four stage problem solving model

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The easy 4 step problem-solving process (+ examples)

This is the 4 step problem-solving process that I taught to my students for math problems, but it works for academic and social problems as well.

Every problem may be different, but effective problem solving asks the same four questions and follows the same method.

• What’s the problem? If you don’t know exactly what the problem is, you can’t come up with possible solutions. Something is wrong. What are we going to do about this? This is the foundation and the motivation.
• What do you need to know? This is the most important part of the problem. If you don’t know exactly what the problem is, you can’t come up with possible solutions.
• What do you already know? You already know something related to the problem that will help you solve the problem. It’s not always obvious (especially in the real world), but you know (or can research) something that will help.
• What’s the relationship between the two? Here is where the heavy brainstorming happens. This is where your skills and abilities come into play. The previous steps set you up to find many potential solutions to your problem, regardless of its type.

When I used to tutor kids in math and physics , I would drill this problem-solving process into their heads. This methodology works for any problem, regardless of its complexity or difficulty. In fact, if you look at the various advances in society, you’ll see they all follow some variation of this problem-solving technique.

“The gap between understanding and misunderstanding can best be bridged by thought!” ― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Generally speaking, if you can’t solve the problem then your issue is step 3 or step 4; you either don’t know enough or you’re missing the connection.

Good problem solvers always believe step 3 is the issue. In this case, it’s a simple matter of learning more. Less skilled problem solvers believe step 4 is the root cause of their difficulties. In this instance, they simply believe they have limited problem-solving skills.

This is a fixed versus growth mindset and it makes a huge difference in the effort you put forth and the belief you have in yourself to make use of this step-by-step process. These two mindsets make a big difference in your learning because, at its core, learning is problem-solving.

Let’s dig deeper into the 4 steps. In this way, you can better see how to apply them to your learning journey.

Step 1: What’s the problem?

The ability to recognize a specific problem is extremely valuable.

Most people only focus on finding solutions. While a “solutions-oriented” mindset is a good thing, sometimes it pays to focus on the problem. When you focus on the problem, you often make it easier to find a viable solution to it.

When you know the exact nature of the problem, you shorten the time frame needed to find a solution. This reminds me of a story I was once told.

When does the problem-solving process start?

The process starts after you’ve identified the exact nature of the problem.

Homeowners love a well-kept lawn but hate mowing the grass.

Many companies and inventors raced to figure out a more time-efficient way to mow the lawn. Some even tried to design robots that would do the mowing. They all were chasing the solution, but only one inventor took the time to understand the root cause of the problem.

Most people figured that the problem was the labor required to maintain a lawn. The actual problem was just the opposite: maintaining a lawn was labor-intensive. The rearrangement seems trivial, but it reveals the true desire: a well-maintained lawn.

The best solution? Remove maintenance from the equation. A lawn made of artificial grass solved the problem . Hence, an application of Astroturf was discovered.

This way, the law always looked its best. Taking a few moments to apply critical thinking identified the true nature of the problem and yielded a powerful solution.

An example of choosing the right problem to work the problem-solving process on

One thing I’ve learned from tutoring high school students in math : they hate word problems.

This is because they make the student figure out the problem. Finding the solution to a math problem is already stressful. Forcing the student to also figure out what problem needs solving is another level of hell.

Word problems are not always clear about what needs to be solved. They also have the annoying habit of adding extraneous information. An ordinary math problem does not do this. For example, compare the following two problems:

What’s the height of h?

A radio station tower was built in two sections. From a point 87 feet from the base of the tower, the angle of elevation of the top of the first section is 25º, and the angle of elevation of the top of the second section is 40º. To the nearest foot, what is the height of the top section of the tower?

The first is a simple problem. The second is a complex problem. The end goal in both is the same.

The questions require the same knowledge (trigonometric functions), but the second is more difficult for students. Why? The second problem does not make it clear what the exact problem is. Before mathematics can even begin, you must know the problem, or else you risk solving the wrong one.

If you understand the problem, finding the solution is much easier. Understanding this, ironically, is the biggest problem for people.

Problem-solving is a universal language

Speaking of people, this method also helps settle disagreements.

When we disagree, we rarely take the time to figure out the exact issue. This happens for many reasons, but it always results in a misunderstanding. When each party is clear with their intentions, they can generate the best response.

Education systems fail when they don’t consider the problem they’re supposed to solve. Foreign language education in America is one of the best examples.

The problem is that students can’t speak the target language. It seems obvious that the solution is to have students spend most of their time speaking. Unfortunately, language classes spend a ridiculous amount of time learning grammar rules and memorizing vocabulary.

The problem is not that the students don’t know the imperfect past tense verb conjugations in Spanish. The problem is that they can’t use the language to accomplish anything. Every year, kids graduate from American high schools without the ability to speak another language, despite studying one for 4 years.

Well begun is half done

Before you begin to learn something, be sure that you understand the exact nature of the problem. This will make clear what you need to know and what you can discard. When you know the exact problem you’re tasked with solving, you save precious time and energy. Doing this increases the likelihood that you’ll succeed.

Step 2: What do you need to know?

All problems are the result of insufficient knowledge. To solve the problem, you must identify what you need to know. You must understand the cause of the problem. If you get this wrong, you won’t arrive at the correct solution.

Either you’ll solve what you thought was the problem, only to find out this wasn’t the real issue and now you’ve still got trouble or you won’t and you still have trouble. Either way, the problem persists.

If you solve a different problem than the correct one, you’ll get a solution that you can’t use. The only thing that wastes more time than an unsolved problem is solving the wrong one.

Imagine that your car won’t start. You replace the alternator, the starter, and the ignition switch. The car still doesn’t start. You’ve explored all the main solutions, so now you consider some different solutions.

Now you replace the engine, but you still can’t get it to start. Your replacements and repairs solved other problems, but not the main one: the car won’t start.

Then it turns out that all you needed was gas.

This example is a little extreme, but I hope it makes the point. For something more relatable, let’s return to the problem with language learning.

You need basic communication to navigate a foreign country you’re visiting; let’s say Mexico. When you enroll in a Spanish course, they teach you a bunch of unimportant words and phrases. You stick with it, believing it will eventually click.

When you land, you can tell everyone your name and ask for the location of the bathroom. This does not help when you need to ask for directions or tell the driver which airport terminal to drop you off at.

Finding the solution to chess problems works the same way

The book “The Amateur Mind” by IM Jeremy Silman improved my chess by teaching me how to analyze the board.

It’s only with a proper analysis of imbalances that you can make the best move. Though you may not always choose the correct line of play, the book teaches you how to recognize what you need to know . It teaches you how to identify the problem—before you create an action plan to solve it.

The problem-solving method always starts with identifying the problem or asking “What do you need to know?”. It’s only after you brainstorm this that you can move on to the next step.

Learn the method I used to earn a physics degree, learn Spanish, and win a national boxing title

• I was a terrible math student in high school who wrote off mathematics. I eventually overcame my difficulties and went on to earn a B.A. Physics with a minor in math
• I pieced together the best works on the internet to teach myself Spanish as an adult
• *I didn’t start boxing until the very old age of 22, yet I went on to win a national championship, get a high-paying amateur sponsorship, and get signed by Roc Nation Sports as a profession.

I’ve used this method to progress in mentally and physically demanding domains.

While the specifics may differ, I believe that the general methods for learning are the same in all domains.

This free e-book breaks down the most important techniques I’ve used for learning.

Step 3: What do you already know?

The only way to know if you lack knowledge is by gaining some in the first place. All advances and solutions arise from the accumulation and implementation of prior information. You must first consider what it is that you already know in the context of the problem at hand.

Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” This is Newton’s way of explaining that his advancements in physics and mathematics would be impossible if it were not for previous discoveries.

Mathematics is a great place to see this idea at work. Consider the following problem:

What is the domain and range of y=(x^2)+6?

This simple algebra problem relies on you knowing a few things already. You must know:

• The definition of “domain” and “range”
• That you can never square any real number and get a negative

Once you know those things, this becomes easy to solve. This is also how we learn languages.

An example of the problem-solving process with a foreign language

Anyone interested in serious foreign language study (as opposed to a “crash course” or “survival course”) should learn the infinitive form of verbs in their target language. You can’t make progress without them because they’re the root of all conjugations. It’s only once you have a grasp of the infinitives that you can completely express yourself. Consider the problem-solving steps applied in the following example.

I know that I want to say “I don’t eat eggs” to my Mexican waiter. That’s the problem.

I don’t know how to say that, but last night I told my date “No bebo alcohol” (“I don’t drink alcohol”). I also know the infinitive for “eat” in Spanish (comer). This is what I already know.

Now I can execute the final step of problem-solving.

Step 4: What’s the relationship between the two?

I see the connection. I can use all of my problem-solving strategies and methods to solve my particular problem.

I know the infinitive for the Spanish word “drink” is “beber” . Last night, I changed it to “bebo” to express a similar idea. I should be able to do the same thing to the word for “eat”.

“No como huevos” is a pretty accurate guess.

In the math example, the same process occurs. You don’t know the answer to “What is the domain and range of y=(x^2)+6?” You only know what “domain” and “range” mean and that negatives aren’t possible when you square a real number.

A domain of all real numbers and a range of all numbers equal to and greater than six is the answer.

This is relating what you don’t know to what you already do know. The solutions appear simple, but walking through them is an excellent demonstration of the process of problem-solving.

In most cases, the solution won’t be this simple, but the process or finding it is the same. This may seem trivial, but this is a model for thinking that has served the greatest minds in history.

A recap of the 4 steps of the simple problem-solving process

• What’s the problem? There’s something wrong. There’s something amiss.
• What do you need to know? This is how to fix what’s wrong.
• What do you already know? You already know something useful that will help you find an effective solution.
• What’s the relationship between the previous two? When you use what you know to help figure out what you don’t know, there is no problem that won’t yield.

Learning is simply problem-solving. You’ll learn faster if you view it this way.

What was once complicated will become simple.

What was once convoluted will become clear.

Ed Latimore

I’m a writer, competitive chess player, Army veteran, physicist, and former professional heavyweight boxer. My work focuses on self-development, realizing your potential, and sobriety—speaking from personal experience, having overcome both poverty and addiction.

Follow me on Twitter.

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• Lean Six Sigma

Plan Do Study Act (PDSA)

The Plan do study act is an iterative, four-stage problem solving model used for improving a process or carrying out change. The PDSA cycle is a systematic series of steps for gaining valuable learning and knowledge for the continuous improvement of a product or process. It is also known as Deming cycle, as Dr. Edward W Deming popularized the concept. Mr. Walter A. Shewart introduced him to this concept.

PDSA is an analytical process that considers the process as is, analyzes it further, revises it as appropriate and then repeats the cycle for continuous improvement. The PDSA cycle includes internal and external customers into considers, as they can provide feedback about is the change plan works or not. The customer defines quality and hence it is appropriate to involve them in the process, to increase acceptance of the end product.

Stages in PDSA Cycle

Plan: Plan a change. Under this stage, you define the objective and subsequently intend to answer all the other questions. Planning stage implies to,

• Identify the problem
• Analyze the problem
• Clarify goals and objectives
• Define success
• Identify key team players
• Plan strategies putting a plan into action

Do: In this stage components of the plan are implemented, such as developing or product or service. And Do stage implies,

• To start implementation of the action plan
• To collect of the data
• To design appropriate tools to implement changes
• To perform appropriate activities

Study: Outcomes are monitored to test the validity of the plan against the goal and objectives. Study stage implies to,

• Analyze the data collected
• Ensure plan is working
• Identify and remove bottlenecks

Act: The Act step ends the cycle by integrating the learning generated by the entire process. Act stage implies to,

