Arthur Andersen and PwC before becoming a freelance trainer in 2002. He has worked in four continents and more than 40 countries, delivering a wide range of training in management, leadership, communication skills, business networking, confidence building, dealing with difficult people, change management, business strategy, coaching and mentoring.

David’s clients span local and national government and nearly every industry sector and include the European Parliament, European Commission and many of its agencies, the United Nations, BBC, Syrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Russian Federal Commission, Croatian MOD, PwC, most of the major Middle Eastern oil and gas companies, Manchester Business School and many others.

He has published scores of articles and more than a dozen books, including Key Management Development Models (FT Publishing, 2015).

About the author

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part 1 - Which tools to use and when

Tools for broad problem areas

Tools for specific problems

Part 2 - Problem solving essentials

Barriers to problem solving

Framing a problem

Stages in problem solving

Preparation for group problem solving

Equipment needed

Part 3 - Problem solving techniques for individuals and small groups

1. Force field analysis and graphical force field analysis

2. Tough questions

3. Ritual dissent (and ritual assent)

4. Brain-friendly brainstorming

5. Reverse brainstorming

6. Procrastination

7. Cartesian logic

8. Brainwriting

9. Individual and collective mind mapping

10. Structured walkthroughs

11. Life through a lens

12. Nominal group technique

13. GROW for problem-solving

14. Head/Heart-Push/Pull

15. Osborne-Parnes critical problem solving process

16. Appreciative inquiry

17. Competitive ideas

18. Why not?

19. MUSE

20. Ishikawa fishbone diagrams

21. Deming’s PDSA Cycle (The ‘Shewhart Cycle’)

22. 3D stakeholder mapping

23. Two words technique

24. The association grid

25. Delphi technique

26. Lotus blossom technique

27. Photographic associations

28. Random word technique

29. Challenging assumptions

30. Metaphorical problem-solving

31. Who else has solved this problem?

32. How-How?

33. The 5 Whys/Question Everything

34. Jelly Baby Tree

35. Future shock

36. What if?

37. What if we didn’t?

38. Reframing

39. Ripple effect (systems thinking)

40. What I need from you

41. Concentration diagrams

42. Pareto analysis – simplified version

43. Solution effect analysis

44. The work map

45. Competing values framework

46. Timelining

47. One question

48. Peer assist

49. Action learning

50. Story circles

51. Swim Lane diagrams (Rummler-Brache diagrams)

Part 4 - Large group problem solving techniques

52. Crawford’s Slip

53. Charrette Procedure

54. Starbursting

55. Open space

56. World café

57. Pro-action cafe

Part 5 - Problem solving business games

When and how to use business games

58. Retirement speeches

59. Convince me

60. Evolution

61. It’s in the news

62. The trial

63. Tortoise and hare

64. Art gallery

65. Proverbial problem solving

66. There are no rules

67. Documentary

68. Pitch Perfect

Part 6 – Sharing and implementing solutions

Sharing solutions

Implementing solutions