Problem-Solving

Tools
What they are. When to use them.
How to use them.

Fred Nickols
DISTANCE CONSULTING LLC
 Problem Solving Tools: What, When & How
Overview
This document presents 24 tools that are useful and valuable at various times in the course of solving a
problem. The tools are listed on the right side of this page.

Not all tools are relevant all the time or in every instance, but some are quite useful much of the time and a
few do have a role to play most of the time

The tools are presented one to a page. On the top part of the page is a visual showing an example of what the
tool in question might look like. Visual representations of the tool in question can vary quite a bit so keep in
mind that what is shown in this document is merely one example. On the bottom part of the page is a three-
part table that describes what the tool is, when to use it, and how to use it; hence the title of this document.

You can jump around from tool to tool if you like simply by clicking on the tool name below. To return to this
list, simply click on the name of the tool on the page it is presented.

Enjoy your foray through these tools.

List of Problem-Solving Tools

1.Affinity Diagram 13.Histogram 2.Benchmarking 14.Mindmap

3.Brainstorming
4.Check Sheet/Tally Sheet
 15.Nominal Group Technique
16.Paired Comparison
5.Control Chart/Shewhart Chart 17.Pareto Chart
6.Decision Tree 18.Relationship Diagram
7.Fishbone/Ishikawa Diagram 19.Run Chart
8.Five Whys
9.Flowchart
 20.Scatter Diagram/Scatter Plot
21.Standard Data Displays
10.Force Field Analysis 22.Stratification
11.Gantt Chart 23.Tree Diagram
12.Goals Grid 24.Weighted Comparison

Tool Categories
The tools listed above fit into three basic categories: Visualizing Problem Structures, Displaying Data and
Information, and Problem-Solving Techniques. The tools are sorted into these categories at the end of this
paper. To access that page, click here. To return to this page, click on the title of the category page.

For Additional Information

There is wealth of information about these tools on the internet, easily accessible and, for the most part, free
of charge. Simply Google the name of the tool about which you want more information.

© Fred Nickols 2020 Problem Solver’s Tool Kit Page 1

 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Affinity Diagram

What? When? How?

A way of organizing, Any time large amounts of • The issue or topic is stated
categorizing, and summarizing large information have been • Ideas and/or issues are generated,
amounts of information. generated, but particularly right after a usually
brainstorming session. as a result of brainstorming
• These are then recorded on 3x5 or
yellow
stickies and distributed to the
group or to
sub-groups
• The cards/stickies are then
clustered into
categories based on common
characteristics
• The clusters are discussed, and
individual

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Benchmarking

What? When? How?

A technique for identifying best-in- To set standards or targets for an • Determine what to benchmark and
class performance for some aspect improvement effort, and to why
of organization (e.g., customer determine comparative • Form and train a benchmarking
satisfaction, product quality, cycle performance of one’s own team
times, unit costs, and so on). organization. • Identify and obtain participation
from
benchmark partners (exemplars)
• Collect and analyze performance

© Fred Nickols 2020 Problem Solver’s Tool Kit Page 3

 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Brainstorming

What? When? How?

A technique for generating Whenever the goal is to identify ideas • The problem or situation is
large amounts of information and about, issues pertaining to, or insights stated or defined.
ideas, often quite creative, in a into a given • The kinds of information
relatively short, intense problem or situation. It is wanted are defined.
time period. frequently used to generate • The ground rules are explained:
information about potential 1. no judgment or discussion of
problems, causes, solutions, ideas during the generation
and barriers to implementation. phase
2. build on or add to the ideas
of others 3.
no idea is too wild or wacky
Record all ideas and comments

© Fred Nickols 2020 Problem Solver’s Tool Kit Page 4

 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Check Sheet/Tally Sheet

What? When? How?

A list or a diagram for recording the When frequency of occurrence or A simple form or diagram is made up
frequency with which location is not known. and, as events occur, their frequency
events occur or their location. In and location are marked on the form.
essence, a checksheet is a
tally sheet.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Control Chart/Shewhart Chart

What? When? How?

Control charts are used to To identify the baseline • Performance data are collected
determine the range of performance of a system or on a
variation in the performance of a process, and to monitor that sampling basis
process or system. performance over time. It is • The mean and standard
especially useful in deviations are calculated and used to
distinguishing between determine upper and lower
systemic and special causes. control limits
•
Performance within the control
limits signifies a process under
control

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Decision Tree

What? When? How?

