Problem Solving in Six Steps
Introduction to Developing Solution in Six Steps
In this paper, I will analyze a problem of an individual, and implement the developing solution in six steps strategy. The six steps approach comes from the field of developing projects (McMahon 2012). While developing a project, project teams have to understand the problem deeply and define it in explicit words. Writing the problem explicitly gives the project team the information to develop solutions (The Global Development Research Center 2016). The project team can use stakeholder analysis to understand the position of the relevant people or institutions regarding developing the solution alternatives. Finally, picking the best single solution or a mixed strategy using the different solution options gives the project team the project idea (Eggers 1994). After the implementation of the project, the project needs to monitor the results, and develop relatively more satisfactory project plans in the future (Wysocki 2004). The six steps strategy is a shortened version of the notion of project cycle management (McMahon 2012 and The Global Development Research Center 2016).
Problem Definition
The person has responsibilities for his two kids, two jobs, and two classes. Also, the person has a health problem to deal with at the same time. These responsibilities place a limitation on his life. It is possible to classify the limitations he has as time limit and financial limit. In the problem, it is not pointed out that he needs to care his parents or his two siblings; also he might receive help from his parents who cannot drive and two siblings one of them lives close to his location. The time limit can be explained as follows: He needs to spend a certain time for his work, his school, and his children. The sum of the all the time he needs to spend for this almost fills his full time. He also has a financial limit because he needs to pay for his family, for his travels between school, home, and works, and for his health care expenses.
Under the financial limit and the time limit, the person is willing to complete his degree by completing the two classes one online and one in the classroom. He does not have any opportunity to change anything about the responsibilities he has; therefore, we need to take these responsibilities as given limits in the objective function. Consequently, the person is trying to achieve completing his degree under his limitations.
Problem Analysis
The person has to continue working for paying his expenses related to his family, and his health. Working at two jobs is creating time limit. Addition to work, he needs to spend some time for his children to bring them to the activities and monitor them. He needs to develop some opportunities to gain some time. It is not possible for him to decrease the time from his work and his study time because the times spent for work and school is determined externally. Therefore, the only time he can save from his children’s activities. He might try to receive assistance from one of his sibling living three miles away, and his parents. Also, he can decrease his spending by receiving support from his relatives.
Another essential problem is about developing concentration for his studies. He needs to complete two assignments, and he cannot concentrate on these during the time he is required to spend with his children to travel with them and attend to the activities his children attend.
Developing Possible Solutions
The sibling living three miles away from his location is a person he can receive assistance. He needs to speak with his sibling for planning the activities his children attends so that his sibling can assist him to travel his kids and monitor them.
His parents cannot drive and follow his children for him. However, they can host their grandkids at their home. Therefore, he may save time from the time he spends with his kids at home. Also, that might give him the opportunity to develop a relatively better concentration for his studying. He can quickly complete his assignments while being alone at home while his kids enjoy the together time with their grandparents.
Getting help from his relatives will decrease the finance necessary for the spending of his children because the grandparents and the close sibling can afford some expenses for his children.
An alternative solution might be getting professional help from a babysitter. A babysitter might help him travel his children and assist them in attending the activities. However, this option might require spending more. It is relatively important not to increase spending. Otherwise, he might need to spend more time for generating income.
Another alternative solution might be giving up on the second job he has until he finishes his degree to save time.
Analyzing the Solutions
For developing solutions by receiving assistance from his parents, and his sibling, he needs to analyze the situations of his relatives, and develop an assistance program with his relatives. His relatives have some time they can spend with his children. His parents are not working, and they are staying at their home. Although they cannot drive somewhere else, they can assist him by caring the children when they do not have any activity or school. Therefore, a program for the time the children can spend time with their grandparents. Secondly, he can get assistance from the sibling living close to taking care of his children. This solution will save him some time and decrease his spending.
The second alternative is to hire a babysitter. The babysitter can assist him to save some time when the children at home. If the babysitter can drive, he gets assistance for the events as well. However, he might need to spend more for the babysitter.
The last alternative is to resign from the second job he has until he completes his degree. By quitting the work, he might get an extra time to complete his study. In this case, he will lose the wage he receives for the second job.
The Best Solution
The best solution for him is to get assistance from his relatives. This solution will save him time and decrease his spending. However, if his relatives do not have enough time to help him, then the other solutions might be an option him. Also, by accepting some loss in his wage, he can use the other alternatives and create a mixed solution which includes the different solution alternatives.
Plans for Future
Until he completes his degree, he can use the alternatives mentioned above. After getting the degree, he might find opportunities to find a new job which will pay relatively more to him, so he can save time and increase his earnings. At the same time, after graduation, he will be able to spend relatively more time with his children. He still can get some assistance from his relatives.
References
Eggers, Hellmut. "Integrated Project Cycle Management: Roots And Perspectives". Project Appraisal 9.1 (1994): 59-65. Web.
McMahon, Tim. "A Lean Journey: The Six-Step Problem-Solving Process". Aleanjourney.com, 2012. Web. 13 June 2016.
The Global Development Research Center,. "The Problem Solving Process". Gdrc.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 June 2016.
Wysocki, Robert K. Project Management Process Improvement. Boston: Artech House, 2004. Print.
