Es fundamental hacer correctamente esta etapa, ya que son la base de todo lo que sigue. También es importante no intentar definir posibles soluciones, solo se deben enfocar los recursos en definir claramente el problema.

First, to optimize processes or systems, define the problem, including the goal, challenge, or opportunity, measure current and desired states, identify stakeholders and their needs, and understand the context to avoid premature conclusions.

When defining a problem, be careful not to try to find the solution. More than that - challenge those in the room that do! There may be a glaring fix to your problem... but that doesn't help if your problem is a symptom of something deeper. Especially if it's a cultural issue. If you have a persistent stomach ache, you'd see a doctor. Sure, you might take some painkillers in the short term, but a minor complaint can be indicative of a bigger problem. It's worth investigating.

A common challenge I've observed is the difficulty everyone faces in precisely articulating the problem. For instance, if we examine a process that currently takes a day to complete and is deemed slow, this isn't the problem itself but an initial observation. Defining the problem starts with such observations. From these, goals can be formulated, such as aiming for the process to conclude within 4 hours. With both observations and goals established, we can pinpoint areas where the process is consuming excessive time or analyze the gaps in current situation. In the process of defining the problem, it's beneficial to analyze the impact, as this evaluation aids in prioritizing the solution process.

Dig into the problem using tools like the 5 Why's, Fishbone Diagram, or Pareto Chart to identify contributing factors and influences, focusing on solving the root causes rather than just symptoms.

Use creative techniques like SCAMPER, Mind Mapping, Six Thinking Hats, or Reverse Brainstorming to generate solutions and explore new perspectives.

En mi opinión, la mejor manera de definir las posibles soluciones, es mediante un equipo multidisciplinario, de manera de asegurar una amplia visión del problema que no limite las opciones de soluciones.

For evaluation, there are many tools avaialble. But using data for analysis becomes primary. Look at the accuracy of the data collected during the phase of understanding the problems. Quantifying can be a good way to understand by how you need to improve and accordingly allocate efforts. Cost evaluation and Risk Mitigation can be very important success factors in optimizing processes. Today, BI based solutions are offering insights as a service for businesses to evaluate better and optimize processes creatively and with accuracy. Considering integrating BI in your data and understand your business outcomes better.

Un equipo multidisciplinario, es capaz de hacer el análisis que incluya todos los puntos de vista posibles de manera que se pueda definir una solución práctica y definitiva al problema.

Implement the chosen solution with careful planning, execution, and stakeholder coordination, then monitor results, outcomes, and effects, collect feedback to ensure effectiveness, validate assumptions, and adapt the approach for continuous improvement.

Implementing a solution and monitoring a solutions are two different steps. It would be ideal to focus on proper implementation, because that will make monitoring accurate. While implementing a solution, we need a plan. A plan that helps you effectively implement the solution and measure its outcomes. Conducting surveys after implementation are a good way to know how well it works for you (in case of customers or employees) About monitoring a solution, one needs to extract the data points for monitoring, resort to latest tools and have a test hypothesis to know what can be done better.

Soy promotor de los equipos multidisciplinarios para la solución de problemas, creo que esto asegura la visión completa de los diferentes aspectos del tema a analizar y asi se puede definir soluciones integrales y definitivas, que eliminen la posibilidad de que el problema se repita.