Decision trees are a form of tree Whenever the consequences of • Work from left to right.
diagrams used to analyze complex complex alternatives need to be • Start with the decision that
decisions having examined in the course of needs to be made at the far left
quantitative aspects. making financial or other in a square.
decisions that are readily • Draw branching line out from the
quantifiable. decision box that represent
possible solutions.
• Use squares to represent
additional
decisions that must be made,
and circles to represent uncertain
outcomes of the solutions.
• Repeat the branching effort for
additional decisions identified.
• Calculate the values of the

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Fishbone/Ishikawa Diagram

What? When? How?

A visual display of the elements After information about a • Identify the problem or
making up the structure of a problem or unwanted effect has been effect to be examined.
problem situation. It consists of collected and needs to be organized • Write the effect in a box at the
diagonal lines off a horizontal center into some kind of right-hand side of a piece of
line, making it look cause-and-effect relationship. paper and draw a long
somewhat like the skeleton of a fish, horizontal line from it across the
hence its name. The effect is shown at paper.
the right-hand end of the horizontal Select the major categories of
line, and the causes are shown on the causes•
diagonal lines. (standard categories are people,

materials, machinery, methods).

• Draw diagonal lines away from
the
horizontal line and place boxes at
the end of each diagonal; print
the cause

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Five Whys

What? When? How?

The Five Whys offer one way of The technique is used whenever you • First, state the problem.
identifying the root cause of a want to delve deeper into the causes • Then ask, “Why?” (or “Why is this
problem. As the name implies, it’s of a problem. happening?”)
essentially a matter of • Ask the same question four more
asking Why? – five times in times.
succession.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Flowchart

What? When? How?

A visual means of displaying the Whenever one wishes to • The process may be “walked,”
sequence of activities and understand or document the “talked,” or both.
decisions that occur in a system or operation of a process or unit; most • Walking the process is frequently
process over time. often as part of an effort to improve the best way to identify
system, process, or unit processes involving the
Note: There are several performance. production or manufacture of
different types of flowcharts, all using physical
different symbols and goods.
• Talking the process
coding conventions; however, all seek
to show the flow of people) is frequently (i.e., interviewing
the only
activities over time. way to identify information-
based processes.
• Preliminary diagrams are
prepared and then reviewed and
revised by
knowledgeable people.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Force Field Analysis

What? When? How?

Force-field analysis is a means of When one wishes to • Using a regular letter size piece
examining the forces in a situation understand, and usually to of paper, the current state is
that keep it as it is. change, the balance of forces in a listed at the top left.
This is often defined as dynamic given situation. • The desired state is listed at the
stability or tension and is the result of top right. • A vertical line is drawn
driving and restraining forces that are from the center of the page to the
in balance. bottom of the page.
• Horizontal lines to the left of, with
arrows pointing to the vertical
line are used to indicate forces
driving toward the desired state.
• Horizontal lines to the right
of, with arrows pointing to
the vertical line are used to
indicate restraining forces.
• Driving and restraining forces are
usually generated as the result
of a brainstorming session.
• Perceived strength of a force is
indicated by the length of the
arrow on a four-point scale
1 = Negligible
2 = Weak
3 = Strong
4 = Very Strong
•

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Gantt Chart

What? When? How?

A Gantt chart or harmonogram is With respect to problem-solving Most people use spreadsheet software
essentially a bar chart. It was invented efforts, a Gantt chart is most such
in the early 1900s by Henry Gantt and useful when planning and as Excel and the software being used
will
is named for him. It is used to scheduling the implementation of
determine how it is used.
illustrate large-scale or complex • Identify essential tasks
project schedules and to show task solutions, typically involving • Identify task relationships
dependencies (e.g., tasks that can’t be several people and tasks. That said, a
• Input activities into software or
started until other tasks are complete). Gantt chart can also be useful for much
template
smaller, less
• Monitor progress and update chart
complex undertakings.
as

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Goals Grid

What? When? How?

A Goals Grid is a tool for making sure Whenever you are • Ask yourself the questions in
you have attended to all your goals contemplating the ends you the Goals Grid:
and objectives, seek, whether as part of a 1.What do I want to achieve?
especially when defining the problem-solving effort or some other 2.What do I want to preserve?
solved state or “what should effort aimed at realizing certain 3.What do I want to avoid?
be.” Its four cells are the result of results. 4.What do I want to eliminate?
arraying Yes and No answers to two Fill out the Grid as you answer
questions: the •
1.Do we have it? questions.
2.Do we want it? • Review it to ensure you have
all your goals in mind.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Histogram

What? When? How?