• Communicate the results and determine if plan worked
• Adjust the goals to meet the objectives, change methods or even reformulate a theory altogether

Benefits of PDSA Cycle

• PDSA works well when you are establishing new processes.
• A PDSA is repetitive approach, and it helps you apply learning on a small scale first and gradually scaling up the volumes.
• PDSA works well on new product development.
• PDSA can quickly help identify non-value added resources and find ways to reduce while saving cost to the company
• PDSA is a continuous improvement and development tool
• PDSA lends itself well to high-volume process, where change can make a significant difference to effectiveness and quality of output
• Problem-solving process: Works well in cases where there are plenty of data to analyze and evaluate

What is the difference between PDSA and PDCA?

A PDCA stands for Plan Do Check Act Cycle also called as Shewhart cycle. Mr. Walter A. Shewart first introduced PDCA in 1939 in one of his books and there after it was Dr. Deming who emphasized it has to be changed to PDSA in 1950’s. Dr. Deming encouraged a systematic approach of not just checking, but of problem solving to improve the process of products and services and promoted the now widely recognized four step process PDSA, for continual improvement.

Major changes that one can identify are in the 3rd stage of the process, such as

• Check stage implies a simple Yes-No response where as Study stage implies a much deeper analysis of what went wrong.
• Study also implies that you could gather a lot from something that has not worked as expected, whereas check doesn’t suggest that as much.
• PDCA was to be used for more straightforward improvement situations, and PDSA was to be applied in more complex scenarios when metrics need more extensive reflections

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The 4S problem-solving method

David Ahmed Walby

Here I’ll break down the 4S method — an integrated, four-stage problem solving approach that combines the tools of strategy consulting with insights from cognitive science and design thinking. Originally intended for MBA students heading to strategy consulting firms, the method can work for anyone.

• State: First, you have to state the problem properly, identifying the core question at hand. Preparation has great value to problem solving

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” — Einstein

2. Structure: Second, you need to structure the problem around candidate solutions that you’ll then test and investigate systematically.

3. Solve: Third, you’ll solve the problem by following one of three distinct paths: hypothesis-driven problem solving, issue-driven problem solving, or the creative path of design thinking.

4. Sell: Finally, you have to sell your solution to the problem owner.

Project-managing is the ability to state a problem, break it down into addressable pieces and collaboratively drive the solution definition and execution process. It goes far beyond the spreadsheet filling and task-chasing approach that less experienced problem-solvers often fall into.

The 4S method/framework is a map to navigate the uncertain path of business problems. Having a high-level, birds-eye view of the problem-solving process helps to keep a structured approach to solving complex business problems. Let’s break the 4S’ down in a bit more detail…

The “Problem Statement” stage is a collaborative effort to define the scope of the problem. It is an opportunity to engage with stakeholders through interviews and workshops with the goal of integrating the different perspectives. The TOSCA framework is used for structuring the problem definition (Trouble, Owner, Success Criteria, Constraints and Actors). You can allocate each of these elements to different team members to analyse, craft the statement and present to others. This increases speed whilst integrating different perspectives. Regularly reference the Statement in a slide & open every project progress presentation. This helps us stay focused on the problem statement throughout the process & make adjustments accordingly.

The “Problem Structure”. The benefit of the 4S method is that it provides additional insights into how to decompose the work. The idea is to use industry, functional and logical frameworks to decompose the problem into an issue tree. Here is where the project management & strategy interlinks become most clear: project managers can use strategy frameworks to structure the problem (for example, the Ansoff matrix, BCG growth-share matrix, PESTEL, Porter’s five forces).

But strategy is not the only “sister-field” that PMs can use as input. Operations, Marketing and Finance frameworks are also useful when handling business change projects. For example, market size, revenue breakdown, market share, McKinsey 7S, cost breakdown, etc. Where you cannot apply industry or functional frameworks, good old-fashioned logical frameworks can support you, e.g, high-low matrixes.

Accumulating a library of such frameworks throughout our careers comes in handy. These frameworks are the structure of the issue tree that represents the problem decomposition. Many trees will fit your problem, depending on your project/organisation. Start with the one that best fits your problem and provides a map for the problem-solving. It does not need to be perfect, but it has to enable progress . The issue tree will be iterative & help you allocate the work for the next stage.

The “Solve” stage entails unpacking each branch of the issue tree into granular questions. These questions pave the way to the data gathering and analysis. Greater cross-functional collaboration comes into play here.

The goal is to design solutions that follow logically from the analysis and address the problem statement. Here, the project can grow in different directions as the different teams conduct their data gathering efforts. Project managers thus need to to tightly coordinate this process and bring the insights together against the issue tree. Beware incoherent and controversial data. Some issue branches might morph into something big & spin off as mini-projects in themselves, which may add time to execution. Having steps one & two, a well-defined Problem-Statement, helps identify the most meaningful findings to progress.

The “Sell” stage is about selling the solution to the stakeholder(s). The 4S method entails using the “Pyramid Principle” for this. As Project Managers, we need to keep our stakeholders engaged. They care about the end result, not about the process. The Pyramid Principle tells us to front-load the solutions, and justify them with the most meaningful data points.

An example sentence is: “We should X because of A, B and C insights”. Start with the best & most engaging piece of information .

There we have it! The summary of the 4S problem-solving method. Now go forth & conquer

*If you found this helpful, please clap and/or share :)

Written by David Ahmed Walby

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Easy Problem Solving Using the 4-step Method

June 7, 2017  by  Jennifer Haury Category:  Guest Author ,  Management

At a recent hospital town forum, hospital leaders are outlining the changes coming when a lone, brave nurse raises her hand and says, “We just can’t take any more changes. They are layered on top of each other and each one is rolled out in a different way. We are exhausted and it’s overloading us all.”  

 “Flavor of the Month” Fatigue

Change fatigue. You hear about it in every industry, from government sectors to software design to manufacturing to healthcare and more. When policy and leadership changes and process improvement overlap it’s no surprise when people complain about “flavor of the month,” and resist it just so they can keep some routine to their days.

In a time where change is required just to keep up with the shifting environment, one way to ease fatigue is to standardize HOW we change. If we use a best practice for solving problems, we can ensure that the right people are involved and problems are solved permanently, not temporarily. Better yet, HOW we change can become the habit and routine we long for.

The 4-step Problem Solving Method

The model we’ve used with clients is based on the A3 problem-solving methodology used by many “lean” production-based companies. In addition to being simpler, our 4-step method is visual, which helps remind the user what goes into each box.

The steps are as follows

• Develop a Problem Statement
• Determine Root Causes
• Rank Root Causes in Order of Importance
• Create an Action Plan

Step 1: Develop a Problem Statement

Developing a good problem statement always seems a lot easier than it generally turns out to be.  For example, this statement: “We don’t have enough staff,” frequently shows up as a problem statement. However, it suggests the solution—“GET MORE STAFF” — and fails to address the real problem that more staff might solve, such as answering phones in a timely manner.

The trick is to develop a problem statement that does not suggest a solution.  Avoiding the following words/phrases: “lack of,” “no,” “not enough,” or “too much” is key. When I start to fall into the trap of suggesting a solution, I ask: “So what problem does that cause?” This usually helps to get to a more effective problem statement.

Once you’ve developed a problem statement, you’ll need to define your target goal, measure your actual condition, then determine the gap. If we ran a restaurant and our problem was: “Customers complaining about burnt toast during morning shift,” the target goal might be: “Toast golden brown 100% of morning shift.”

Focus on a tangible, achievable target goal then measure how often that target is occurring. If our actual condition is: “Toast golden brown 50% of the time,” then our gap is: “Burnt toast 50% of the time.” That gap is now a refined problem to take to Step 2.

Step 2:  Determine Root Causes

In Step 2, we want to understand the root causes. For example, if the gap is burnt toast 50% of the time, what are all the possible reasons why?

This is when you brainstorm. It could be an inattentive cook or a broken pop-up mechanism. Cooks could be using different methods to time the toasting process or some breads toast more quickly.  During brainstorming, you’ll want to include everyone in the process since observing these interactions might also shed light on why the problem is occurring.

Once we have an idea of why, we then use the 5-why process to arrive at a root cause.  Ask “Why?” five times or until it no longer makes sense to ask. Root causes can be tricky.  For example, if the pop up mechanism is broken you could just buy a new toaster, right? But if you asked WHY it broke, you may learn cooks are pressing down too hard on the pop up mechanism, causing it to break. In this case, the problem would just reoccur if you bought a new toaster.

When you find you are fixing reoccurring problems that indicates you haven’t solved for the root cause. Through the 5-why process, you can get to the root cause and fix the problem permanently.

Step 3: Rank Root Causes

Once you know what’s causing the problem (and there may be multiple root causes), it’s time to move to Step 3 to understand which causes, if solved for, would close your gap. Here you rank the root causes in order of importance by looking at which causes would have the greatest impact in closing the gap.

There may be times when you don’t want to go after your largest root cause (perhaps because it requires others to change what they are doing, will take longer, or is dependent on other things getting fixed, etc). Sometimes you’ll find it’s better to start with a solution that has a smaller impact but can be done quickly.

Step 4: Create an Action Plan

In Step 4 you create your action plan — who is going to do what and by when. Documenting all of this and making it visible helps to communicate the plan to others and helps hold them accountable during implementation.

This is where your countermeasures or experiments to fix the problem are detailed. Will we train our chefs on how to use a new “pop-up mechanism” free toaster? Will we dedicate one toaster for white bread and one for wheat?  

Make sure to measure your results after you’ve implemented your plan to see if your target is met. If not, that’s okay; just go through the steps again until the problem is resolved.

Final Thoughts

Using the 4-step method has been an easy way for teams to change how they solve problems. One team I was working with started challenging their “solution jumps” and found this method was a better way to avoid assumptions which led to never really solving their problems.  It was easy to use in a conference room and helped them make their thinking visual so everyone could be involved and engaged in solving the problems their team faced. 

Do you have a problem-solving method that you use at your worksite?  Let us know in the comments below. 

MRSC is a private nonprofit organization serving local governments in Washington State. Eligible government agencies in Washington State may use our free, one-on-one Ask MRSC service to get answers to legal, policy, or financial questions.

About Jennifer Haury

Jennifer Haury is the CEO of All Angles Consulting, LLC and guest authored this post for MRSC.

Jennifer has over 28 years learning in the healthcare industry (17 in leadership positions or consulting in performance improvement and organizational anthropology) and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

She is a trusted, experienced leader with a keen interest in performance improvement and organizational anthropology. Jennifer is particularly concerned with the sustainability of continuous improvement programs and the cultural values and beliefs that translate into behaviors that either get in our own way or help us succeed in transforming our work.

The views expressed in guest columns represent the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MRSC.

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How to Become a Better Problem Solver—The 4S Method

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In Cracked It! , you’ll learn the 4S method—an integrated, four-stage problem solving approach that combines the tools of strategy consulting with insights from cognitive science and design thinking.

Originally intended for MBA students interested in working at strategy consulting firms, the method can work for anyone.

According to co-author Corey Phelps, now a Professor of Strategy at Mcgill University, “the value of the method is in the discipline it provides. We as human beings have to solve problems all the time, and what we’ve learned from decades of research is that we are not hard-wired to be able to do this naturally. The 4S method helps you slow down and be more methodical.”

So, what is the 4S method?

• State: First, you have to state the problem properly, identifying the core question at hand.
• Structure: Second, you need to structure the problem around candidate solutions that you’ll then test and investigate systematically.
• Solve: Third, you’ll solve the problem by following one of three distinct paths: hypothesis-driven problem solving, issue-driven problem solving, or the creative path of design thinking.
• Sell: Finally, you have to sell your solution to the problem owner.

