Fixing the fix

 To overcome the “problem-solving” impasse, it’s critical to challenge, debate, and learn by applying holistic thinking and opening the dialogues to close blind spots.

Problem-solving is about understanding a problem and actually finding a solution to that problem, not just the band-aid approach to fixing the symptom. 

Fixing a "fix" from a problem-solving perspective involves addressing why a previously implemented solution is not working as expected. This requires a systematic approach to identify the root causes of the failure and implement corrective actions.

Here’s a breakdown of the key steps:

-Identify the Reasons for Failure: A solution may underperform due to several reasons:

-Incorrect Model: The initial model used for problem-solving may have been wrongly constructed or used.

-Incorrect Data: The data used to build the model might be inaccurate.

-Incorrect Implementation: The solution might not have been carried out correctly.

-System Changes: The system or its environment may have changed unexpectedly after the solution was applied.

-Corrective Action: Based on the identified reasons, appropriate corrective actions should be taken.

-Assumption Validation: Systematically check the assumptions made during the construction of the model by explicitly formulating them.

Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment: Effective controls enable a better understanding of the system's dynamics, allowing the problem-solving system to learn from its experiences and adapt to changing conditions more effectively.

Pay more attention to cognitive biases: In addition to these steps, it's important to consider the role of cognitive biases, which are systematic errors in reasoning that can affect decision-making. Awareness of biases such as confirmation bias (the tendency to favor information that confirms existing beliefs) can help in more accurately assessing the reasons for a solution's failure.

In the “VUCA” digital new normal, there isn’t always a right or wrong choice in any situation. To overcome the “problem-solving” impasse, it’s critical to challenge, debate, and learn by applying holistic thinking and opening the dialogues to close blind spots and bridge cognitive gaps for identifying and solving real problems.

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