1、Strategy Core SkillBuilderIssue-Based Problem-Solving:Antidote to Mental Messing AroundWhy do people need IBPS and training to use it effectively?The case of the leaking water bedTo Counter Tendency Toward Mental Messing AroundHow high can a giraffe fly?1IBPS is a structured approach to solving prob
2、lems,with several important benefits.Focus our research and analysisEnsure thorough investigation of a problemPlan our work effort2Where the client wants to beDefine the problemWhere the client isSolve the problemCommunicate the answerStructure the ideasDevelop the research planAnalyze findingsGener
3、ate ideasThis approach to solving client problems emphasizes attention to the issues involved.3The key to success is using the IBPS tools effectively.Desired Outcomes of the Project:Sponsors:Out of Scope:In Scope:Key Decision Makers:Criteria for Quality:Key Facts(Situation):Need for Change(Complicat
4、ion):Client:Key Question:BUYERSCONTEXTSCOPEAnalysis Required Data Required/Sources Issue/Sub-Issue Hypothesis/Specific Question Allocation by SourceTaskElapsedTime AnalysisExecutive Mgmt.Project Mgmt.ExpertAnalysis TOTALExecutive Mgmt.Project Mgmt.Project Mgmt.ExpertAnalysis Work Days by Skill TypeC
5、lientAccenture4The IBPS approach and tools are rooted in asking and answering questions.“I still dont have all the answers,but Imbeginning to ask the right questions.”5Out of Scope:Issues,effort beyond project boundariesDesired Outcomes:What the client would like to have at the end of the projectBUY
6、ERSKey Decision Makers:Who will resolve critical issuesSponsors:Who brought Accenture inCriteria for Quality:The clients criteria for a quality product or resultCONTEXTKey Facts:Relevant information about the clients situationNeed for Change:Why the client needs to change nowimplications,burning pla
7、tforms,etc.Client:Key Question:The business question to answerProblem Definition WorksheetThe first step is to define the problem that will focus and set boundaries for the engagement.SCOPEIn Scope:Deliverables,target dates,and issues6Not all key questions are created equal.Is a simple,not a compoun
8、d,question Is phrased clearly and accuratelyFocuses attention on the most important issuesAddresses the need to changeCriteria for a Strong Key Question7How fully does this key question meet the criteria for success?How,if at all,should BigCar enter the online automotive business to improve its prof
9、itability?Is a simple question?Is phrased clearly and accurately?Focuses attention on most important issues?Addresses the need to change?Exercise:Problem DefinitionINSTRUCTIONS:Please respond by using the blue check markYes8Exercise:Problem DefinitionAccenture has been hired by the Executive VP of M
10、arketing of a successful software firm to assist with the launch of a new software product.Although the company is a leader in its field,it recognizes that its core market is beginning to slow and that new technology is beginning to erode its market share.The companys new product(code named Woodstoc
11、k)is its attempt to enter this newer,higher growth market.Although the target launch date is rapidly approaching,the VP of Marketing is concerned that his teams launch plan is not ready for prime time.He has asked Accenture to analyze the launch plan,determine the companys capability to execute a su
12、ccessful launch,and recommend steps to improve the likelihood of a successful launch.The launch plan incorporates both a marketing approach and a sales initiative.The marketing approach aims to create awareness and enthusiasm in current customers and other potential buyers.The sales initiative detai
13、ls an approach to deploying the companys sales force.The company was acquired by a large telecom company 18 months ago,due in some part to the potential of this new software product.The parent company is keeping a watchful eye on developments at the software firm and has recently reassigned several
14、of its executives into leadership positions at the software firm.Define the key question for Project Woodstock.9Desired Outcomes of the Project:Sponsors:Out of Scope:In Scope:Key Decision Makers:Criteria for Quality:Key Facts(Situation):Need for Change(Complication):Client:Key Question:Pitfalls lurk
15、 beyond defining the key questions on the worksheet.BUYERSCONTEXTSCOPE10Decomposition of the key question into its component issues is the essence of issue mapping.11Should we pursue the 1st time buyer market in PCs?Matches our target segments?Differentiates us in the marketplace?Costs to serve?Reve
16、nue potential?Brings us to parity with competitors?Aligned with brand image?Keeps us competitive?Total market size?Our likely market share?Incremental sales and marketing costs?Incremental operational costs?Problem/IssueSub-issuesSub-sub-issuesMapping issues on a tree ensures thoroughness and focus.
