Chapter 2
Problem analysis
Dr. Nguyen Duc Duy
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Title Text
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“A Problem Well-Defined is a Problem Half-Solved”
▪ Body Level One Charles Kettering
• Body Level Two
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
“We fail more
•
often because we solve the wrong problem than because we
Body Level Five
get the wrong solution to the right problem.”
Russell L. Ackoff
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What is problem?
Title Text
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▪ problem
• noun
▪ Body Level One
• /ˈprɒb.ləm/
Body Level Two
• a situation,
➢ person,
Body Level Threeor thing that needs attention and needs to be dealt with or
solved
• Body Level Four
▪ A problem •canBody
defined as any situation in which a gap is perceived to exist
Level Five
between what is and what should be. - Arthur B. Van Gundy Jr. (1988)
▪ The disparity between the desired state and the existing state of the
system -Sabherwal and Grover (1989)
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Title Text for problem identification
Conditions
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▪ The disparity between the desired state and the existing state of the system
▪ Perceiving the gap
Body Level One
• Body
▪ There is motivation/demand/need
Level Two to eliminate the gap
➢ Body
▪ Measure theLevel
gap Three
• Body Level Four
▪ Capability and resources to solve the problem.
• Body Level Five
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Title Text
AIC
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• Duration: 10 mins
•▪ Body
GivenLevel
a problem
One and answer questions:
• What
Body isLevel
yourTwo
problem?
• Why do you
➢ Body think
Level it is a problem?
Three
• •
Hint:Body Level Four
Conditions for problem identification
• Body Level Five
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Titleiceberg
The Text principle
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▪ Body Level One
• Body Level Two
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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Title Textclassifications
Problem
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• Structured/ ill-structured
•▪ Body
Frequency/ repeatable
Level One
• Body Level
• Influence level Two
➢ Body
• Urgent, Level Three
pressing, emergency Blockage of the Suez Canal, March 2021
• Body Level Four
The black swan• theory Body Level Five
or theory of black
swan events is a metaphor that describes an
event that comes as a surprise, has a major
effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized
after the fact with the benefit of hindsight.
- Is the container vessel Ever Given's blocking of the Suez Canal potentially the black swan event of 2021?
- Is the COVID-19 being a Black Swan event?
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Title Text
How does time management get into problem-solving?
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▪ Body Level One
• Body Level Two
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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Title Text
Breakthrough >< Continuous Improvement
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▪ Body Level One
• Body Level Two
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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How to analyse/identify a problem?
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Title Textfollowing questions
Answer
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▪ What is the problem?
• Define the problem clearly and concisely. This is a crucial step that sets the foundation for
▪ Body
theLevel
entire One
problem-solving process. The problem statement should articulate what issue
needs to be addressed.
• Body Level Two
▪ Who are decision makers?
➢ Body Level Three
• Determine the key stakeholders or decision-makers involved in solving the problem. These
could• beBody Level Four
individuals or groups responsible for making decisions regarding the problem's
resolution.
• Body Level Five
▪ What are the possible and relevant solutions?
• Generate a list of potential solutions that could address the identified problem. It's
important to consider various options and their feasibility.
▪ What are the characteristics of the possible solution in each group of
solutions?
• Evaluate each solution based on its characteristics, such as cost, feasibility, time required
for implementation, potential risks, and ethical considerations.
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Title Textfollowing questions
Answer
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▪ What are the outcomes of the possible solution?
• Determine
▪ Body the potential outcomes or consequences of implementing each solution.
Level One
Consider both short-term and long-term impacts on various aspects, including
• Body Level Two
stakeholders, finances, resources, and the problem itself.
➢ Body Level Three
• What are the Evaluative criteria for possible solution?
• Body Level Four
• Establish criteria for evaluating the potential solutions. These criteria could include
• Body Level Five
effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, ethical implications, and alignment with
organizational goals.
▪ What are the assumptions of the problem?
• Identify any underlying assumptions that might influence how the problem is
perceived or approached. These assumptions could impact the analysis and
potential solutions.
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Title Text
Solutions
•Click to editSolutions:
Possible Master text styles
These are all the solutions that could potentially solve the
problem.
• During
▪ Body Level theOne
problem-solving process, you might brainstorm all possible solutions, letting
• your
Body
imagination range freely. However, not all possible solutions are practical or
Leveldue
achievable Twoto constraints such as time, resources, or specific conditions of the
problem.