Histograms are a form of bar Histograms are ordinarily used to The general process for constructing a
chart. The shape of a histogram says a display statistical data histogram is as follows:
lot about the regarding a process or aspects of it
performance of a process or (e.g., mean, median, mode, standard • Determine the range
•
system. deviation, etc.). Their basic use is as a of the data
•
baseline to be used as a gauge against • Record the
which to measure improvement. measurement unit
number of classes)
• Establish class midpoints and limits
• Determine the X-Y axes for the
diagram
(frequency on Y axis and
measurement
scale on X axis)
• Draw the graph
• Title the histogram

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Mindmap

What? When? How?

A Mindmap is a visual means of Mindmaps are used to organize • The central idea is recorded in a
depicting a central idea and its many thoughts about a central issue and can box or
branches. be used to capture the ideas generated circle at the center of a sheet of paper
in a • Related thoughts are then
brainstorming session. reflected on
lines branching out from the
Other uses include: center
• These initial branches
• organizing and planning • are themselves the
tasks basis for further
• developing concepts and ideas words on the lines used to lay out the
• preparing for presentations • branches
note taking for later write- up • Color is used to distinguish various
categories or clusters of ideas
• Use images wherever possible

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Nominal Group Technique

What? When? How?

Nominal Group Technique (NGT) NGT is used to generate and evaluate • The problem or decision is stated
is a structured group activity or rank a series of by the
similar to actions or solutions. It is often used facilitator
brainstorming. after a brainstorming • Ideas are generated
session to organize and • or imported from a
evaluate the products of the previous
brainstorming session. clusters them into related
groupings
• Evaluation criteria are developed
• Each team member selects and
rank
orders five to eight of the ideas
generated
• The facilitator consolidates the
individual
rankings
• The highest-ranking items are

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Paired Comparisons

What? When? How?

Paired comparisons is a forced-choice This method is used to make choices • Create a matrix with the same
method of determining the among options having similar or number of rows and columns as
preferences for or priorities among equal merit. there are options to be considered
several competing • List and number the competing
options (e.g., proposed options in some order along one
solutions). side of the matrix and in the
reverse sequence along the other
side
• Make certain each option has the
same number on both sides of the
matrix
• Blank out the cells where the
options are compared against
themselves (these will
represent a diagonal
• line)
diagonal line just blanked out
• Using the remaining cells
compare each option against each of
the others
• Note the number of the
preferred option in the cell
where the comparison is
performed.
• When finished the
optioninwith
greatest number of entries the the

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Pareto Chart

What? When? How?

Pareto Charts are a Pareto charts are used to depict the • Collect the data to
combination of bar graph and line distribution or frequency of an •
be analyzed
•
graph. occurrence (e.g., defects, an error Add up the totals
message, the amount of a sale, etc.). • for each item
• List the items from
When used in relation to left to right in
possible or probable causes, a Pareto represents of the total
chart separates the • Determine the cumulative
“vital few” from the “trivial many.” percentages
starting with the leftmost item
• Create a bar graph using the item
totals
• Draw a line graph using cumulative
item
percentages

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Relationship Diagram

What? When? How?

Relation diagrams consist of labeled Relationship diagrams are • The problem or situation is stated
boxes (or circles) with lines drawn typically used when the cause-and- by the team leader or
between and effect relationships in a facilitator
among them to reflect causal situation are complex and • Issues and ideas regarding their
relationships. unclear. They are often used in the resolution are generated and
course of: recorded on 3x5 cards
or yellow stickies
• responding to • The 3x5 cards or
market/customer taped to a whiteboard/easel sheet
complaints in a circle
• promoting quality in • Each item is then examined in
purchased/ordered items • relation to every other item
improving process controls • • If a connection exists, a line is
reforming drawn
administrative/business units connecting the two; a line into an
item means it is the effect; a line out
of an item means it is the cause
• Items with the most arrows
pointing in are the primary effects
of interest
• Items with the most lines going
out of them are the main or chief
drivers of the problem

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Run Chart

What? When? How?

Run charts are a form of line graph. Run charts are used to graph data • Gather data
over time. You could, for example, • Organize data
use a run chart to • Chart data
record and graph the time it takes • Interpret data
you to get to work during a given
time period or using a certain route.
The main
purpose for using run charts is to
detect patterns and trends.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Scatter Diagram/Scatter Plot

What? When? How?

