Deck 1: Identifying and Defining Problems

Question 1

Open-science Problem-Solving is a form of outsourcing.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A cause is the reason for or the origin (root) of a change, such as customers being unable to afford travel vacations.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

____ are people who, like problem owners, are also affected by the problem or whose involvement you need to resolve the matter.

A) Shareholders
B) Clients
C) Stakeholders
D) Users

Answer 3

C

Question 4

When you are ____, you solve a problem in a methodical and organized manner.

A) intuitive
B) systematic
C) both a. and b.
D) neither a. nor b.

Question 5

When you solve a problem for someone else, you assume the responsibility for developing a satisfactory solution for them, the ____________________.

Question 6

Inertia means acting on a problem, when you are very familiar with it.

Question 7

The purpose of a problem statement is to find the problem cause and to define the solution.

Question 8

The diagram shown above is good for brainstorming, but does not show cause-and-effect.

Question 9

People usually solve problems in one of two ways: ____________________ or systematically.

Question 10

In an organization, a(n) ____________________ is an obstacle that stands in the way of achieving a desired goal.

Question 11

The diagram shown above is sometimes called a fishbone diagram.

Question 12

Variations on ____ include dilemmas, paradoxes, and difficulties, such as trouble performing tasks.

A) solutions
B) problems
C) arguments
D) actions

Question 13

Testing a solution involves trying it on a small or limited basis.

Question 14

____________________ are choices you make when faced with a set of options or alternatives.

Question 15

To link a problem to its cause, you must perform a ____________________ analysis, a study that determines the real basis for the problem.

Question 16

The opinions and assumptions that your problem owner, stakeholders, and other important people hold are important factors in the success of your solution.

Question 17

____ is your knowledge of something without having to discover or learn it, and it is typically your first reaction to a problem or question.

A) Logic
B) Creativity
C) Intuition
D) Instinct

Question 18

A problem is the difference between the current state and where you want to be.

Question 19

Attacking the root cause of a problem is always the best approach.

Question 20

A problem ____ is a clear, concise description of the problem and the effect you expect from the solution.

A) statement
B) sentence
C) document
D) policy

Question 21

When working in a company with a strong set of cultural norms, it is easy to adopt popular opinions and follow the expectations of others, which is called the bandwagon effect._________________________

Question 22

A cause is evidence of a change, such as a decrease in revenue._________________________

Question 23

Referring to the figure above, the best solution for this company is ____.

A) sending out more promotion materials
B) improving the quality of the tours
C) offering more frequent tours
D) lowering the price of the tours

Question 24

A popular approach used to uncover and define problems is called 5 Whats._________________________

Question 25

Referring to the figure above, price, promotion, quality, and frequency are ____ of the main problem, "Decreasing tour sales."

A) subproblems
B) children
C) spin-offs
D) deviations

Question 26

When creating a problem statement, frame the problem for your audience by starting with a brief description of the ____.

A) suggested solution
B) ideal situation
C) budget constraints
D) risks involved

Question 27

A popular way to visualize a complex problem is by creating a ____ diagram.

A) hierarchical
B) spin
C) true/false
D) cause-and-effect

Question 28

Decisions are choices you make when faced with a set of options or alternatives._________________________

Question 29

A crowd-serving bias is anything that leads you to see the data as you most want it to appear._________________________

Question 30

Referring to the figure above, breaking down a large, complex problem into smaller, solvable problems is called ____.

A) following the herd
B) setting the table
C) divide and conquer
D) rank and responsibility

Question 31

As she works on the solution, Darcy should communicate regularly with problem owners and stakeholders.It is suggested that she use ____ to create a log of your conversations, ideas, alternatives, and solutions.

A) e-mail
B) memos
C) other documents
D) all of the above

Question 32

Since she is solving a problem for someone else, the first step Darcy should take is to ____.

A) give choices
B) promote her solution
C) recognize opinions
D) ask for advice

Question 33

The statement, "Even our most popular European tours show no increase in enrollment, despite heavy promotion" is an example of the ____ part of a problem statement.

A) size and scope
B) problem summary
C) symptom
D) consequences

Question 34

When presenting a final solution, Darcy should ____.

A) present one solution
B) present many solutions, indicating which one she recommends
C) present many solutions, without indicating which one she recommends
D) none of the above

Question 35

Complex problems are those that ____.

A) have no clear boundaries
B) are unique
C) have no single optimal solution
D) all of the above

Question 36

Any decision you make or solution you implement involves some risk, which is an exposure to a chance of loss or damage._________________________

Question 37

Successful Web sites such as StumbleUpon (www.stumbleupon.com) and Digg (www.digg.com) use ____ by inviting their visitors to vote on recommended Web sites, articles, restaurants, photos, or videos, for example, by submitting links or reviews.

A) herding
B) crowdsourcing
C) outsourcing
D) crowd control

Question 38

When working in a company with a strong set of cultural norms, it is easy to adopt popular opinions and follow the expectations of others, which is called the ____.

A) bandwagon effect
B) herd effect
C) both a. and b.
D) neither a. nor b.

Question 39

If the potential risk is significant enough, you might need to take a different approach altogether, which is called risk ____.

A) openness
B) avoidance
C) averaging
D) management

Question 40

Please describe the difference of solving a problem using a systematic approach versus an intuitive approach.In what type of situation is each method the most appropriate?

Question 41

Clientsourcing is a term coined by Jeff Howe in Wired magazine to characterize a way of using groups to solve problems._________________________

Question 42

When gathering information, focus on objective facts.Ask "what?" not "who?" _________________________

Question 43

Briefly describe these three common problem-solving traps: positive outcome bias, the bandwagon effect, and a self-serving bias.

Question 44

Stakeholders are people who are also affected or whose involvement you need to resolve the matter._________________________

Question 45

When developing a problem statement, describe subjective symptoms of the problem that others can observe._________________________