Problem Solving and Decision Making in Groups

Although the steps of problem-solving and decision-making may seem obvious, we often fail to use them. Instead, we start working on a problem and later realize we are lost and have to backtrack. I am sure we have all reached a point in a project or task and had the "OK, now what?” moment. I have recently taken up some carpentry projects as a functional hobby, and I have developed a great respect for the importance of advanced planning. It is frustrating to get to a crucial point in building or fixing something only to realize that you have to unscrew a support board that you already screwed in, have to drive back to the hardware store to get something that you did not think to get earlier, or have to completely start over. In this section, we will discuss the group problem-solving process, methods of decision making, and influences on these processes.


Group Problem Solving

The problem-solving process involves thoughts, discussions, actions, and decisions from the first consideration of a problematic situation to the goal. The problems that groups face are varied, but some common problems include budgeting funds, raising funds, planning events, addressing customer or citizen complaints, creating or adapting products or services to fit needs, supporting members, and raising awareness about issues or causes.

Problems of all sorts have three common components:

  1. An undesirable situation. When conditions are desirable, there is no problem.

  2. A desired situation. Even though it may only be a vague idea, there is a drive to better the undesirable situation. The vague idea may develop into a more precise goal that can be achieved, although solutions are not yet generated.

  3. Obstacles between undesirable and desirable situations. These things stand in the way between the current situation and the group's goal of addressing it. This problem component requires the most work, and it is the part where decision-making occurs. Some examples of obstacles include limited funding, resources, personnel, time, or information. Obstacles can also take the form of people working against the group, including people resistant to change or people who disagree.

Discussion of these three elements of a problem helps the group tailor its problem-solving process, as each problem will vary. While these three general elements are present in each problem, the group should also address specific characteristics of the problem. Five common and important characteristics to consider are task difficulty, number of possible solutions, group member interest in the problem, group member familiarity with the problem, and the need for solution acceptance.

  1. Task difficulty. Difficult tasks are also typically more complex. Groups should be prepared to spend time researching and discussing a difficult and complex task to develop shared foundational knowledge. This typically requires individual work outside the group and frequent group meetings to share information.

  2. Number of possible solutions. There are usually multiple ways to solve a problem or complete a task, but some problems have more potential solutions than others. Figuring out how to prepare a beach house for an approaching hurricane is fairly complex and difficult, but there are still a limited number of things to do - for example, taping and boarding up windows; turning off water, electricity, and gas; trimming trees; and securing loose outside objects. Other problems may be more creatively based. For example, designing a new restaurant may entail using standard solutions or many different types of innovation with layout and design.

  3. Group member interest in the problem. When group members are interested in the problem, they will be more engaged with the problem-solving process and invested in finding a quality solution. Groups with high interest in and knowledge about the problem may want more freedom to develop and implement solutions. In contrast, low-interest groups may prefer a leader who provides structure and direction.

  4. Group familiarity with the problem. Some groups encounter a problem regularly, while others are more unique or unexpected. A family who has lived in hurricane alley for decades probably has a better idea of how to prepare its house for a hurricane than does a family that just recently moved from the Midwest. Many groups that rely on funding have to revisit a budget every year. In recent years, groups have had to get more creative with budgets as funding has been cut in nearly every sector. When group members are not familiar with a problem, they will need background research on what similar groups have done and may also need to bring in outside experts.

  5. Need for solution acceptance. In this step, groups must consider how many people the decision will affect and how much "buy-in” from others the group needs for their solution to be successfully implemented. Some small groups have many stakeholders on whom the success of a solution depends. Other groups are answerable only to themselves. When a small group plans to build a new park in a crowded neighborhood or implement a new policy in a large business, it can be difficult to develop solutions accepted by all. In these cases, groups will want to poll those affected by the solution and may want to do a pilot implementation to see how people react. Imposing an excellent solution that does not have buy-in from stakeholders can still lead to failure.

Creative Commons License This text was adapted by Saylor Academy under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensor.