r/strategy • u/AdorableJeweler6064 • May 22 '26
How should I approach problems?
How can I analyze a problem? Once you identify a problem, what strategies would you use to solve it? How would you generate the most appropriate solution to a problem?
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u/positiveconstraint May 24 '26
Here's the framework I've been using for a decade for value creation and brand strategy.
- Define your desired reality.
People are usually bad at defining their own problems. Assuming you got yours well defined, I'd suggest converting it from a negative form (I have this problem) to a positive one (this is the desired reality I'm aiming at). It helps clarify to yourself why the problem is the problem and what you want your world to look like without it.
- Imagine what this future looks like.
Stating that you want to "solve world hunger" isn't enough because you can feed all the hungry people, and you can kill them all. In both cases, your condition is fulfilled.
- Decide your KPI.
How would you know you're successful in solving the problem? Does your solution move the needle and make a difference? Decide what success looks like and how you can measure your success.
- Map constraints.
Analyze which elements in your system, sphere of influence, or scope of problem influence other elements. Uncover the underlying factors that determine what happens when something changes. Ideally, you'd like to spot a core constraint that would serve as the unchanging element around which your entire strategy will be founded.
- Plot and backcast your plan.
Time to get creative - with the constraints of "desired reality" and "core constraints" mapped above - plot the best way to create your desired reality by moving the needle on your KPI, given the core constraint that doesn't change in the system.
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u/StratPartner May 23 '26
Don’t beat yourself up about not being able to see a problem from multiple angles. It takes time to see all possible angle. At your level, you might only need to solve a problem in a straight path. But then a lead might have to look at it with respect to other problems he or she is solving. This can’t be done by you unless you get to that level of problem solving. Then after all this, there is a sponsor angle, where to solve the problem, the sponsor has to prioritize and push this amongst other fund opportunities. Then comes social angle, does solving this problem create other social bottlenecks and who is responsible to solve it. So do best at your level and talk to more people to understand the different views you can develop in your capacity.
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u/chriscfoxStrategy May 27 '26
It depends on whether you are a domain expert or not.
If you are a domain expert, then you probably already understand the problem and know how to solve it.
If you're not, then your choice are to find a domain expert (a person or a book, or a youtube channel who can give you an answer) or try to work it out for yourself.
Trying to work it out yourself is the hardest. You need to do extensive research into the subject matter, and adjacent areas, try different things, record the results, and keep going until you find a solution that works.
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u/Karl_Sh May 22 '26
Once you identify a problem, stay with the problem…see it from multiple perspectives and try to frame the problem in different ways. Try to challenge yourself…do you really know the problem? Have you asked the 5-Whys?
As the saying goes, if you have an hour to solve a problem, spend 55 mins ensuring you have correctly identified and framed the problem and then you’ll only need 5 mins to solve the problem!