➢ Body Level Three
• Feasible • Solutions: These are a subset of possible solutions that are practical and
Body Level Four
achievable •given the
Body constraints
Level Five of the problem.
• Feasible solutions meet all the requirements and constraints of the problem. In other
words, they are both possible and suitable for implementation.
• Candidate Solutions: In the field of optimization, a candidate solution is a member of
a set of possible solutions to a given problem.
• A candidate solution does not have to be a likely or reasonable solution to the
problem. The space of all candidate solutions is called the feasible region, feasible set,
search space, or solution space.
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Title Text
Solutions
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• Optimal Solution: The optimal solution refers to the most favorable or
advantageous
▪ Body Level Oneoutcome among a set of possible solutions based on specific
criteria or objectives.
• Body Level Two
• Best Solution: The "best solution" is a more subjective term and may vary
➢ Body Level Three
based on different perspectives, priorities, or criteria.
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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Title Textsolution classification in supply chain
Possible
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• Complexity/Complication
•▪ Body
Importance
Level One
• Body Level Two
• Frequency
➢ Body Level Three
• When
• Where • Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
• ….
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Title Text
Criteria
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▪ a standard by which you judge, decide about, or deal with something
•▪ Body
Examples:
Level One
• •Body
Quality
Level Two
•➢ Cost
Body Level Three
• Delivery
• Body Level Four
• •
Service Body Level Five
• Innovation
• Sustainability
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Title Text
Modeling
▪ Model: A Model is a selected simplified representation of the essential or
Click to edit
relevant Master(modules)
entities text stylesof some specific reality and their characteristics
(fields, factors, features).
• Physical
▪ Body Level One
models (also called iconic models)
• ➢ AnLevel
Body IconicTwo
Model is a look-alike representation of some specific entity
➢ e.g.
Bodya Level
houseThree
• Analogue
• Body Level Four
➢ An Analogue
• Model
Body Level Five is the representation of entities of a system by analogue
entities pertaining to the model
➢ e.g. through diagrams.
• Symbolic
➢ A Symbolic Model is the representation of entities of a system through symbols.
➢ e.g. S=v*t
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Titlerole
The Textof the wind tunnel in F1
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▪ Body Level One
• Body Level Two
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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Model Characteristics
Title Text
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▪ Randers (1980) distinguished nine general characteristics of models, where the
objective of the study determines the importance of each of the characteristics. These
▪ general characteristics
Body Level One are:
•• insight-generating
Body Level Two capacity: the model increases insight into the system and its
image;
• ➢ Body Level
descriptive Three system and model structure are similar;
realism:
• model
• reproduction
Body Level Four ability: model reproduces typical system behaviour;
• transparency:
• Body Level Five
the model is useable and understandable, also by non-experts;
• relevance: according to experts, the model provides meaningful solutions to the
problem;
• ease of enrichment: the model can easily be adapted;
• fertility: the model stimulates generation of new ideas, new experiments, new policy;
formal correspondence with data: the model reproduces known observations
accurately;
• point predictive ability: the model makes good predictions.
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Title Text
Data
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▪ The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “data” as (1):
• factual
▪ Body Level information
One (such as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for
• reasoning,
Body Leveldiscussion,
Two or calculation
• information
➢ Body Levelin digital
Three form that can be transmitted or processed
• information
• output
Body Level Fourby a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and
irrelevant
• or redundant
Body Level Five information and must be processed to be meaningful
▪ Data for system evaluation:
• Productivity/ process yield/ efficiency….
• Number of labors, machines, production lines….
• Order leadtime, cycle time, idle time…
• Etc.
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Title Text
Data
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▪ Body Level One
• Body Level Two
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
Process yield. Where products are
involved, process yield is defined as the ratio
of output of good product (i.e., defective
product is not included) to the quantity of raw
material input.
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Title Text
Assumption
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Definition
• Merriam-Webster
▪ Body Level One defines an assumption as “an assuming that something is
• true” and “aTwo
Body Level fact or statement taken for granted.” Synonyms include “given,”
“hypothetical,” “postulate,” “premise,” “presumption,” “presupposition,” and
➢ Body Level Three
“supposition.”