17、Is a 1st time buyer strategy aligned with our corporate strategy?Will 1st time buyers be profitable for us?12How toimproveprofitability?Increase volume?Increase revenue capture?Optimize price?Improve mix?Stimulate demand?Increase share?The challenge lies in finding a meaningful basis of decompositio
18、n.Reduce costs?Increase revenues?1.Formula13Why were new product sales poor?Low quality?Not trendy enough?Not sleek enough?The challenge lies in finding a meaningful basis of decomposition.Inadequate promotion?Poor product design?2.FrameworkIneffective placement?Price too high?Lack of advertising do
19、llars?Small sales force?No buy in by head of marketing?Product came out late?Couldnt find right channels?Manufacturing too expensive?Economy sagging?Counter offering on base price?14The challenge lies in finding a meaningful basis of decomposition.3.CreativityObstacle TreeDirect AnalogyWhat are the
20、major obstacles to overcoming this challenge?List the obstaclesOrder the obstacles by difficulty of overcomingWrite the obstacles on the tree branches,with the easiest to overcome at the bottom and the hardest on topHow could we remove each obstacle?Write the key action above the obstacle on the tre
21、eChallengeCrumble packed tightlyOccupy too much space packed looselyNatural analogyDried vs.pressedFlattenPress moistSource:ThinkertoysSource:101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques15Starts with the problem and decomposes it to arrive at a solutionStarts with a potential solution and develops a rati
22、onale to validate or disprove itMakes no initial assumption about the most likely outcomeAssumes an answer and creates a structure to test itReason/ActionReason/ActionReason/ActionReason/ActionReason/ActionReason/ActionProblem/IssuePotential SolutionIssue trees may be rooted in data or hypotheses.Hy
23、pothesis-DrivenData-Driven16To be logically sound,every grouping must be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive(MECE).Logic is complete at every levelElements at any level are logically part of the level aboveElements in any grouping are same kind of thing and of same logical weightAcquire n
24、ew customersDevelop current customersHow can BigCoincrease sales?Overall increase of existing marketIncrease share of existing marketEnter new marketsHow can BigCo increase sales?17Exercise:MECEWhich tree is MECE?#1#2Tree#1Tree#2Low quality?Not trendy enough?Not sleek enough?Inadequate promotion?Poo
25、r product design?Ineffective placement?Price too high?Lack of advertising dollars?Small sales force?No buy in by head of marketing?Product came out late?Couldnt find right channels?Manufacturing too expensive?Economy sagging?Counter offering on base price?Question:Why were new product sales poor?Low
26、 quality?Not trendy enough?Not sleek enough?Inadequate promotion?Poor product design?Small sales force?Ineffective placement?Lack of advertising dollars?Benchmark best practices?No buy in by head of marketing?Product came out late?Couldnt find right channels?18Exercise:Issue MappingDevelop the next
27、two levels of this issue tree.Is the Project Woodstock go-to-market plan likely to succeed?19Exercise InstructionsYou will be working individually on this exercise.An announcement will be made 5 minutes before we are ready to debrief.When the 5 minute announcement is made,you will enter the first br
28、anches of the issue tree into the text chat.20IBPS Evaluation ChecklistHow well does the key question meet the criteria for success?Simple question?Phrased clearly and accurately?Focus on most important issues?Address need to change?Would the basis of decomposition chosen for the issue tree be likel
29、y to help a project team:Understand the dimensions of the overall problem?Plan the research and analysis to undertake?Is the issue tree MECE?Is the issue tree developed in adequate detail?Precise language?Enough levels?21Building on the issue tree,this worksheet can help the team make key planning d
30、ecisions.Issue Analysis WorksheetIssue:key questionSub-issue:one branch of issue tree“Best guess”on how to solve problemIssue may have multiple hypothesesTools/techniques team will use to prove or disprove each hypothesisLikely location or means of obtaining data for analysisPrimary and secondary so
31、urcesIssue/Sub-issueAnalysisRequiredHypothesisDataRequired/SourcesTimeResourcesQualityCertainty requiredFactors in Making ChoicesAre competitors winning market share on price?Yes,products comparable to XYZs are being sold less expensively by competitorsTrend of average product prices and comparison
32、of XYZs prices to those of key competitorsGovernment,association,and/or company statistics;industry literature22Exercise:Issue AnalysisWhat planning question should each situation trigger?SituationPlanning QuestionA.Need to compare industry results across five countriesB.Need to interview 50 executi
33、ves for insights into the clients situationC.Create IT best practices for government sector1.What secondary research can locate analogies?2.Does the team include experts in ROI?3.Do sources use comparable statistics?4.How will the final report use and display the information?23Allocation by SourceTh
34、e completed worksheet feeds into the workplan that breaks the analyses into discrete pieces of work.Identifies who will do the workDetermines how long each step will takeDefines the effort by skill levelDocuments what will be produced(deliverables)GRAND TOTALTaskElapsedTime AnalysisExecutive Mgmt.Pr
35、oject Mgmt.ExpertAnalysis TOTALExecutive Mgmt.Project Mgmt.Project Mgmt.ExpertAnalysis Work Days by Skill TypeClientAccenture24Additional ResourcesReference Books:James M.Higgins,101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques:The Handbook of New Ideas for BusinessMorgan D.Jones,The Thinkers Toolkit:14 Powerful Techniques for Problem SolvingMichael Michalko,Thinkertoys:A Handbook of Business Creativity for the 90sIBPS Toolbar:https:/ 25Questions?26