Uni

tThr
ee:Anal
yzecausesofapr
obl
em

3.
1Li
sti
ngal
lpossi
blecauseofpr
obl
em

Pr
obl
emscanhav
easi
ngl
eunder
lyi
ngcause.Onev
eryef
fect
iveappr
oacht
o
ef
fect
ivepr
obl
em sol
vi
ngi
sRootCauseAnal
ysi
s(RCA)
.RCA i
soneoft
hemost
wi
del
yusedt
ool
s/t
echni
quesf
ordet
ect
ingi
ssues.

ThepowerofRootCauseAnal
ysi
sli
esi
nit
sabi
l
ityt
oanal
yzet
hesi
tuat
ionand
pi
npoi
ntt
her
ootoft
hepr
obl
ems– r
athert
hant
reat
ingt
hesy
mpt
oms.Thi
s
sy
stemat
icappr
oachf
ocusesoni
dent
if
yingbot
h,act
ivepr
obl
emsandl
atenter
ror
s,
whi
chcauseadv
ersesi
tuat
ionsandev
ent
s.I
tfocusesoni
dent
if
yingt
hemai
ncause
oft
hepr
obl
em.

Ther
ootcauseofal
lpr
obl
emsi
signor
ance.
”

Andt
obecl
ear
,“pr
obl
em sol
vi
ng”and“
impr
ovement
”ar
elear
ningpr
ocesses.I
f
y
oudi
dn'
tl
ear
n,y
oudi
dn'
tsol
vet
hepr
obl
em,
andy
oudi
dn'
ti
mpr
oveany
thi
ng.

3.
2Per
for
m aRootCauseAnal
ysi
sin5St
eps

1.Def
inet
hepr
obl
em.

2.Gat
herdat
a.

3.I
dent
if
ycausal
fact
ors.

4.Det
ermi
net
her
ootcause(
s).

5.Recommendandi
mpl
ementsol
uti
on
3.
3Possi
blecauseofpr
obl
em

1.wasteofoverproducti
on(
lar
gestwast
e)

2.Wast
eoft
imeonhand(
wai
ti
ng)

3.Wast
eoft
ranspor
tat
ion.

4.Wast
eofpr
ocessi
ngi
tsel
f.

5.Wast
eofst
ockathand.

6.Wast
eofmov
ement
.

7.Wast
eofmaki
ngdef
ect
ivepr
oduct
s.

Thei
dent
if
icat
ionandsel
ect
ionofappr
opr
iat
eopt
ionsf
oraddr
essi
ngapr
obl
em
shoul
dbegui
dedbyanunder
standi
ngofi
tscause.Suchi
nsi
ght
smayal
sol
ead
t
otheor
igi
nalf
rami
ngchoi
cebei
ngchanged.Of
tent
hecausesofheal
thsy
stems
pr
obl
emsar
ecompl
exanduncer
tai
nandi
tmaybemor
eappr
opr
iat
etoconsi
der
under
lyi
ngf
act
orswi
thoutat
tri
but
ingcausat
ion.Thepr
ocessofcl
ari
fyi
ngt
he
causeorunder
lyi
ngf
act
orsi
sunl
i
kel
ytobesi
mpl
eorl
i
near
.Andal
thoughi
tmay
bepossi
blet
oreduceuncer
tai
ntyaboutt
hecause,i
tmaybeequal
l
yormor
e
i
mpor
tantt
ocl
ari
fyuncer
tai
ntyaboutt
hecause.St
rat
egi
esf
orcl
ari
fyi
ngt
he
causeofheal
thsy
stem pr
obl
emsi
ncl
udeusi
ngei
therbr
oaderormor
especi
fi
c
f
ramewor
ks,br
ainst
ormi
ng,
rev
iewi
ngr
elev
antr
esear
chev
idence,
andi
nter
viewswi
th
keyi
nfor
mant
s.
3.
4Anal
yzi
ngcauseusi
ng4M1E

Causeandef
fectanal
ysi
sconcer
nedMan,Machi
ne,Mat
eri
al,Met
hodand
Env
ironment(
4M1E)whi
chwer
eappl
i
edi
nthi
spr
ocess.