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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Title Text
Assumption
Click toofedit
Types Assumptions
Master text styles
▪ Body
Paradigmatic
Level Oneassumptions are what we use to structure the world around us:
• Body
“how we Level
live our
Twolives”
▪ Prescriptive assumptions,
➢ Body Level Three as defined by Brookfield (1995), are assumptions
about what
• should
Body happen in certain situations
Level Four
▪ Causal assumptions,
• Body Level Fiveaccording to Brookfield (1995), are assumptions about
how different parts of the world work and about the conditions under which
these can be changed. They are also known as predictive assumptions.
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Title Text
Assumption
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Questions
▪Matching A and
Body Level B
One
• Body Level Two A B
➢ Body Level Three
a) Demand is certain I. Paradigmatic assumptions
• Body Level Four
b) Inventory
• BodyReduction
Level Five and Cost Savings II. Prescriptive assumptions
c) Just-in-Time (JIT) Delivery III. Causal assumptions
d) Technology Adoption and Process Efficiency
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Title Textstatement
Problem
•Click
A problem statement
to edit Master is an explanation in research that describes the
text styles
issue that is in need of study. What problem is the research attempting to
address?
▪ Body Level One
• Having a Problem Statement allows the reader to quickly understand the
• Bodyand
purpose Level Two of the research.
intent
Body Level
• It is ➢expected Three
to be brief and concise, and should not include the findings of
the research
• Bodyor detailed
Level Four data. The average length of a research statement is
generally about
• one
Body Levelpage.
Five
• It is going to define the problem, which can be thought of as a gap in the
information base. There may be several solutions to this gap or lack of
information, but that is not the concern of the problem statement.
• Its purpose is to summarize the current information and where
a lack of knowledge may be presenting a problem that needs to
be investigated.
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Title Textstatement
Problem
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• The purpose of the problem statement is to identify the issue that is a
concern
▪ Body and
Level focus it in a way that allows it to be studied in a systematic
One
way.
• Body Level Two
• It defines the problem and proposes a way to research a solution, or
➢ Body Level Three
demonstrates why further information is needed in order for a solution to
• Body Level Four
become possible.
• Body Level Five
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Title Text 3
Homework
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a) Using your thesis to answer following questions:
• What
▪ Body is the
Level Oneproblem?
• What
Body are the
Level assumptions of the problem?
Two
• ➢ Body
Who are Level Three
decision makers?
• •
What Body Level Four
are
•
the possible and relevant solutions?
Body Level Five
• What are the characteristics of the possible solution in each group of
solutions?
• What are the outcomes of the possible solution?
• What are the Evaluative criteria for possible solution?
• Write a problem statement.
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Title Text
AIC
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VinaAuto Parts Ltd. is a mid-sized Vietnamese manufacturer that produces
▪ components for major automotive companies. Recently, the company has faced
Body Level One
increasing pressure due to rising costs, inefficiencies in production, and
• Body Level Two
customer complaints about delayed deliveries.
➢ Body Level Three
The CEO has decided to implement Lean Manufacturing to improve efficiency,
• Body Level Four
reduce waste, and enhance customer satisfaction. However, this decision has
• Body Level Five
sparked internal debates, as different departments see the issue from different
perspectives.
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Title Text
AIC
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Key Issues:
•▪ Body
Excessive
Level Inventory:
One The company holds large amounts of raw materials and
• Bodygoods,
finished leading to high storage costs.
Level Two
• Production Delays:
➢ Body Level ThreeWorkers often wait for materials due to poor coordination
between
• departments.
Body Level Four
• Defects and• Rework: A significant percentage of parts require rework, leading
Body Level Five
to additional costs and delays.
• Employee Resistance: Workers fear that Lean will result in job losses due to
automation and efficiency improvements.
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Title Text
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Stakeholder Perspectives:
1.
▪ Operations Manager: Wants to implement Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory to
Body Level One
• Bodywaste
reduce Levelbut
Twois concerned about supply chain disruptions.
2. Quality
➢ BodyControl
LevelTeam:
Three Supports Lean but argues that rushing production might
compromise
• quality.
Body Level Four
3. Workers’ Union:
• Opposes
Body Level Five Lean, fearing layoffs and increased workload.
4. Finance Department: Sees Lean as a way to reduce costs but is unsure about
the upfront investment.
5. Customers (Automakers): Expect on-time delivery and zero defects but are
considering switching to competitors due to delays.
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Title Text
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▪ How can the company balance efficiency and employee job security?
If you Level
▪ Body were the
OneCEO, what step-by-step plan would you propose to transition
• Body Level
smoothly into Lean
Two Manufacturing?
➢ Body Level Three
• Body Level Four
• Body Level Five
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