Introduction

to
Problem Analysis

Dr. Elijah Ezendu

FIMC, FCCM, FIIAN, FBDI, FAAFM, FSSM, MIMIS, MIAP, MITD, ACIArb, ACIPM,
PhD, DocM, MBA, CWM, CBDA, CMA, MPM, PME, CSOL, CCIP, CMC, CMgr
 Learning Objectives
At the end of the course, participants should be
able to do the following:
• Identify importance of problem analysis
• Identify workable model for problem analysis
• Apply multiple techniques of problem analysis in
ascertainment of key causes
• Use problem analysis to increase effectiveness of
managerial capacity
Problem Analysis is used to find the cause of a
positive or negative deviation. When people,
machinery, systems, or processes are not
performing as expected, Problem Analysis
points to the relevant information and leads
the way to the root cause. The process is used
to gather and analyze just the information
needed to find and correct the true cause of a
problem, making it particularly effective in
today’s data-rich environment. This promotes
rapid and accurate issue resolution.
Source: Kepner-Tregoe
“Problem analysis can be defined as dissecting
and thoroughly studying a problem with the
objective to understand how the problem
emerged and how it grew to its current
proportions.”
- Coert Visser
“It is the theory through which we observe a
situation that decides what we can observe.”
- Einstein
Types of Organisational Problems
• Technical Problem
• Process Problem
• Policy Problem
• Functional Problem
• Cultural Problem
• Structural Problem
• Procedural Problem
• Capacity Problem
• People Problem
• Location Problem
• Materials Problem
 Approaches in Problem Analysis

 Phenomelogical/ Social Constructivist

This involves shedding light on assumptions
and definitions based on value.

 Positivist/ Functionalistic
This is a fact-finding approach that focus on
ascertainment of cause and effect.
Model of Problem Analysis
 Verifying Subject of Analysis
This should be performed by engaging the
stakeholders by means of the following:

• Interview
• Meeting
• Observation
Identification of Problems
Related to Subject

• Brainstorming
• Lateral thinking
• Mind mapping
• Structured inquisition
Major Techniques of Problem Analysis

Force Field Analysis

Fishbone Analysis
Cause and Effect Trail
Critical Incidence Analysis
Five Whys
Interrelationship Digraph
 Force Field Analysis
Developed by Kurt Lewin.
It’s based on the concept of dynamic balance of
helping (driving) and hindering (restraining)
forces, emphasizing that problem will only
occur when there’s imbalance between them.
 Applying Force Field Analysis 1
Structuring the Forces

• Identify a problem
• Identify a better situation
• Use brainstorming to identify driving and restraining forces
• List the driving forces on opposite side of the restraining
forces
• Score each force on a scale of 1 to 5 in terms of ease of
change (5 = easiest, 1 = hardest)
• Identify aggregate on each side (the highest are easier to deal
with, while the lowest are more difficult to deal with)
 Applying Force Field Analysis 2
Strategies for Solution

• Changing strength of a force

• Changing direction of a force
• Remove some hindering forces
• Increase the number of helping forces
 Example of Force Field Analysis
The management of Odegbami Mills observed that there’s a high rate of staff
turnover. Force Field Analysis was used to analyse the problem as follows.
Restraining Forces

Poor No future for

Intensive Low industry
employee employees at
Poaching average salary
morale the top level
Ideal Situation
Staff turnover is a
tenth of its current level

Current Situation
Staff turnover is
dreadfully high
owner is Profitability New Career path
ready to allow level allows employee analysis is
employees to for increase engagement interesting to
ascend to top in salary programmes employees

Driving Forces
Source: Elijah Ezendu, Benchmarking
 Fishbone Analysis
This was developed by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa.
It’s a methodical way of determining the causes
that contribute to an identified effect.
It’s also known as cause and effect analysis.
 Applying Fishbone Analysis
1. Draw the fishbone diagram
2. List the problem at the head of that fish
3. Label each bone of the fish in one of the following format
- 4 P’s (Place, Procedure, Policies, People)
- 4 M’s (Manpower, Materials, Methods, Machines)
- 4 S’s (Suppliers, Skills, Surroundings, Systems)
- PEMPEM (plant, equipment, materials, people, environment,
methods)
4. Use brainstorming to identify factors in each category that are
causes of the problem
5. Use brainstorming to identify sub-factors under each factor
6. Identify the main causes
 Example of Fishbone Analysis
The Intelligence Unit of Ndubuisi and Sons Limited identified customer dissatisfaction
and linked it to its causes as follows:

Manpower Materials

Lack of training
Poor customer Non-availability of
service skill local manufacturer
Absence of
customer-centricity
advocacy team
Low quality
Customer
Dissatisfaction

Non suitability to Defective cross-functional

some products Processes

High level of waste

Frequent corrective Non-value adding

maintenance work-flows

Machines Methods

Source: Elijah Ezendu, Benchmarking

 Cause and Effect Trail
This is a diagram that shows the interrelated
causes of a problem and enables the
identification of the key cause.
 Applying Cause and Effect Trail