I
twasr
eveal
edt
hatt
henumberoft
ent
ati
vecauseswas12f
act
orsasshowni
n
Tabl
e2.Thesef
act
orswer
eusedf
orf
urt
heranal
yzi
ngt
her
elat
ionshi
pbet
ween
causeandr
elat
edef
fectusi
ngt
hecauseandef
fectmat
ri
x.
3.
5Usi
ngcr
eat
ivei
deagener
ati
onel
imi
nat
ecr
it
icalr
ootcause

Cr
eat
ivi
tycanbeani
mpor
tantt
rai
tofanent
repr
eneur
.Int
hatdi
scussi
on,
wel
ear
ned
aboutcr
eat
ivi
ty’
srol
eini
nnov
ati
onsol
vi
ng.Her
e,wewi
l
llooki
nmor
edept
hat
cr
eat
ivi
ty’
srol
ein.Let
’sf
ir
stf
ormal
l
ydef
inecr
eat
ivi
typr
obl
emast
hedev
elopmentof
or
igi
nal
ideast
osol
veani
ssue.Thei
ntentofbei
nganent
repr
eneuri
stobr
eakaway
f
rom pr
act
ical
nor
msandusei
magi
nat
iont
oembr
acequi
ckandef
fect
ivesol
uti
onst
o
anexi
sti
ngpr
obl
em,
usual
l
yout
sidet
hecor
por
ateenv
ironment
.Ani
deai
sat
hought
,
suggest
ion,orament
ali
mageaboutapossi
bleout
comeorcour
seofact
iont
hat
canbeusedt
ohel
pachi
eveapar
ti
cul
argoal
.Ideascanbet
angi
bleori
ntangi
ble.
Tangi
blei
deasI
ntangi
blei
deasar
ethoset
hatar
ewel
l
-for
medandt
hatcanbe
cl
ear
lydescr
ibed,expr
essed,orputi
ntoact
ion.ar
etheopposi
te;t
heyar
enot
easi
l
ydef
inedorcl
eari
ntheper
son'
smi
nd.I
deagener
ati
oni
sacr
eat
ivepr
ocess
t
hati
susedt
ofor
m new i
deasorconcept
sandt
ohel
pconv
erti
ntangi
blei
deas
i
ntot
angi
bleones.Thi
spr
ocessi
sal
sor
efer
redt
oasi
deat
ion.I
deagener
ati
on
i
nvol
vescomi
ngupwi
thmanyi
deasi
nagr
oupset
ti
ng,f
indi
ngway
stouse
t
hesei
deas,
andt
hent
ransf
err
ingt
hei
deast
oreal
-wor
ldi
nst
ances.

