Not all problems are created equal. Using one’s intuition or past practices might work for solving very simple problems. Yet our past and our view of the future may limit our solutions. When we are facing an issue or challenge that requires a fresh solution and has many interrelated components — perhaps several different constituents are involved or can be affected by the solution — a more robust process will bring you a clearer, more novel solution. Based on Snowden’s (2007) research, there are four levels of problems – simple, complicated, complex and chaotic. As director of the Alber Enterprise Center, I helped to develop an issue management model specifically designed to resolve our clients’ complex problems.
In my own research comparing The BRIDGE Issue Management Process with other more basic problem-solving models, I determined that there are three features that differentiate our model. The BRIDGE:
- Identifies a system of interrelated solutions that resolve the issue;
- Provides templates for clients to document the desired outcomes, action steps, measurements, and resources into formal documents; and
- Gains buy-in from their respective organizations to implement and sustain the solution.
Read the complete blog article here, and find out the best time to reach for The BRIDGE toolkit!
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Myra Wilson is program director for the Alber Enterprise Center located at The Ohio State University at Marion. |