1. List the Effect or Problem at the centre

2. Identify and list the causes of that problem
around it
3. Use a line from a cause to its effect, placing
arrow towards the effect
4. Trace out intervening steps, wherein cause
leads to another.
 Example of Cause and Effect Trail
The Performance Manager of Olutayo Industries conducted enterprise-wide analysis
and found out that the causes of low employee performance which he depicted
using the cause and effect trail as shown below:

Leadership Style Improper Job Design Environmental Factors

Segregation Between Top Obsolete equipments

Management and Other Employees Low Professionalism
Improper empowerment
Poor Team Work
Dismal Diversity

Poor Intrapreneurship Low

Employee Problematic Software
Performance
Lack of Performance Poor Communication
Poor motivation
Incentives

Absence of Flexible Work System Delayed Promotion Low Value for Employees
Skill Shortage
Non Alignment of Employee & Uncompetitive Pay Poor Work-Life Balance
Organisational Objectives
Lack of Clear Career Progression Poor Learning Standard

Troublesome Organisational Structure

Source: Elijah Ezendu, Problem Analysis
 Critical Incidence Analysis
This is a method of problem analysis through
identification of the total activities of a
problem by engagement of people from
various parts of a firm’s value chain.
 Applying Critical Incidence Analysis
• Identify complete activity of a problem
• Appoint participants from various areas of the firm’s value
chain
• Place them in three or four groups
• Let each group state the key points about each process step,
noting the good and bad occurrences
• Then transfer the statement of each group to another, for
identification of log jams
• Collect the remarks of each group and compile to obtain the
final report of log jams.
• Identified log jams can be subjected to further analysis using
Five whys, Fishbone Analysis or Cause and Effect Trail
 Five Whys
This problem analysis technique was developed
by Sakichi Toyoda for probing further and
further into an identified problem, so as to
trace the line of causality through diverse
levels of effects to the key cause.
 Applying Five Whys
• Identify the problem
• Tender the first why
• Tender the second why, probing into the first
why
• Tender the third why, probing into the second
why
• Tender the fourth why, probing into the third
why
• Tender the fifth why, probing into the fourth why
• Ascertain the key cause
 Interrelationship Digraph
This technique is used for tracing the
interrelated factors in complex problems, with
the aim of proving the relationships between
those factors.
 Applying Interrelationship Digraph
• Identify the problem
• Place the problem at the centre
• Identify and list the causes of that problem around it
• Use a line from a cause to its effect, placing arrow towards
the effect
• Count the number of arrows heading into and out of each
factor
• Score each factor based on number of arrows heading
out/number of arrows heading into it
• The factor with the highest number of arrows heading out is
the key cause factor
 Uses of Problem Analysis
Performance Reengineering
Decision-Making
Operation Management
Benchmarking
Value Based Management
Competitive Intelligence
 Case Study
The management of John Codeliza International
observed discrepancies in employee morale
within the past 3 years. Due to its knack to
remain at the top of competitive web in
Nigeria, it demanded a repositioning of
employee morale to be in convergence with
the corporate brand profile. As a result, you
were required to conduct a wide spectrum
problem analysis in order to identify all the
key causes of the dip in employee morale.
Dr Elijah Ezendu is Award-Winning Business Expert & Certified Management Consultant with expertise
in Interim Management, Strategy, Competitive Intelligence, Transformation, Restructuring, Turnaround
Management, Business Development, Marketing, Project & Cost Management, Leadership, HR, CSR, e-
Business & Software Architecture. He had functioned as Founder, Initiative for Sustainable Business
Equity; Chairman of Board, Charisma Broadcast Film Academy; Group Chief Operating Officer, Idova
Group; CEO, Rubiini (UAE); Special Advisor, RTEAN; Director, MMNA Investments; Chair, Int’l Board of
GCC Business Council (UAE); Senior Partner, Shevach Consulting; Chairman (Certification & Training),
Coordinator (Board of Fellows), Lead Assessor & Governing Council Member, Institute of Management
Consultants, Nigeria; Lead Resource, Centre for Competitive Intelligence Development; Lead
Consultant/ Partner, JK Michaels; Turnaround Project Director, Consolidated Business Holdings Limited;
Technical Director, Gestalt; Chief Operating Officer, Rohan Group; Executive Director (Various Roles),
Fortuna, Gambia & Malta; Chief Advisor/ Partner, D & E; Vice Chairman of Board, Refined Shipping;
Director of Programmes & Governing Council Member, Institute of Business Development, Nigeria;
Member of TDD Committee, International Association of Software Architects, USA; Member of Strategic
Planning and Implementation Committee, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria;
Country Manager (Nigeria) & Adjunct Faculty (MBA Programme), Regent Business School, South Africa;
Adjunct Faculty (MBA Programme), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; Editor-in-Chief, Cost
Management Journal; Council Member, Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria; Member, Board of
Directors (Several Organizations). He holds Doctoral Degree in Management, Master of Business
Administration and Fellow of Professional Institutes in North America, UK & Nigeria. He is Innovator of
Corporate Investment Structure Based on Financials and Intangibles, for valuation highlighting
intangible contributions of host communities and ecological environment: A model celebrated globally
as remedy for unmitigated depreciation of ecological capital and developmental deprivation of host
communities. He had served as Examiner to Professional Institutes and Universities. He had been a
member of Guild of Soundtrack Producers of Nigeria. He's an author and extensively featured speaker.
Thank You