3.
5.1Usi
ngCr
eat
ivi
tyt
oSol
vePr
obl
ems

Ent
repr
eneur
sar
efacedwi
thsol
vi
ngmanypr
obl
emsast
heydev
elopt
hei
rideas
f
orf
il
li
nggaps,
whet
hert
hoseoppor
tuni
ti
esi
nvol
veest
abl
i
shi
nganew company
orst
art
inganew ent
erpr
isewi
thi
nanexi
sti
ngcompany
.Someoft
hesepr
obl
ems
i
ncl
udest
aff
ing,hi
ri
ngandmanagi
ngempl
oyees,handl
i
ngl
egalcompl
i
ance,
f
undi
ng,mar
ket
ing,andpay
ingt
axes.Bey
ondt
hemundaneact
ivi
ti
esl
i
sted,t
he
ent
repr
eneur
,ort
het
eam t
hatt
heent
repr
eneurput
sinpl
ace,i
sindi
spensabl
ein
mai
ntai
ningt
heongoi
ngcr
eat
ivi
tybehi
ndt
hepr
oductl
i
neorser
viceof
fer
ed.
I
nnov
ati
onandcr
eat
ivi
tyi
nthebusi
nessar
enecessar
ytoexpandt
hepr
oductl
i
ne
ordev
elopagr
oundbr
eaki
ngser
vice.I
tisnotnecessar
yfort
heent
repr
eneurt
ofeel
i
sol
atedwheni
tcomest
ofi
ndi
ngcr
eat
ivesol
uti
onst
oapr
obl
em.Ther
ear
esoci
eti
es,
t
ool
s,andnew met
hodsav
ail
abl
etospurt
hecr
eat
ivi
tyoft
heent
repr
eneurt
hat
wi
l
lfur
thersuppor
tthesuccessandexpansi
onofanew ent
erpr
ise.
14Lear
ning
andusi
ngent
repr
eneur
ialmet
hodst
osol
vepr
obl
emsal
l
evi
atest
hest
ressmany
st
art
upowner
sfeel
.Theent
repr
eneur
’scr
eat
ivi
tywi
l
lincr
easeusi
ngcol
l
abor
ati
ve
met
hodol
ogi
es.Someent
repr
eneur
ialcol
l
abor
ati
vemet
hodol
ogi
esi
ncl
ude
cr
owdsour
cing,br
ainst
ormi
ng,
stor
yboar
ding,andconduct
ingqui
ckonl
i
nesur
vey
s
t
otesti
deasandconcept
s,andt
eam cr
eat
ivi
tyact
ivi
ti
es.

Thef
ourst
epsar
easf
olows:
l

 Anal
yze—under
standt
her
ootcause

 Pl
an—det
ermi
nehowt
oresol
vet
hepr
obl
em.

I
mpl
ement
—Putt
her
esol
uti
oni
npl
ace.

 Ev
aluat
e—det
ermi
nei
fther
esol
uti
oni
spr
oduci
ngt
hedesi
redr
esul
ts.

3.
6Pr
epar
ingact
ionpl
ansuggestsol
uti
on

Anact
ionpl
anconsi
stsofsev
enst
eps:set
ti
ngobj
ect
ives,assessi
ngt
he
obj
ect
ives,i
dent
if
yingact
ionr
equi
redt
omeett
heobj
ect
ives,wor
kingouthow t
o
ev
aluat
etheact
ivi
ty,agr
eei
ngat
imef
ramef
oract
ion,i
dent
if
yingr
esour
ces
(
human,f
inanci
alandt
echni
cal
),f
inal
i
zingt
hepl
an,andev
aluat
ingt
her
esul
ts.

1.Setobj
ect
ives

Youneedt
oident
if
ycl
earobj
ect
ivest
hatwi
l
lgui
dey
ourwor
ktoachi
evet
he
r
esour
cecent
er’
sai
ms.Obj
ect
ivesneedt
obeachi
evabl
e-donotbeov
er-
ambi
ti
ous.Theyneedt
obemeasur
abl
e(f
orexampl
e,acer
tai
nnumberof
act
ivi
ti
escar
ri
edoutwi
thi
nacer
tai
nper
iod)
,sot
haty
oucanknowwhet
hery
ou
hav
eachi
evedt
hem.

Asky
our
sel
f:
  Whatdowewantt
oachi
eve?

 Exampl
eofanai
m:Todi
ssemi
nat
einf
ormat
iont
hatwi
l
limpr
ovel
ocal
heal
th
wor
ker
s’knowl
edgeofl
ocal
heal
thpr
obl
ems.

 Exampl
eofanobj
ect
ive:Topr
oduceanddi
str
ibut
eani
nfor
mat
ionpackon
mal
ari
adi
agnosi
sandmanagementt
oal
lheal
thcl
i
nicsi
nthedi
str
ictt
henext
t
hreemont
hs.

2.Assesst
heobj
ect
ives

Assessmenthel
pst
odet
ermi
newhet
herornott
heobj
ect
ivei
sappr
opr
iat
e.I
tmay
r
esul
tinconf
ir
mingt
heobj
ect
ive,
abandoni
ngi
torr
evi
singi
t.Asky
our
sel
f:

 I
stheobj
ect
ivecompat
ibl
ewi
tht
her
esour
cecent
er’
sai
msandobj
ect
ives?

 Ar
ethenecessar
yresour
ces(
funds,
equi
pment
,st
aff
)av
ail
abl
etor
eacht
his
obj
ect
ive?I
fnot
,ar
etheyobt
ainabl
e?

 Whatpr
obl
emsmi
ghtar
isei
nwor
kingt
oachi
evet
hisobj
ect
ive?

 Exampl
eofr
esour
cesneededt
ocar
ryoutt
heobj
ect
ive:st
afft
ime,
rel
evant
mat
eri
alsi
nther
esour
cecent
erorobt
ainabl
efr
om el
sewher
e,st
ati
oner
y,
phot
ocopi
er,
post
age.

 Exampl
eofr
evi
sedobj
ect
ive:Topr
oduceanddi
str
ibut
eani
nfor
mat
ionpackon
mal
ari
adi
agnosi
sandmanagementt
o20heal
thcl
i
nicsandt
rai
ningi
nst
it
uti
ons
wi
thi
nthenextsi
xmont
hs.

3.I
dent
if
yact
ionr
equi
redt
oachi
evet
heobj
ect
ive

Aser
iesoft
asksneedst
obei
dent
if
iedf
ort
heobj
ect
ivest
obeachi
eved.
Li
stt
heseasst
eps.Asky
our
sel
f:

 Whatt
asksar
enecessar
y,i
nwhator
der
,tomeett
heobj
ect
ive
 Exampl
e:

 1.Pl
ant
hecont
entoft
hei
nfor
mat
ionpackanddeci
dehowt
o
di
str
ibut
ethepacks,
inconsul
tat
ionwi
thot
herst
affanduser
s.

 2.Cal
cul
atecost
sandst
afft
ime,
andmakesur
ethatf
undsandt
imear
e
av
ail
abl
e.

 3.Al
l
ocat
eresponsi
bil
i
ties.

 4.Gat
heri
nfor
mat
ionf
ort
hepack(
sear
chr
esour
cecent
er,
cont
actot
her
or
gani
zat
ions)
.

 5.Requestper
missi
onf
rom publ
i
sher
stophot
ocopymat
eri
al.

 6.Phot
ocopymat
eri
alandpr
epar
epacks.

 7.Di
str
ibut
epacks.

4.Wor
kouthowt
oev
aluat
etheact
ivi
ty

Pl
ansf
orf
indi
ngouthow f
art
heact
ivi
tyhasachi
evedi
tsobj
ect
ivesneedt
obe
bui
l
tint
otheact
ionpl
an.Asky
our
sel
f:

 Howwi
l
lweknowwhet
herwehav
eachi
evedourobj
ect
ives

Exampl
e:

 Cont
actf
ivecl
i
nicst
oseewhet
hert
heyhav
erecei
vedt
hepacks.

 I
ncl
udeanev
aluat
ionf
ormi
nthepack,aski
ngheal
thwor
ker
swhet
hert
he
i
nfor
mat
ionhasi
mpr
ovedt
hei
rknowl
edge,how t
heyhav
eusedt
he
i
nfor
mat
ion,
andhowf
utur
epackscoul
dbei
mpr
oved.Assesst
hef
eedbackf
rom
t
hef
orms.Theni
ncor
por
atepl
ansf
orev
aluat
ioni
ntoy
ouract
ionpl
an.

Theni
ncor
por
atepl
ansf
orev
aluat
ioni
ntoy
ouract
i an.
onpl
Exampl
e(showi
ngpl
ansf
orev
aluat
ioni
nbol
dit
ali
cs)
:

1.Pl
ant
hecont
entoft
hei
nfor
mat
ionpack,i
ncl
udi
ngev
aluat
ionf
orms,and
deci
dehow t
odi
str
ibut
ethepacks,
inconsul
tat
ionwi
thot
herst
affanduser
s.

2.Cal
cul
atecost
sandst
afft
ime,
andmakesur
ethatf
undsandt
imear
eav
ail
abl
e.

3.Al
l
ocat
eresponsi
bil
i
ties.

4.Gat
heri
nfor
mat
ionf
ort
hepack(
sear
chr
esour
cecent
re,
cont
actot
heror
gani
sat
ions)
.

5.Requestper
missi
onf
rom publ
i
sher
stophot
ocopymat
eri
al.6.Pr
epar
eev
aluat
ion
f
orms.

7.Phot
ocopymat
eri
al,
prepar
epacks.

8.Di
str
ibut
epacks.

9.Cont
actcl
i
nicst
oseei
ftheyhav
erecei
vedpacks.

10.Rev
isepl
ansf
ordi
str
ibut
ingpacksi
ftheyhav
enotr
eachedsomecl
i
nics.

11.Assesst
hef
eedbackf
rom t
heev
aluat
ionf
ormsandusei
ttopl
anf
utur
ewor
k.

5.Agr
eeat
imef
rame

Asy
oui
dent
if
yeacht
ask,wor
kouthow l
ongi
twi
l
ltakeandwheni
tneedst
o
bedone.Thi
swi
l
lhel
pyout
oseewhet
hery
ouract
ionpl
ani
sonschedul
eor
whet
hery
ouneedt
omodi
fyt
heschedul
e.Asky
our
sel
f:

 Whati
stheact
ual
timer
equi
redf
oreachi
ndi
vi
dual
task?(
Becar
eful
nott
o
under
est
imat
e)

 Whenwi
l
leachst
epbecompl
eted?Exampl
e:Tot
alof18day
sov
erat
hree-
mont
hper
iod6.Assesst
heact
ionpl
anAsky
our
sel
f:

 Howwi
l
lyouknowwhet
hert
hei
ndi
vi
dual
taskshav
ebeenachi
eved?
  Hav
eyoual
l
owedf
orpossi
blei
nter
rupt
ions?

 Hav
eyout
ri
edt
odot
oomuchort
ool
i
ttl
e?

6.Assesst
heact
ionpl
an

Asky
our
sel
f:

 Howwi
l
lyouknowwhet
hert
hei
ndi
vi
dual
taskshav
ebeenachi
eved?

 Hav
eyoual
l
owedf
orpossi
blei
nter
rupt
ions?

 Hav
eyout
ri
edt
odot
oomuchort
ool
i
ttl
e?

Anact
ionpl
anmustber
eal
i
sti
cifi
tist
owor
k.I
tiseasyt
oov
er-
est
imat
ewhat
y
oucando,
leadi
ngt
odi
sappoi
ntmentandf
ail
ure.Forexampl
e:

1.Leaf
let
sthaty
ouhadpl
annedt
oincl
udei
nthepackmayhav
erunoutand
needt
ober
epr
int
ed.Cany
ousubst
it
utesomet
hingel
se,orwi
l
lyouneedt
o
ar
rangef
ort
hem t
ober
epr
int
edbef
orey
oucanf
ini
shpr
epar
ingt
hepacks?

2.Thememberofst
affpr
epar
ingt
hepackwi
l
ltakeannuall
eav
eforsi
xweeks
dur
ingt
heper
iodi
nwhi
cht
hepackwaspl
annedt
obepr
epar
ed.Cany
our
e-
schedul
ethewor
k,orcansomeoneel
sedoi
t?

7.Fi
nal
izet
heact
ionpl
an

Rev
iset
heact
ionpl
an.Obt
ainf
eedbackandcomment
sfr
om col
l
eagues,and
r
evi
sei
tagai
nifnecessar
y.