A toolbox, not one tool
A cook has more than one knife. A small fruit needs a small one. A big loaf needs a big one.
Problem-solving strategies are the same. You have several. A good analyst picks the one that fits the problem in front of them.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can judge which problem-solving strategy suits a data problem.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Six-step strategy | Define, gather, analyse, plan, implement and review |
| Root cause analysis | Looking for the real reason behind a fault |
| Incident management | The steps a team follows to restore a service |
| Top-down | Start with the whole problem and split it up |
| Bottom-up | Start with small known parts and build up |
| Modularisation | Building a solution from separate parts that each do one job |
| Judgement | A choice you can explain with reasons |
| Dashboard | A screen that shows the main figures |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Problems and strategies depend on each other
The type of problem decides which strategy helps. The strategy you pick also changes what you find out about the problem.
A service that is down needs speed, so use incident management. A fault that keeps returning needs a root cause. A new report system needs a plan, so go top-down.
Which strategy suits which problem?
| Problem | Strategy | Why it suits |
|---|---|---|
| The dashboard is down for everyone | Incident management | Restore the service fast, then find the cause |
| The same totals double every week | Root cause analysis | A quick fix does not stop it returning |
| One chart shows the wrong month | Six-step strategy | A single fault with clear facts to gather |
| One column in a chain of sums is wrong | Bottom-up | Test one known part at a time |
| A firm needs a new reporting system | Top-down | Plan the whole, then split into parts |
| A report tool keeps growing | Modularisation | Add and change parts without breaking the rest |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.