Scatter diagrams or plots depict the Scatter plots and diagrams are used • Collect paired data regarding
relationship between two variables. primarily to determine what, if any, variables
relationship exists between two thought to be related
variables. The most common • Construct a three-column data
patterns sheet
revealed by way of scatter plot listing each item, its data for
analysis are: variable 1,
and its data for variable 2
• Construct the axes of
1.definite positive correlation •
2.possible positive correlation 3.no the data plot Place
axis
correlation
• Place the independent variable on
4.possible negative
the Y
correlation
axis
5.definite negative
• Plot the data
correlation •
Interpret the
One common scatter plot
consists of the dollar amount of
outstanding invoices plotted
against the time it is
outstanding or owed.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Standard Data Displays

What? When? How?

These consist of bar and line Generally speaking, standard data All spreadsheet software programs
graphs, and pie charts. displays are used to show such as Lotus or Excel, and most
distributions, proportions, and so word processing software programs
forth. Their basic use is to convert such as Word and
numerical data to visual form. WordPerfect, contain standard data
display provisions. They are hardly
ever drawn by hand anymore.

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Stratification

What? When? How?

This is a method of dividing and Stratification is used to get at finer- • Collect high level data
displaying data. It often takes the form grained causal variables that can be • Analyze for lower level data
of a stacked bar chart. hidden in high-level data displays. • Construct data display
Hence, the need to divide the data. • Analyze data display for patterns
• Identify possible problems, causes,
One could, for example, depict the and
absentee hours for various divisions solutions
within an organization in a bar chart
with one bar for each division. Each
bar could then be stratified to indicate
the reason for absenteeism
(e.g., sick, vacation, traveling, etc.).

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Tree Chart

What? When? How?

Tree diagrams are most Tree diagrams are used to 1.State the problem, issue, or goal
recognizable in one of their depict the structure of the 2.Place it at the left, right, or top of the
vertical forms -- the variables in the situation. One page
organization chart. Tree common use is to depict a 3.Identify the factors that affect or
diagrams can also be structured to be hierarchy of goals and contribute to the main issue
read from left to right or right to left. objectives. A second common use is to 4.Place these below or to the right or
indicate many layers of cause-and- left of the main issue or goal
effect relationships. Tree diagrams are 5.Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the tree-
also useful in decomposing many like structure of the situation has
financial been fully elaborated
and operational measures of
performance (e.g., ROI can be depicted
in tree chart form).

© Fred Nickols 2020 Problem Solver’s Tool Kit Page 24

 Problem Solving Tools: What, When &
How Weighted Comparison

What? When? How?

Weighted comparison is a Weighted comparisons are • List the options to be considered

method for comparing different ordinarily performed as a way of • List the criteria to be used in
options against a given set of criteria examining the relative merits of a set evaluating
that have been of options. the options
weighted. • Assign weights to the criteria
• Construct a matrix with the
options across
the top and the criteria down the left
side, along with a totals row
running
across the bottom of the matrix;
indicate
the weighting factor next to each
criterion
• Draw a diagonal line in each cell of
the
matrix
• Develop a rating scale (1 to 5, or 1
to 10)
for rating the options
• Rate each option for each
criterion,

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 Problem Solving Tools: What, When & How
Categories of Problem-Solving Tools

Diagrams for Visualizing Tools for Capturing and Problem-Solving Techniques

Problem Structures Displaying Data and
Information

•Affinity Diagrams •Check Sheet/Tally Sheet •Benchmarking

•Fishbone or Ishikawa •Control Charts •Brainstorming
Diagrams •Gantt Chart •Decision Trees
•Flowcharts •Goals Grid •Five Whys
•Mindmaps •Histograms •Force-Field Analysis
•Relationship Diagrams •Pareto Charts •Nominal Group Technique
•Tree Diagrams •Run Charts (NGT)
•Scatterplots •Paired Comparisons
•Standard Data Displays •Weighted Selection
- bar graphs
- line graphs
- pie charts
•Stratification

About the Author

Fred Nickols is an organizational generalist, a writer, consultant and former executive who spent 20 years in
the U.S. Navy, retiring as a decorated Chief Petty Officer. In the private sector, he worked as a consultant and
then held executive positions with two former clients. Currently, Fred is the Managing Partner at
DistanceConsulting LLC. His web site is home to the award-winning Knowledge Workers’ Tool Room and more
than 200 free articles, book chapters and papers. Fred writes the “Knowledge Workers” column for ISPI’s
PerformanceXpress. A complete listing of all columns is available here.

© Fred Nickols 2020 Problem Solver’s Tool Kit Page 26