1. What is the problem?

- Introduction
After my Advance level (2012), I have selected to the University of Moratuwa, to follow the Bsc.
Architecture degree program. I have successfully completed my 1st semester with highest marks.
But, I had to face for a heart surgery in my second semester. Due to that I have missed two months
of lecturers as well as the semester end exam and some CAD exams. Later I discussed with our
lecturer panel and dean. They told me to join with junior batch for continue my studies. In that time
me and my brother got chance to study in Hauge University in Netherland. I have selected to the
Industrial Design Engineering degree program. In that time my brother has selected to the Sri John
Kothalawala Defense University. That was a childhood dream of him. So he selected to enter that
defense university. Due to that I didn’t get permission for travelling to Netherland alone. Then I
faced a problem about my higher studies. Most of my relatives and friends forced me to choose the
state University again.
2. Describe the case
Actually, field of Architecture studies is one of my favorite fields. And also I know I have talents
in that field. But the course duration was 7 years. (With the two years of chartered architecture) In
those days I already missed one year. So I decided that, choosing the University again might be a
wasting of my time. Not only that I never wanted to learn with my juniors. After that industrial
engineering degree at Hauge University also get some attraction by me. But in that situation, I have
accepted my brother’s and parent’s decisions. I believed there right and still I believe that. After
that I got chance to enter to the SLIT .But I didn’t like the culture of the SLIT (Sri Lankan institute
of Information Technology). I think main reason for that might be the experiences that I got from
the state university.
3. Analyze the problem- (Root Cause Analysis)
Here I hope to,
 Determine what happened
 Determine why it happen
 Figure out what to do to reduce the likelihood that it will happen again.

Root cause analysis, assume that systems and events are interrelated. In my situation I can find
three basic types of causes.

 Physical Causes- I have faced for a surgery

 Human Cause- I worried about my age, parents didn’t give permission to travel alone. I had some
aversions about private universities.
 Organizational Cause – Academic panel of University of Moratuwa, decided to shift me to the
junior batch.
Due to above factor, I came with a solution for finding another course. So I heard about course
which I follow now. When, I came to the university college premises for an interview, I actually
liked to the decent and calm environment which had earlier. Not only that, Also the time period.
 They mentioned as this is three year course. So I thought this must be the best place to continue my
higher studies. I searched about Bio-medical engineering field and the future opportunities, before
entering the course. I knew to know that we have 120 credit hours in our whole course so I
contacted the friend of mine, whose studying in Indian technical university. And I confirmed that
credit hours will be enough to follow a Masters in technology.
So I believed that, this was the best option that I got to finish my higher studies in efficient manner.
4. Decision –Develop Possibilities
Earlier, I chose to enter the University College of health studies by considering some factors. But due
the latest situation of our university college, I am worrying about the decision that I took as a best
solution for my problem.
So If I faced a such a problem again I’ll
 Focus collective attention on the situation
 Connect ideas and deeper insight
 Consider about all alternative solution
 Get advices from parents and elders
 Understand the risks which may cam occur
 Create forward momentum and move the action

According to my opinion, a rich range of possible solutions open up the various opportunities. So if
I faced the above problem again I’ll firstly analyze the problem. According to my view, the most
suitable and simple technique to analyze the problem is fishbone theory.

A fishbone diagram, also called a cause and effect diagram or Ishikawa diagram, is a visualization tool
for categorizing the potential causes of a problem in order to identify its root causes. The design of the
diagram looks much like a skeleton of a fish.

Following diagram shows the fish bone analysis of my problem.

Aversion for Administration Faced for a

study with decided to shift surgery
juniors the batch

Problem about the

future studies

Considering Aversion for

Didn’t get
about age study in private
permission to
university
attend to foreign
university
 Also we can analyze this situation using five why method. Following diagram shows the five why
method of problem solving.

• Why Do you missed the state university?

Why
• Due to the surgery

• Why do you stopped the state unversity?

Why
• Due to the Aversion of study with juniors

• Why didnt you select the foreign university?

