Facilitation Techniques, Change Management, Emotional Inteligence, Leadership Skills

Data Collection and Issue Identification Tools and Techniques

The need to analyse situations, collect, and collate data drives the need for these tools and techniques. The first of these is Braindumping: which signifies that people’s thoughts and ideas and concerns are ‘downloaded’ and collected (invariably on Post Its™) so that they can be collated and sorted and discussed. Brainstorming: on the other hand is a technique for generating random ideas on a topic/problem or solution.

Clustering and Linking: provide the mechanisms for collating data into meaningful pieces. Sometimes Clustering – collecting the data together in ‘themes’ is appropriate, sometimes the data follows a ‘pattern’ and so Linking is appropriate.

“Snap”: is the method of connecting corrective ideas, actions and solutions directly with the problem (Post Its™). This is done by ‘snapping’ another (colour) Post Its™ on top of the original problem. This is a simple way of looking for solutions to simple problems. However, more ‘heavy weight’ tools must be used if the problem is complex.

Is and Is Not is a powerful model for analysing a confusing situation and finding the deviations from the normal. If something only happened at the weekend, it only related to a particular order, or it happened with all customers, then you build a picture of the real problem. Perceiving Others is used when exploring relationships between organisations, departments or suppliers etc.

Expert Witness can provide crucial input but requires and expert! Whereas Flow Charting establishes the fundamental process in place and allows for examination of the way things are done (around here). SCA provides a problem analysis tool to explore the connection between symptoms and real causes. Whilst Perceiving Others allows the group to explore the conflict between stakeholders and departments. What will I see happening ….? Links behaviours with values and establishes a connection between them.

Allegory provides a non-threatening means of exploring problems – the elephant in the room syndrome! Finally Repertory Grid provides an in-depth approach to establishing data which is difficult to identify at first sight.

No	Techniques	Situations	Key Words
1	Brain Dumping	It is desirable to draw out from the group all the information that is known about a particular situation, action or event. “There are a number of factors/issues which we need to explore”	Issues Factors Identify factors Ideas Thoughts	Add to Basket
2	Brain storming	Brainstorming is a term often used for any kind of idea generation. However, it has its own unique rules and is used for ‘free-wheel’ generation of ‘off the wall’ ideas. Innovation Creativity No Boundaries	“We need a fresh look at this” “I think we have to look at this from a completely different angle”	Add to Basket
3	Clustering – follows on naturally from Brain Dumping and whenever there are a large number of Post Its™. Try to use a ‘back-drop’ when clustering (e.g. Matrix/Force Field)	The group needs to begin to structure a number of ideas, which it has generated in order to identify areas of contrast, comparison and similarity. “Is there a pattern here?” “I think we need to identify the key themes” “Aren’t there some obvious connections here?” “I think we need to structure these ideas/issues”	Go with Related to Part of In connection with	Add to Basket
4	Linking (see also Fishbone – when the ‘headings’ are known)	The group needs to reach a clear and agreed understanding of why a particular situation has arisen.Linkages between data in: - a linear line - hierarchical - cause and effect (see also SCA) “Surely we know what lead to it happening” “Is there a connection here?”	This ‘fits’ after this doesn’t it? I think this is on a critical path Can’t we ‘map’ this in some kind of linear process? Surely this is linked to this?	Add to Basket
5	“Snap”	“Snap” is a technique for placing Post Its™ on top of other Post Its™ with: - solutions - further thoughts - actions“ Can we map the answers to this?” “Is there something we can do about each of these?”	Solution Opportunity Option	Add to Basket
6	Is and Is Not	This tool is essential when it seems hard to identify the ‘facts’ of the situation. It helps to identify differences and therefore distinctions. It gets to the heart of a problem. “So what happened?” “What’s different this time?” “Can’t we sort out what happened?”	Last time Never before Once it did When it happened	Add to Basket
7	Perceiving Others	This tool allows us to look at how we perceive: other departments, stakeholders, customers, suppliers, possibly even colleagues (in a teambuilding context) “How do we see them?” “What’s your view of them”		Add to Basket
8	Expert Witness	Used when you need to challenge groupthink or when you need to bring in expertise to glean new insights/information (see also Presentation and Questions) “I think we need to hear from an expert” “Do we know enough about this?”	We don’t know Does anyone know Can we find out	Add to Basket
9	SCA for Problem Solving	This tool is used when the group recognises a symptom. This could be an organisational issue (e.g. delivering late to the customer). In which case you will be looking to identify the real cause and then deciding on what action to take. Alternatively, it could be an individual emotion (e.g., people feeling that they are not being informed). In which case you should use this tool to find the real causes and ultimately define the Action that the group needs to take to resolve the issue.	Any words which are emotion driven or indicate a sub -cause “I don’t know why this is happening” “It’s not the real reason” “I think we are looking at the symptoms here”	Add to Basket
10	What will I see Happening?	Used to identify issues/factors/behaviours in a given situation. To ascertain the values driving the factors/behaviour. “What is happening there?” “Why does that happen?”	Value Behaviour Factor Characteristic	Add to Basket
11	Allegory - Day at the Zoo	This related to the need to gather data to gain more information. “We need for information before we act” “Do we know enough about this?”	Information Data Knowledge	Add to Basket
12	Flow charting	Flow-charting is a specific data gathering Model. It provides a mechanism for analysing a given situation in terms of the flow of: information, materials, people, money etc “How does it get from here to there?” “Surely it doesn’t take that long!”	Where in the system Breakdown in the process	Add to Basket
13	Repertory Grid	To get the common factors/features or behaviours in a given situation by comparison with other situations. This technique is useful when people are finding it difficult to identify the factors which are common in situations but hard to discern. For example, the factors which help make a sale or the problems affecting a project or good leadership. It can also help discern core values which uphold certain behaviours/features.	“That didn’t happen last time!” “Surely we know what happened?” “Is it the same as that other time?” “So what are the factors this time?”	Add to Basket
14	Restatement	This technique enables groups to gain a new perception on a particular problem or situation. It is used when groups get bogged down in a particular approach to a problem. When they "can't see the wood for the trees".		Add to Basket

Situations

Key Words