While the 4S method and framework might sound obvious and simple, it’s not. It requires most people to change how they think and react when facing challenges. However, once you become accomplished in this method, not only will it save you from jumping to poor conclusions, it will also make it easier to disentangle complex problems that might otherwise have been out of your reach.

Who Needs Problem Solving Skills the Most?

So, who would benefit most from the 4s method of problem solving? According to HEC Paris Affiliate Professor of Strategy Olivier Sibony, everyone can benefit whether they’re an executive, entrepreneur, strategist, or consultant.

“The archetypal reader we had in mind for the book is an executive who is very successful in her job, and has just been assigned a new, challenging mission,” said Sibony. “Perhaps she was given an important cross-functional project to lead or perhaps she’s been promoted, and now she faces problems that are outside her comfort zone: more multi-faceted and complex.”

However, even if you’re a parent or a kid, the 4S method has value.

“A few months ago, during a conversation with a colleague, I found out he gave Cracked It! to his nine-year-old daughter,” Phelps recalled. “When I asked him, ‘Why?’ he explained that our method of problem solving is something that even kids can understand and use. Now, I’ve started teaching it to my own six-year-old, and have found lots of value in the discipline it provides.”

The key thing to remember is that the most impressive problem solvers you know are not necessarily smarter or better than you are. The difference is that they’ve mastered their skills through relentless practice and continuous improvement, so you can get there too.

If you’d like to learn more about the 4S method, including seeing how it can be applied to real-life case studies, check out Cracked It!     or visit HEC Paris to learn more about their Executive MBA!

HEC Paris specializes in education and research in management sciences. As a leading academic institution in Europe and worldwide, HEC Paris offers a complete and unique range of education programs for students and executive education programs for leaders.

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The 4S Method

• First Online: 09 June 2018

Cite this chapter

• Bernard Garrette 4 ,
• Corey Phelps 5 &
• Olivier Sibony 4  

13k Accesses

The 4S method is an integrated, four-stage problem-solving approach that combines the tools of strategy consulting with insights from cognitive science and design thinking. The first S is to State the problem properly, identifying the core question at hand as well as its context, owner, and stakeholders. The second S is to Structure the problem, either around candidate solution(s) you will test or by splitting the core question into sub-issues that you will investigate systematically. Third, you will Solve the problem. Three distinct paths are possible through these stages: the analytical paths of hypothesis-driven and issue-driven problem solving, discussed in Chaps. 4 , 5 , 6 and 7 , and the creative path of design thinking, covered in Chaps. 8 and 9 . Finally, the fourth stage is to Sell your solution to the problem owner.

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This doesn’t imply that the approach applies only to strategy problems. Indeed, much of the work “strategy” consulting firms do isn’t concerned, strictly speaking, with strategy. The term “strategy consulting” is shorthand for “CEO-level, premium management consulting,” and “strategy” consultants use essentially the same problem-solving approach when solving organizational, operational effectiveness, or marketing problems.

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Garrette, B., Phelps, C., Sibony, O. (2018). The 4S Method. In: Cracked it!. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89375-4_3

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Pdsa: plan-do-study-act.

Also Called: Rapid cycle improvement , PDCA (plan-do-check-act)

What is PDSA? Stage 1: Plan Stage 2: Do Stage 3: Study Stage 4: Act Examples More information

What is PDSA?

PDSA, or Plan-Do-Study-Act, is an iterative, four-stage problem-solving model used for improving a process or carrying out change.

In applying PDSA, ask yourself three questions:

• What are we trying to accomplish?
• How will we know that a change is an improvement?
• What changes can we make that will result in an improvement?

Stage 1: Plan

A. recruit team.

Assemble a team that has knowledge of the problem or opportunity for improvement. Consider the strengths each team member brings—look for engaged, forward-thinking staff.

After recruiting team members, identify roles and responsibilities, set timelines, and establish a meeting schedule.

B. Draft an aim statement

Describe what you want to accomplish in an aim statement . Try to answer those three fundamental questions:

• What change can we make that will result in improvement?

C. Describe current context and process

Examine your current process. Start by asking the team these basic questions:

• What are we doing now?
• How do we do it?
• What are the major steps in the process?
• Who is involved?
• What do they do?
• What is done well?
• What could be done better?

You might have already answered the last two questions if you have performed a SWOT analysis .

Try a swim lane map

You may find it helpful to construct a swim lane map to visually describe your process.

Creating a process flow or at least depicting the current process can be very useful. If your team runs into road blocks, you might have found where the problem is occurring—or maybe the right person for identifying a missing step is not at the table.

Gather more detail

Once the general structure is completed, these can be some more helpful questions to ask:

• How long does the process currently take? Each step?
• Is there variation in the way the process is currently completed?

D. Describe the problem

Using the aim statement created in Step B, state your desired accomplishments, and use data and information to measure how your organization meets/does not meet those accomplishments.

For example: If your objective is to maximize your staff's quality of work life, you might find evidence by surveying employees on workplace stressors.

Write a problem statement

Write a problem statement to clearly summarize your team's consensus on the problem. You may find it helpful to prioritize problems, if your team has identified more than one, and/or include a justification of why you chose your problem(s).

E. Identify causes and alternatives

Analyze causes.

For the problem in your problem statement, work to identify causes of the problem using tools such as control charts , fishbones , and work flow process maps (e.g., flowcharts , swim lane maps ). The end of the cause analysis should summarize the cause analysis by describing and justifying the root causes.

Examine your process, and ask:

• Is this process efficient? What is the cost (including money, time, or other resources)?
• Are we doing the right steps in the right way?
• Does someone else do this same process in a different way?

Develop alternatives

Try to mitigate your root causes by completing the statement,

"If we do __________, then __________ will happen."

Choose an alternative (or a few alternatives) that you believe will best help you reach your objective and maximize your resources.

Develop an action plan, including necessary staff/resources and a timeline. Try to account for risks you might face as you implement your action plan.

Stage 2: Do

Start to implement your action plan. Be sure to collect data as you go, to help you evaluate your plan in Stage 3: Study . Your team might find it helpful to use a check sheet , flowchart , swim lane map , or run chart to capture data/occurrences as they happen or over time.

Your team should also document problems, unexpected effects, and general observations.

Stage 3: Study

Using the aim statement drafted in Stage 1: Plan , and data gathered during Stage 2: Do , determine:

• Did your plan result in an improvement? By how much/little?
• Was the action worth the investment?
• Do you see trends?
• Were there unintended side effects?

You can use a number of different tools to visually review and evaluate an improvement, like a Pareto chart , control chart , or run chart .

Stage 4: Act

Reflect on plan and outcomes.

• If your team determined the plan resulted in success, standardize the improvement and begin to use it regularly. After some time, return to Stage 1: Plan and re-examine the process to learn where it can be further improved.
• If your team believes a different approach would be more successful, return to Stage 1: Plan , and develop a new and different plan that might result in success.

The PDSA cycle is ongoing, and organizations become more efficient as they intuitively adopt PDSA into their planning.

Celebrate improvements and lessons learned

• Communicate accomplishments to internal and external customers
• Take steps to preserve your gains and sustain your accomplishments
• Make long-term plans for additional improvements
• Conduct iterative PDSA cycles when needed

More information

The ABCs of PDCA and PDSA Flowchart (PDF) Public Health Foundation

Embracing Quality in Local Public Health (PDF) Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation Program

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program National Institute of Standards and Technology, US Dept. of Commerce

Balanced Scorecard Institute

PDSA [Note: Video will autoplay] Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Whiteboard: The PDSA Cycle (Part 1) [Note: Video will autoplay] Whiteboard: The PDSA Cycle (Part 2) [Note: Video will autoplay] Institute for Healthcare Improvement

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The four stages of problem solving, adapted from the “integrated model of problem solving” (Van Meter et al., 2006) 

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