Why
• Parents didnt give the permission

• Why did'nt you not choose the Slit?

Why
• I do'nt like that culture

• Why did you selected university college of sri

jayawardenapura?
Why
• It had very calm and descent environment in
that time

Five why can be used individually or as a part of the fish bone. It will important when problems
involve human factors or interactions. In other hand, it is very useful to identify the root cause of the
problem and to determine the relationships between different root causes of a problem.

After analyzing the problem I can came up with various ideas. When I consider I have plenty of ideas
with potential it’s time to make a decision.

These are the solutions/alternatives that I have obtain,

a. Attend to state university due to the validity of degree and my talents.

b. Attend private university by avoiding my aversion
c. Attend to the university college of health studies due to the visible decent environment and their
recommendation
d. Anyhow get the permission from parents to enter the foreign university
e. Ask brother to choose the foreign university

5. Select the best option / Solution

In here I am going to consider the number of solution that I founded. Now I have more than one
solution. So I am going use “Duckers three criteria’’ as a filter to select ideas to take forward.

 Operational Validity – can I take action on this idea? , Is it suitable for my future?
 Economical Validity – Will the idea produce economical result? Is the economic amount is
reasonable? Is it under my economical limitation?
 Personal/others Commitment- Do you really believe in the idea? Do others believe in idea?

So I am going to apply my ideas/ solutions to above three filter tests.

Operational Economical Personal/Other

Validity Validity commitment
a) Attend to state It has Field of architecture Most of the
university due to operational has good economic relatives, friend
the validity of validity due to value and it is highly told me choose this
degree and my the demanded field. Also I option. This is one
talents. recommendation have a chance to free of my favorite field
of lecturers. education. It’s also a
And I have good economic value
talent of the
field.
b) Attend private It operation I have to pay very Parents will like
university by validity is less large amount for this due if I haven’t
avoiding my than option (a) study. Also I option (a). and I
aversion due to aversion selected to IT don’t believe in
of me. (Information this idea.
Technology)
degree. According
my knowledge
now it’s very
common study
area. So it will
reduce the
economic value.
But it has some
value due to the
highly increasing
technology
c) Attend to the It’s operation It has highly Parents like this ,if
university validity is less economic value I haven’t option
college of health than option (a) same as option (a) (a), I like this field
studies due to but more than ,sometimes more than option (b)
 the visible decent operation (b) , than that. Also it same as option (a)
environment and But we haven’t has very But anyone haven’t
their any acceptable reasonable course knowledge about
recommendation recommendation fee than option (b) this solution than
about future also the installment option (a) & (b)
payments.
d) Anyhow get the Its operation It has some Parents will never
permission from validity is less economic validity. like this.
parents to enter than option (c). But I am not
the foreign conscious much
university about the field.
e) Ask brother to Its operational It has some I also didn’t like
choose the validity is very economic validity. this.
foreign less
university

So, if I faced this problem again, I’ll never consider about the age problem and aversion of studying
with juniors. I will surely choose the solution (a). Its mean, I will attend to state university due to the
validity of degree and my talents. I will never consider about other factors. So that’s my best solution.
I take this decision by applying my alternatives to the “Duckers three criteria’’

05. Conclusion – Verify if the problem has been resolved or not

Earlier, I have

 Carefully define the problem , and the desired outcome

 Understand my role of the problem
 Analyzed the problem at length
 Collected every available information
 Explored all possible solutions and alternatives
 Chosen the best alternative after considerable deliberation.

So finally I came up with best solution, now I have to verify whether my problem is solved or not.

It can illustrate via the methods of decision making .There are some four methods of decision making.
Those are,

 Classical model
 The classical model/ rational model is the first attempt to know the decision-making process. It’s
gave various steps in decision making process. In here
 Problems are clear
 Objectives are clear
 All alternatives are known
 All consequence can be anticipated
 Decision makes are rational
 They are not based in recognizing the problem
 They are capable of following all relevant information
 Administrative model
The administrative model of decision making assumes that decision maker’s rationality is bounded
and they are willing to consider only a limited no of criteria and alternatives before making
decisions. As a consequence, they settle for the first ‘good enough’ solution that they find.
 The retrospective model
This is type of rational choice model, which is based on the idea that the individual actors in the
decision making process act rationally and are trying to achieve their own aims in competition with
one another. This retrospective model is also known as the political model of decision making.

The following checklist can be helpful to review the my best solution

1. Were my problem is identified correctly?

2. Are there any difficulties for process the solution?
3. Does my current situation is cope with the exception
4. What are the sub problems/ side effects that may occur due to the selected solution?

When I consider about question (1), I already identified the question and effects using the fishbone
theory and Ducker’s theory. According to question no (2), I have to understand the difficulties which
have combined with the solution. Actually I haven’t any difficulty. Reason is University
administration has approved to study with juniors. Question no (3), asked about the current situation.
Actually in that movement I was worrying about my higher studies. So it’s not coping with the
exception. According to my opinion there is nothing to occur as sub problems. So question no (4) also
solved. So I can verify as I have chosen the best option.

Also it is necessary to consider about the risk level and type of risks which can occur as the side effects
of the best solution. So to verify my best solution, I have to assess the risk level of my previous
alternatives.
Alternatives Risk levels Reasons
a) Attend to state university It has some risks due to the
due to the validity of time period and age.
degree and my talents.
b) Attend private university Sometimes I will not focusing
by avoiding my aversion much attention to education,
attending lectures due to my
aversion.
c) Attend to the university We didn’t get any acceptable
college of health studies evidence of our future carrier.
due to the visible decent Its newly launched University
environment and their
recommendation
d) Anyhow get the Parents didn’t like this solution
permission from parents due to their experiences.
to enter the foreign
university
e) Ask brother to choose the It will be a reason for destroy
foreign university his future studies due to his
aversion.

According above chart, it’s showing my best solution has very low risk level than others.

The one of best methods to verify whether the problem has been solve or not is resuming normal
operations in to our problem.

Still, we should consider:

 What changes should be made to avoid this type of problem in the future? Considered about the
risk level

 Lastly, consider "What did you learn from this problem solving?" Consider new knowledge,
understanding and/or skills.

The thing that I learnt from solving my own problem is before you spend too much time actually
making a decision, take time to review how you are making it. Don't get emotionally attached to one
outcome before you're sure your decision-making process serves you well. Also, Just as people are
different, so are their styles of decision making. Each person is a result of all of the decisions made in
 their life to date. Recognizing this, here are some factors that I learnt to enhance my decision making
batting average.

 Do not make decisions that are not yours to make.

 When making a decision you are simply choosing from among alternatives. You are not making a
choice between right and wrong.

 Avoid snap decisions. Move fast on the reversible ones and slowly on the non-reversible.

 Choosing the right alternative at the wrong time is not any better than the wrong alternative at the right
time, so make the decision while you still have time.

Think back on a decision I made in the past that cost me dearly or caused my considerable pain. Then
consider some smaller decision where, in retrospect, I realize a different choice would have saved my time
and avoided aggravation. Looking back on the momentous times in our lives, some of our biggest regrets
come from faulty decision-making.

6. References

Seeking information and opinions from a variety of people to widen your frame of reference, without
dwelling disproportionately on what you heard first. In seeking advice from someone else, offer just the
facts, without your opinion, so you don't inadvertently anchor the person with your thoughts. Then you can
benefit from hearing diverse views on the situation.

Some factors were highly influenced to solve the problem which I had earlier, those are

 Decision and advices of administration of the University

 Advices and Forces from parents, relatives and friend
 My personal desires.
 Environmental factors of the above possibilities
 Due to subject experience of problem solving and decision making

Sources

 Bibledocs.com
 Businessballs.com
 Problem Analysis Techniques-Mr. Derick Brown (Director)
 Six sigma
 Guidelines to Problem Solving and Decision Making
Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright 1997-
2007. Adapted from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision