Learner Guide

Module 7
Problem solving techniques
US: 14927, 14920, 14919, 120379

Further Education and Training Certificate: Information Technology: Systems

Development
SAQA 78965 - Level 4 - 175 Credits
Learner Information:

Name & Surname:

ID Number

Tel/Cell

Email Address

Organisation:

Facilitator Name:

Copyright
All rights reserved. The copyright of this document, its previous editions and any annexures thereto,
is protected and expressly reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a
retrievable system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission.

2
 Learner Guide Introduction

The purpose of this Learner Guide is to provide learners with the necessary
knowledge and it provides a comprehensive overview of the module: Problem
solving techniques, and forms part of a series of modularised Learner Guides that
have been developed for the qualification: Further Education and Training
About Certificate: Information Technology: Systems Development - Qual ID: 78965 NQF
LEVEL 4, Worth 175 Credits.
This Learner Guide has been designed to improve the skills and knowledge of
learners, and thus enabling them to effectively and efficiently complete specific
tasks.

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

 Apply problem solving strategies
Outcomes  Participate in groups and/or teams to recommend solutions to problems
 Resolve computer user`s problems
 Work as a project team member

The only way to establish whether a learner is competent and has accomplished
the Learning Outcomes is through an assessment process.
Assessment involves collecting and interpreting evidence about the learner’s
ability to perform a task.
Assessment This guide may include assessments in the form of activities, assignments, tasks or
projects, as well as workplace practical tasks. Learners are required to perform
tasks on the job to collect enough and appropriate evidence for their portfolio of
evidence, proof signed by their supervisor that the tasks were performed
successfully.

To qualify and receive credits towards the learning program, a registered assessor
Qualify will conduct an evaluation and assessment of the learner’s portfolio of evidence
and competency

Learners are required to attend the training workshops as a group or as specified

Learner by their organization. These workshops are presented in modules, and conducted
Responsibility by a qualified facilitator. The responsibility of learning rest with the learner, so:
 Be proactive and ask questions,

3
 Seek assistance and help from your facilitators, if required.

4
 US: 14927, NQF Level 4 Worth 4 Credits
Learning Unit 1
Apply problem solving strategies

This unit standard is intended:

 to provide fundamental knowledge of the areas covered
 for those working in, or entering the workplace in the area of
Business and Organisational Communication
 as additional knowledge for those wanting to understand the areas
Unit Standard covered

Purpose People credited with this unit standard are able to:
 Define and analyse the problem
 Evaluate solutions
 Implement the solution
The performance of all elements is to a standard that allows for further
learning in this area.

The credit value of this unit is based on a person having prior knowledge and

Learning skills to:

 Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental mathematics (at
Assumed to be
least at NQF Level 3)
in Place  Demonstrate competence to communicate in English (at least at
NQF Level 3)

5
Session 1
Define and analyse the problem.
SO 1

 The definition ensures that the problem is examined and identified in

terms of problem type, problem parameters, and possible causes
Learning  The definition ensures that facts are collected to meet the problem

Outcomes requirements

(Assessment  The analysis ensures that problem components are identified to determine

Criteria) possible courses of action

 The analysis ensures that the problem is analysed for cross-cultural
implications

1. Defining the problem/gathering information

Define the Problem
What prevents you from reaching your goal?
You may need to state the problem in broad terms since
the exact problem may not be obvious.
 you may lack information to define it
 you can confuse symptoms with underlying causes
Prepare a statement of the problem and find someone you trust to review it and to talk it over. If the
problem is a job situation, review it with your supervisor or the appropriate committee or resource.
Consider these questions:
 What is the problem?
 Is it my problem?
 Can I solve it? Is it worth solving?
 Is this the real problem, or merely a symptom of a larger one?
 If this is an old problem, what's wrong with the previous solution?
 Does it need an immediate solution, or can it wait?
 Is it likely to go away by itself?
 Can I risk ignoring it?
 Does the problem have ethical dimensions?
 What conditions must the solution satisfy?
 Will the solution affect something that must remain unchanged?
Causes!

6
When problem solving, identify the causes of the problem in order to solve it.
 Identify causes of your problem Look at the current situation, rather than its history
Do not consider the "trouble" it creates whether now or in the future.
 List and organize the causes of the problem

Fishi-kawa! Ishikawa diagrams! Fishbone diagrams! *

Similar to the practice of concept mapping and brainstorming,
place each "cause" along a line that ends in a box identifying a problem
creating your very own fishbone diagram.

At the beginning brainstorm and identify all the possible causes.

One strategy is to use post-it notes for each cause,
then paste them into your "graph" along the "spine" for a visual representation,
either on a whiteboard, flipchart, or other large surface that can be modified. If some causes relate
to others, you can develop layers connecting and extending out from the first rays. As you develop
your diagram, arrange the causes toward the fishhead/problem to indicate
importance. Identify/map all the causes before considering solutions to the problem.
What are examples of causes of the problem?
 People
Are there enough participants to help?
 Are the participants' skills adequate?
 Are some participants perceived as not helpful?
 Resources
Are there enough, for example funding?
 Are some not identified?
 Are some not used effectively, or mis-placed?
 Environment
Is it conducive to problem solving? Is there too much stress?

7
 Is the power structure (administration or line of authority) supportive?
 Is the power structure (administration or line of authority) aware of the problem?
 Processes, procedures and rules
 Are they understood, or badly defined?
 Are they perceived as an obstacle?
 Vocabulary/terminology/concepts
Is there an agreed-upon vocabulary, and understanding of their meanings and definitions?
Are some "hidden"?
Working with the diagram:
 Consider all the causes and rank them in importance
 either on their post-its, or by circles with numbers etc.
 Examine relationship
 Drop some causes to secondary levels, or off the chart to indicate irrelevance.
* The Ishikawa Diagram was developed by Kaoru Ishikawa (1968) with applications in manufacturing
and later published in "Introduction to Quality Control (1990. It was first used in the 1940s, and is
considered one of the seven basic tools of quality control.[4] It is known as a fishbone diagram
because of its shape, similar to the side view of a fish skeleton. Mazda Motors used the procedure in
the development of the Miata sports car. "Every factor identified in the diagram was included in the
final design."
Gathering Information
Stakeholders
Individuals, groups, organizations that are affected by the problem, or
its solution. Begin with yourself. Decision makers and those close to us
are very important to identify.
Facts & data
 Research
 Results from experimentation and studies
 Interviews of "experts" and trusted sources
 Observed events, past or present, either personally observed or reported
Boundaries
The boundaries or constraints of the situation are difficult to change. They include lack of funds or
other resources. If a solution is surrounded by too many constraints, the constraints themselves may
be the problem.
Opinions and Assumptions

8
Opinions of decision makers, committees or groups, or other powerful groups will be important to
the success of your decision. It is important to recognize truth, bias, or prejudice in the opinion.
Assumptions can save time and work since is often difficult to get "all the facts." Recognize that
some things are accepted on faith. Assumptions also have a risk factor, must be recognized for what
they are, and should be discarded when they are proven wrong.

Mapping the
problem solving process

Project planning/organizing class projects

9
Summary gather essential information as part of your problem solving strategy

The real problem may actually be very different than the one you think you have! Take your time
with my problem solving techniques - don't rush the steps. Don’t worry even if it takes you several
days to answer the questions - think of it as a 'project' and a new start. So why not make or pour
yourself a drink, kick off your shoes and let's get started...
Take a big sheet of paper, draw a circle for each of the contributing factors and write in the details to
start off your problem solving steps.
The time
1. When exactly does the problem occur?
2. When exactly is it at its worst?
3. When does it not occur?
4. Can you identify a pattern from this information?
The place
1. Where exactly does the problem mostly occur?
2. Where does it not occur?
3. Can you identify a pattern?
The sequence
1. What exactly is happening before the problem occurs?
2. How exactly does the problem start?
3. What is happening for the problem to continue?
4. What exactly was your train of thought?
5. What are you doing/feeling/seeing/hearing?
6. Can you identify a pattern?
Other people
Friend or foe - how are they detracting from or contributing to your problem and problem solving
strategies?
1. What significant people are present or absent when the problem occurs?

10
2. What do others/your partner/friend/colleague/family think about the problem?
3. Who doesn't know about the problem and should know?
4. What do you anticipate they might think when they find out?
5. Can one of them act like the 'devil’'s advocate' to give you a completelydifferent perspective?
6. Can you identify a pattern from the information you've gathered?
The one and only - your problem solving strategies
1. What part of the problem is for you to sort out and no-one else?
2. What are your personal weaknesses?
3. Are you able to separate yourself from the problem by giving it a colour, name or shape?
4. What part of the problem do you actually have (some) control over? (Gain more control
with Quantum Jumping, but be warned - it's only for you if you're open minded)
5. What assumptions did you make when previously trying to sort this problem?
6. Do you need help with the problem?

11
Session 2
Evaluate solutions.
SO 2

 The evaluation identifies possible solutions to the problem by using a range

of problem solving techniques
Learning
 The evaluation establishes criteria for evaluating solutions to match the
Outcomes
type of problem
(Assessment  Possible solutions are evaluated against established criteria
Criteria)
 The evaluation ensures that solutions are selected to meet established
criteria and problem requirements

Your resources and strengths

The most important aspect of any problem solving strategies is to look at your resources for solving
the problem(s).
1. What parts of your role as a partner/colleague/employee/employer areworking well?
2. What exactly are you doing that makes it work well?
3. What skills and resources do you use in your spare time and at work?
4. What are your achievements? (This could be large ‘one-offs’ or every day ‘small’ ones, for
example passing your driving test, getting your PhD or cooking a meal)
5. Who has solved a similar problem? How did they do it?
6. Who can help and/or advise you whilst staying objective?
7. Who can support and encourage you whilst staying objective?
8. What would you consider to be ‘life's little treats’? (e.g. a hot bath, first flowers in spring,
looking at art, reading an inspiring book, etc.) It's vital to be aware of the things you consider to
be treats when you want to recharge your energy!
Beyond the problem
1. What would you be doing/concentrating on if you didn't have the problem?
2. How exactly would you and/or the situation be different?
3. What would your friends/family/colleagues notice about you/the situation?
4. What would happen if you just ignored the problem?
5. Could you view the present situation - although clearly not ideal - as analternative solution?
6. Are there any possible benefits to the situation?
7. Can you make any changes, without having to solve the problem first?
8. How would you ideally like it to end?

12
9. What small steps can you take towards an eventual solution or part-solution?
10. What can you do today that will make a difference tomorrow?
11. Are there any other opportunities to turn a negative in a positive?
12. What will you settle for if all else fails?

Developing/weighing alternatives
Look at your problems in different ways; find a new perspective that you haven't thought of before.
Brainstorming, or rapid noting of alternatives no matter how silly, is an excellent discovery process.
Once you have listed or mapped alternatives, be open to their possibilities. Make notes on those
that:
 need more information
 are new solutions
 can be combined or eliminated
 will meet opposition
 seem promising or exciting
Weigh Alternatives
After listing possible alternatives, evaluate them without prejudice,
no matter how appealing or distasteful
Consider all criteria While a suitable solution may solve the problem, it may not work if resources
aren't available, if people won't accept it, or if it causes new problems

Select the best alternative

13
  Don't consider any alternative as "perfect solution."
 If there were, there probably wouldn't be a problem in the first place
 Consider your intuition,
 or inner feelings in deciding on a course of action
 Return to your trusted outsider:
 Is there something you missed?
 Does he/she see a problem with your solution?
 Compromise
Consider compromise when you have a full grasp of the problem, and your alternatives. Competing
solutions may yield a hybrid solution.
Techniques in weighing alternatives:

Thomas Saaty's Analytical Hierarchy Matrix.

List alternatives in columns and rows as depicted in the matrix above. Starting with Alternative A, go
across columns in the matrix and rate each alternative against all the others.

When the alternative under consideration has Then give the more valuable alternative a score
more value than the others of 1

When the alternative has give the less valuable alternative a score of 0
less value than the others
Add the scores for each row/alternative; highest score is the highest rated alternative according to
the criteria you used. In the matrix above, Alternative C scores highest, so it's the highest rated
alternative
SFF Matrix: Suitability, Feasibility & Flexibility

14
 Suitability Feasibility Flexibility Total
Alternative A
Alternative B
Alternative C
Alternative D
Rate each alternative on scale of 1 - 3 for its
 Suitability: refers to
 the alternative itself, whether it is ethical or practical. Is it appropriate in scale or importance?
an adequate response? too extreme?
 Feasibility: refers to
 How many resources will be needed to solve the problem (i.e. Is it affordable?)
How likely will it solve the problem?
 Flexibility: refers to
 Your ability to respond to unintended consequences, or openness to new possibilities? The
alternative itself and whether you can control outcomes once you begin.
Total a score for each alternative, compare, prioritize your alternatives...

Blank pros and cons decision-making template

You should be able to cut and paste this template into a text editor or spreadsheet. Add more rows
as required.

question/decision/option:

pros (for - advantages) score cons (against - disadvantages) score

15
totals totals

Adaptive Decision Making

Adaptive techniques for solving problems are a combination of logic and common sense, and while
not precise, can produce satisfactory solutions. If you cannot follow the complete problem solving
process, use these techniques when you
 have little time for research
 don't need exhaustive analysis
 can accept the risks
 can make reversible decisions
Strategies toward adaptive decision making:

Managing by exception: text

Work on matters critical to you; leave off matters that are not. Strategizing and prioritizing Example:
You tutor a child in math. You become aware that the family situation is troubled, but you haven't
the skills to help. You inform the case manager for their action, but continue to focus on the
supporting the child with his/her homework
Decision staggering
Make incremental decisions to achieve an objective and avoid total commitment to a decision you
cannot change. Example: Before installing air-conditioning, try screens, shades, and fans. These
alone may do the job. If not, these improvements will still have helped cool the building and increase
air-conditioning efficiency if later installed.
Exploration
Use information available to probe for a solution. Exploring is a modified trial-and-error strategy to
manage risk. Unlike a throw of dice, however, it requires a firm sense of purpose and direction. Use
this technique to move cautiously in small steps toward a solution. Example: Doctors avoid
committing to a single, incomplete diagnosis of an illness. Through tentative but precise exploration,
they determine the cause of an illness and its cure.
Hedging
Spread risk by avoiding decisions that lock you into a single choice if you are not prepared to
commit.

16
Example: astute investors don't "put all their eggs in one basket." They spread risks with a balanced
portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash.
Intuition
Create options based on your experience, values, and emotions (your gut feelings and your heart)!
While often able to arrive at the truth through intuition, don't rely on it exclusively. It can trigger
snap judgments and rash decisions. Use logic first, then your intuition to make the decision "feel"
right
Delay
Go slow and/or postpone committing yourself to a course of action
if an immediate decision isn't necessary and there's time to develop options.
Sometimes doing nothing is the best decision; the problem will either go away, conditions will
change, the path may become clearer as you reflect on it, or events will change the problem itself.
Delegating decision-making or action to another person or group
Sometimes we take on problems that are not ours, or that the problem can be solved better by
someone else. One strategy towards delegation is to identify stakeholders of the problem. A
stakeholders is a person or group that interest in, or will be affected by, resolution of the problem.
(This is a good practice for all decision-making!)
Another consideration for "out-sourcing" a problem's resolution is to consider if your resources will
be adequate to the task. Resources are time, money, skills, confidence, etc.
Visioning
Focus on the future to uncover hidden opportunities and options that may resolve the
problem. With options, we make better decisions. Without them, decisions become forced
choices. By finding tomorrow's opportunities and developing options, you can make enduring,
quality decisions.
Barriers to effective decision-making
Indecision
Avoiding decisions to escape the unpleasant aspects of risk, fear, and anxiety
Stalling
Refusing to face the issue; obsessive gathering of endless facts
Overreacting
Letting a situation spin out of control; letting emotions take control
Vacillating
Reversing decisions; half-heartedly committing to a course of action

17
Summary GENERATE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
During this stage the goal is to generate as many possible solutions as you can. Do not worry about
whether or not they are realistic, practical, or effective. Frequently a solution you might eliminate
initially, with work can be developed into a very effective solution. It can be very helpful to ask
yourself what you have done in the past when faced with similar problems, and how other people
you know have dealt with similar situations. In addition, you can also approach friends, family, a
counselor, teachers, books, or the internet, etc. to obtain ideas for solutions. Be sure to write down
all the possibilities you generate so that you can approach this task systematically.
ANALYZE THE SOLUTION
During this stage, you will examine each alternative and write down both the advantages and
disadvantages to each. Some considerations to keep in mind include:
 Is it relevant to my situation?
 Is it realistic?
 Is it manageable?
 What are the consequences – both good and bad?
 What is the likelihood that it is going to help me reach my goal?

18
Session 3
Implement the solution.
SO 3

 The implementation ensures that solutions are trialed and/ or monitored

Learning for effectiveness of problem solution

Outcomes  The implementation ensures that solutions are reviewed and modified, and

(Assessment practices are standardised where required

Criteria)  The implementation ensures that stakeholders are consulted during

implementation

Implementing decisions
Develop a plan for implementation.
Elements:
 Step-by-step process or actions for solving the problem
 Communications strategy for notifying stakeholders Where important or necessary, inform
those who care for you and/or will be affected by the change. Prepare them as necessary about
your decision
 Resource identification/allocation
 Timeline for implementation

Monitoring progress
Your implementation will only be successful if you are monitoring your solution, the effects of it on
resources and stakeholders, your timeline, and your progress. As you monitor your progress, if
results are not what you expect, review your options and alternatives.

19
Whether or not you achieved your goals, it is important to consider what you have learned from
your experience: about yourself, about what you consider important.
Lastly, if you have done your best,you have this as one measure of success.

IMPLEMENTATION Summary
The last step is to implement the solution you have chosen. This step involves identification of all the
steps necessary to implement it, and also on-going monitoring of the effectiveness of the solution to
make sure that it actually solved the problem. During this stage of the process, ask yourself the
following questions:
1. How effective is the solution?
2. Did it achieve what I wanted?
3. What consequences (good and bad) did it have in my situation?
If the solution was successful in helping you solve your problem, then you can feel satisfied with
your efforts and what you learned. If you feel dissatisfied in some way, you can either modify the
solution to work better, or you can scrap it and turn to other alternative solutions, or begin the
process again. Remember that problem-solving is a cycle – it involves searching for a solution to a
problem that will lead to various possible solutions which then need to be evaluated. If the problem
is solved, then you have found an effective solution. If the problem has not been solved, then you
start the process again.

20
 US: 14920, NQF Level 4 Worth 3 Credits
Learning Unit 2 Participate in groups and/or teams to recommend
solutions to problems

This unit standard is intended:

 to provide fundamental knowledge of the areas covered?
 for those working in, or entering the workplace in the area of
Business and Organisational Communication ?
 as additional knowledge for those wanting to understand the areas
Unit Standard
covered
Purpose
 People credited with this unit standard are able to:?
 Contribute to team problem solving?
 Contribute to group and/ or team function
The performance of all elements is to a standard that allows for further
learning in this area.

Learning
The learner should have the competence to communicate in English (or the
Assumed to be
applicable language) at least at NQF level 3.
in Place

21
Session 1
Contribute to team problem solving
SO 1

 Contributions made are relevant to, and focussed on, subject matter and
group/ team objectives.
Learning  Contributions to problem solving are made in a range of decision making

Outcomes processes and contexts.

(Assessment  Contributions to decision making are made on the basis of available data

Criteria) and are made objectively.

 Contribution utilises verbal and non-verbal feedback to show interest and
opinion, and to encourage contributions from others.

What Is a Team?
A team is any group of people organized to work together interdependently and cooperatively to
meet the needs of their customers by accomplishing a purpose and goals. Teams are created for
both long term and short term interaction. A product development team, an executive leadership
team, and a departmental team are long lasting planning and operational groups. Short term teams
might include a team to develop an employee onboarding process, a team to plan the annual
company party, or a team to respond to a specific customer problem or complaint.
Three common types of teams include functional or departmental, cross-functional, and self-
managing.
 Functional or departmental teams: Groups of people from the same work area or department
who meet on a regular basis to analyze customer needs, solve problems, provide members with
support, promote continuous improvement, and share information.
 Cross-functional teams: Groups of people who are pulled together from across departments or
job functions to deal with a specific product, issue, customer, problem, or to improve a
particular process.
 Self-managing teams: Groups of people who gradually assume responsibility for self-direction in
all aspects of work.

Team Building: Major Issues Facing Teams

Goals, purpose, and mission: What are the team’s goals? What is the team’s purpose and/or
mission? How do the team’s goals mesh with the organization’s mission and goals?

22
Roles and responsibilities: Who will play what roles and be responsible for what tasks? How will
team members be helped and held accountable for their responsibilities? How will the team take
collective responsibility for its work?

Relationships: How will relationships be formed and maintained within the team? How will
relationships be managed with individuals and groups outside the team? How will the team find the
time to both form relationships and work on the tasks it undertakes?

Leadership: Who will lead the team? How will leadership roles be shared or rotated? Who will
facilitate the team meetings?

Power and influence: Who has power and influence on the team? How do they exercise it? How do
team members react and respond to those with power and influence? How do members influence
the team? How does the team influence powerful individuals and groups outside the team?

Skills: What is the mix of skills needed to do the team’s work? What technical or functional skills are
needed? What problem-solving and decision-making skills are needed? What interpersonal skills are
needed?

Communication: How will team members communicate with one another? What communication
processes and systems will be used? How will the team communicate with individuals and groups
outside the team?

Problem-solving and planning methods: What problem-solving and planning methods will the team
use to do its work? What methods and processes will the team use to run its meetings?

Conflict: How will the team manage disagreements and conflicts?

Progress and results: How will progress and results be measured?

Risk and rewards, successes and failures: How much risk can the team take? What rewards will the
team receive for its results? How will the team handle successes and failures?

23
Creativity and innovation: In what sense does the team see its role as being creative? What
brainstorming and problem-solving processes will the team use to create innovative ideas and
alternatives?

Motivation: Why do members want to be on the team? What’s in it for them? How can they help
the team? How can they be involved in and challenged by the work the team is doing? How does the
team help motivate its members?

Contribute to team problem solving

Discipline 0: Plan
Before you begin to assemble a team to address the problem, you need to plan your approach. This
means thinking about who will be on the team, what your time frame is, and what resources you'll
need to address the problem at hand.
Discipline 1: Build the Team
You should aim to put together a team that has the skills needed to solve the problem, and that has
time and energy to commit to the problem-solving process. Keep in mind that a diverse team is
more likely to find a creative solution than a team of people with the same outlook (although if
outlooks are too diverse, people can spend so much time disagreeing that nothing gets done.)
Create a team charter that outlines the team's goal and identifies each person's role. Then, do what
you can to build trust and get everyone involved in the process that's about to happen. If your team
is made up of professionals who haven't worked together before, consider beginning with team-
building activities to ensure that everyone is comfortable working with one another.
Discipline 2: Describe the Problem
Once your team has settled in, describe the problem in detail. Specify the who, what, when, where,
why, how, and how many; and use techniques like CATWOE and the Problem-Definition Process to
ensure that you're focusing on the right problem.
Start by doing a Risk Analysis – if the problem is causing serious risks, for example, to people's
health or life, then you need to take appropriate action. (This may include stopping people using a
product or process until the problem is resolved.) If the problem is with a process, use a Flow
Chart, Swim Lane Diagram, or Storyboard to map each step out; these tools will help your team
members understand how the process works, and, later on, think about how they can best fix it.
Discovering the root cause of the problem comes later in the process, so don't spend time on this
here. Right now, your goal is to look at what's going wrong, and to make sure that your team
understands the full extent of the problem.

24
Discipline 3: Implement a Temporary Fix
Once your team understands the problem, come up with a temporary fix. This is particularly
important if the problem is affecting customers, reducing product quality, or slowing down work
processes. Harness the knowledge of everyone on the team. To ensure that each person's ideas are
heard, consider using brainstorming techniques such as Round Robin Brainstorming or Crawford's
Slip Writing Method, alongside more traditional team problem-solving discussions.
Once the group has identified possible temporary fixes, address issues such as cost, implementation
time, and relevancy. The short-term solution should be quick, easy to implement, and worth the
effort.
Discipline 4: Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause
Once your temporary fix is in place, it's time to discover the root cause of the problem.
Conduct a Cause and Effect Analysis to identify the likely causes of the problem. This tool is useful
because it helps you uncover many possible causes, and it can highlight other problems that you
might not have been aware of. Next, apply Root Cause Analysis to find the root causes of the
problems you've identified. Once you identify the source of the problem, develop several permanent
solutions to it. If your team members are having trouble coming up with viable permanent solutions,
use the Straw Man Concept to generate prototype solutions that you can then discuss, tear apart,
and rebuild into stronger solutions.
Discipline 5: Verify the Solution
Once your team agrees on a permanent solution, make sure that you test it thoroughly before you
fully implement it, in the next step.
Consider:
 Conducting a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to spot any potential problems.
 Using Impact Analysis to make sure that there will be no unexpected future consequences.
 Using Six Thinking Hats to examine the fix from several different emotional perspectives.
Last, conduct a Blind Spot Analysis to confirm that you and your team haven't overlooked a key
factor, or made an incorrect assumption about this solution.
Discipline 6: Implement a Permanent Solution
Once your team reaches consensus on the solution, roll your fix out. Monitor this new solution
closely for an appropriate period of time to make sure that it's working correctly, and ensure that
there are no unexpected side effects.
Discipline 7: Prevent the Problem From Recurring
When you're sure that the permanent solution has solved the problem, gather your team together
again to identify how you'll prevent the problem from recurring in the future. You might need to

25
update your organization's standards, policies, procedures, or training manual to reflect the new fix.
You'll likely also need to train others on the new process or standard. Finally, you'll need to consider
whether to change your management practices or procedures to prevent recurrence.
Discipline 8: Celebrate Team Success
The last step in the process is to celebrate and reward your team's success. Say "thank you" to
everyone involved, and be specific about how each person's hard work has made a difference. If
appropriate, plan a party or celebration to communicate your appreciation. Before the team
disbands, conduct a Post-Implementation Review to analyze whether your solution is working as
you thought, and to improve the way that you solve problems in the future.
The eight disciplines are:
1. Plan.
2. Build the Team.
3. Describe the Problem.
4. Implement a Temporary Fix.
5. Identify and Eliminate the Root Cause.
6. Verify the Solution.
7. Implement a Permanent Solution.
8. Prevent the Problem From Recurring.
9. Celebrate Team Success.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a group to solve a problem:

The disadvantages of group problem solving can include:-
Competition
Most people working in a group unconsciously perceive the situation as competitive. This generates
behaviour which is destructive and drains the creative energy of the group. For example, we often
perceive disagreement with our ideas as a put-down. The natural reaction is to regain our self-
esteem, often by trying to sabotage the ideas of those who disagreed with us. Instead of looking for
ways to improve on their ideas we choose to destroy them. Eager to express our own ideas, we may
totally ignore what others are suggesting. Power-seekers may use ploys such as highlighting flaws in
others' arguments, barbed questions and displays of expertise to show their supremacy. These types
of behaviour create an atmosphere which is incompatible with effective problem solving.
Conformity .
There is a strong tendency for individuals in a group to want to conform to the consensus. This can
be for a variety of reasons, including the need to feel liked, valued or respected, and tends to make

26
people censor their ideas accordingly. The comparative status of the individuals present also has an
important influence. Senior members often want to maintain their image of being knowledgeable,
while junior members want to avoid appearing the inexperienced 'upstart'. Because agreement on
ideas can be gained quickly in a group setting, groups tend to select and approve solutions quickly,
without exploring all the possibilities.
Lack of objective direction
Most traditional meetings and group discussions convened to solve problems are ineffectively
directed. Sometimes there is no effective leader to give direction to the discussion, with the result
that it wanders aimlessly. Even when there is strong leadership, the group leader or chairman often
exerts undue pressure on the direction and content of the discussion. In addition, the ideas aired
during a meeting are not usually recorded, apart from the minutes and individual note-taking, with
the result that many ideas are forgotten and cannot act as a constant stimulus to the discussion.
Time constraints
Group problem solving is a relatively slow process compared with working alone. It requires
individuals to come together at an agreed time, usually for about one hour, and this can cause
organisational problems as well as impatience amongst participants to 'get it over with' as quickly as
possible.
The advantages of group problem solving can include:
Greater output.
Simply because of the number of people involved, each with differing experience, knowledge, points
of view and values, a larger number and variety of ideas for solving a problem can be produced.
Cross fertilisation
The exchange of ideas can act as a stimulus to the imagination, encouraging individuals to explore
ideas they would not otherwise consider.
Reduced bias
The shared responsibility of a group in arriving at decisions can. encourage individuals to explore
seemingly unrealistic ideas and to challenge accepted ways of doing things. Individual biases and
prejudices can be challenged by the ,group, forcing the individual to recognise them. Group pressure
can also encourage individuals to accept that change is needed.
Increased risk taking
Shared responsibility makes individuals more willing to take risks. The discussion of different points
of view also helps the group to be more realistic in assessing the risks associated with particular
courses of action.
Higher commitment

27
When goals are agreed it gives a common purpose to the group, within which individuals can gain a
feeling of self-determination and recognition through their contribution. Individuals who have
contributed to finding a solution feel a greater commitment to its successful implementation.
Improved communication
When .people who are affected by a problem or who will be involved in implementation are
involved in finding a solution, they will know how and why that particular solution was chosen. Also,
people with knowledge relevant to the problem can communicate that knowledge directly if they
participate in solving the problem.
Better solutions
Groups of individuals can bring a broad range of ideas, knowledge and skills to bear on a problem.
This creates a stimulating interaction of diverse ideas which results in a wider range and better
quality of solutions

Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

Nominal group technique (NGT) is a structured method for group brainstorming that encourages
contributions from everyone.
When to Use Nominal Group Technique
 When some group members are much more vocal than others.
 When some group members think better in silence.
 When there is concern about some members not participating.
 When the group does not easily generate quantities of ideas.
 When all or some group members are new to the team.
 When the issue is controversial or there is heated conflict.
Nominal Group Technique Procedure
Materials needed: paper and pen or pencil for each individual, flipchart, marking pens, tape.
1. State the subject of the brainstorming. Clarify the statement as needed until everyone
understands it.
2. Each team member silently thinks of and writes down as many ideas as possible in a set period
of time (5 to 10 minutes).
3. Each member in turn states aloud one idea. Facilitator records it on the flipchart.
 No discussion is allowed, not even questions for clarification.
 Ideas given do not need to be from the team member’s written list. Indeed, as time goes
on, many ideas will not be.
 A member may “pass” his or her turn, and may then add an idea on a subsequent turn.

28
Continue around the group until all members pass or for an agreed-upon length of time.
4. Discuss each idea in turn. Wording may be changed only when the idea’s originator agrees. Ideas
may be stricken from the list only by unanimous agreement. Discussion may clarify meaning,
explain logic or analysis, raise and answer questions, or state agreement or disagreement.
5. Prioritize the ideas using multivoting or list reduction.
Nominal Group Technique Considerations
 Discussion should be equally balanced among all ideas. The facilitator should not allow
discussion to turn into argument. The primary purpose of the discussion is clarification. It is not
to resolve differences of opinion.
 Keep all ideas visible. When ideas overflow to additional flipchart pages, post previous pages
around the room so all ideas are still visible to everyone.

29
Session 2
Contribute to group and/ or team functions.
SO 2

 Contribution supports the group in terms of complying with group/ team

decisions, sharing responsibility for group/ team problems, and sharing
credit for group/ team successes.
 Contribution overcomes obstacles and ensures that the team function is
consistent with team objectives and agreed rules for team member
behavior.
 Contributions made to the team's selection and use of techniques match
Learning
the task requirements.
Outcomes
 Contribution monitors own behavior in order to accommodate team
(Assessment dynamics.
Criteria)  Contribution ensures that delegated duties are carried out to team
requirements.
 Contribution ensures that allocated tasks are carried out in a manner that
reinforces the work of the team and contributes to the achievement of
team objectives.
 Contribution presents outcomes and findings from allocated tasks in a
manner that maximises their value to the team.

The benefits of effective team working

Effective team working is essential in healthcare teams as it benefits patients and colleagues.
There are a number of things that need to be in place for a team to be effective, these include:
 shared goals and a common vision
 accountability

30
 clear roles and responsibilities
 good communication
 strong leadership
On the face of it these seem obvious, but if you sit back and think about it your team is unlikely to
have all of these things.
Shared goals and a common vision
Many teams do not have clear objectives. Often, it is assumed that team members know the
purpose of the team and what the team is trying to achieve. Having a clear sense of direction is one
of the most important factors to create an effective team. Ask your team what they want people to
be saying about them in two to five years time and you will start to develop a vision. When you set
objectives, involve your team, keep them simple and make sure you have no more than six. Most
important is that the objectives are measurable and have a specific time. Your team needs to know if
it has succeeded and if it is making progress.
Accountability
Healthcare professionals are accountable for their own practice, but they are also accountable for
team working. This means that they are expected to demonstrate the attitudes, behaviours and
actions that promote good team working. Much has been written about developing a safety culture
in healthcare such as Patient Safety First 2010. Mutual accountability is key to maintaining this.
Building an effective team means managing individual performance, including poor performance.
This can be both challenging and time consuming but it's essential for building a strong team.
Clear roles and responsibilities
A lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities can lead to conflict, mistakes and poor use of
resources. Don't assume because someone has a job description, they know what their job is. When
did you last read your job description?
New starters must have an induction that spells out the expectations of their role (including
behaviours and attitudes) and all members of the team must have regular and honest appraisals.
Training is essential where people are undertaking roles previously carried out by others, for
example, non-medically qualified personnel performing tasks previously undertaken by medical
staff.
Good communication
It sounds obvious, but good communication is crucial for successful team working and that means
effective team meetings. Although potentially time consuming, it is an important forum to allow
everyone to have their say, feed back to the team progress against objectives and to recognise
achievements. Meetings don't have to be held monthly and last for two hours. Many teams find

31
shorter and more frequent meetings are much more effective. Make sure the meeting has a
purpose, an agenda and that action points are followed up at subsequent meetings. Manage any
inappropriate behaviour to ensure the meeting keeps to time
Strong leadership
A piece of research carried out by consultancy firm, The Hay Group in 2006, showed that the most
common leadership style used by ward managers was affiliative. The research is based on six
leadership styles that are directive, visionary, affiliative, participative, pacesetting and coaching. The
focus of the affiliative style is on creating harmony. Leaders whose mostly use the affiliative style
tend to avoid managing uncomfortable situations. The research showed that leaders who used
around three to four of these styles were more effective. It also found that drug errors were 40 per
cent lower on wards managed by people who used a wider range of leadership styles to suit the
situation. Leaders are sometimes afraid to be firm because they think their team won't like them.
Leading a team effectively is about mutual respect and part of building that respect is being "firm
and fair". Building an effective team is hard work, but it's rewarding in many ways and well worth
the effort.
Tips for good teamwork
 Develop a team vision
 Set a maximum of six measurable objectives
 Manage poor performance
 Use an induction framework that outlines expectations
 Undertake honest appraisals
 Be a firm but fair leader
 Use different leadership styles to suit the situation
 Make the effort to build an effective team

Ten Qualities of an Effective Team Player

Demonstrates reliability
You can count on a reliable team member who gets work done and does his fair share to work hard
and meet commitments. He or she follows through on assignments. Consistency is key. You can
count on him or her to deliver good performance all the time, not just some of the time.
Communicates constructively
Teams need people who speak up and express their thoughts and ideas clearly, directly, honestly,
and with respect for others and for the work of the team. That's what it means to communicate

32
constructively. Such a team member does not shy away from making a point but makes it in the best
way possible — in a positive, confident, and respectful manner.
Listens actively
Good listeners are essential for teams to function effectively. Teams need team players who can
absorb, understand, and consider ideas and points of view from other people without debating and
arguing every point. Such a team member also can receive criticism without reacting defensively.
Most important, for effective communication and problem solving, team members need the
discipline to listen first and speak second so that meaningful dialogue results.
Functions as an active participant
Good team players are active participants. They come prepared for team meetings and listen and
speak up in discussions. They're fully engaged in the work of the team and do not sit passively on the
sidelines. Team members who function as active participants take the initiative to help make things
happen, and they volunteer for assignments. Their whole approach is can-do: "What contribution
can I make to help the team achieve success?"
Shares openly and willingly
Good team players share. They're willing to share information, knowledge, and experience. They
take the initiative to keep other team members informed. Much of the communication within teams
takes place informally. Beyond discussion at organized meetings, team members need to feel
comfortable talking with one another and passing along important news and information day-to-
day. Good team players are active in this informal sharing. They keep other team members in the
loop with information and expertise that helps get the job done and prevents surprises.
Cooperates and pitches in to help
Cooperation is the act of working with others and acting together to accomplish a job. Effective team
players work this way by second nature. Good team players, despite differences they may have with
other team members concerning style and perspective, figure out ways to work together to solve
problems and get work done. They respond to requests for assistance and take the initiative to offer
help.
Exhibits flexibility
Teams often deal with changing conditions — and often create changes themselves. Good team
players roll with the punches; they adapt to ever-changing situations. They don't complain or get
stressed out because something new is being tried or some new direction is being set. In addition, a
flexible team member can consider different points of views and compromise when needed. He or
she doesn't hold rigidly to a point of view and argue it to death, especially when the team needs to

33
move forward to make a decision or get something done. Strong team players are firm in their
thoughts yet open to what others have to offer — flexibility at its best.
Shows commitment to the team
Strong team players care about their work, the team, and the team's work. They show up every day
with this care and commitment up front. They want to give a good effort, and they want other team
members to do the same.
Works as a problem-solver
Teams, of course, deal with problems. Sometimes, it appears, that's the whole reason why a team is
created — to address problems. Good team players are willing to deal with all kinds of problems in a
solutions-oriented manner. They're problem-solvers, not problem-dwellers, problem-blamers, or
problem-avoiders. They don't simply rehash a problem the way problem-dwellers do. They don't
look for others to fault, as the blamers do. And they don't put off dealing with issues, the way
avoiders do. Team players get problems out in the open for discussion and then collaborate with
others to find solutions and form action plans.
Treats others in a respectful and supportive manner
Team players treat fellow team members with courtesy and consideration — not just some of the
time but consistently. In addition, they show understanding and the appropriate support of other
team members to help get the job done. They don't place conditions on when they'll provide
assistance, when they'll choose to listen, and when they'll share information. Good team players also
have a sense of humor and know how to have fun (and all teams can use a bit of both), but they
don't have fun at someone else's expense. Quite simply, effective team players deal with other
people in a professional manner. Team players who show commitment don't come in any particular
style or personality. They don't need to be rah-rah, cheerleader types. In fact, they may even be soft-
spoken, but they aren't passive. They care about what the team is doing and they contribute to its
success — without needing a push. Team players with commitment look beyond their own piece of
the work and care about the team's overall work. In the end, their commitment is about winning —
not in the sports sense of beating your opponent but about seeing the team succeed and knowing
they have contributed to this success. Winning as a team is one of the great motivators of employee
performance. Good team players have and show this motivation.

Building a Collaborative Team Environment

Teams are expected to produce results, but performance is hindered when team members do not
work well together. A collaborative team environment is essential for the team's success. To create a
collaborative environment, team members must practice the following:

34
Have a Common Purpose and Goal
A team is defined as a group of people working together toward a common goal. Without a goal,
there is no team. Ideas for creating a common goal include:
 Create and/or review the team's charter.
 Discuss why the team exists.
 Allow each team member to express commitment.
 Create mottoes, symbols, awards, or posters that portray the team as one unit.
 Use the common purpose to prioritize team actions.
Trust Each Other
Team members must trust each other if they are to work together successfully. Ideas for creating
trust among team members include:
 Be honest.
 Work to eliminate conflicts of interests.
 Avoid talking behind each other's back.
 Trust teammates (you must trust them before they will trust you).
 Give team members the benefit of the doubt.
Clarify Roles
Knowing everyone's role and being familiar with the responsibility of those roles create efficiency
and flexibility. Ideas for clarifying roles on the team include:
 Review team members' roles frequently.
 Relate team member expectations to the team's overall purpose.
 Clarify responsibilities when action planning.
 Learn what others do on the team.
 Figure out ways to help each other.

Communicate Openly and Effectively

35
Miscommunication can create hard feelings and undermine the success of the team. Ideas for
improving communication include:
 Err on the side of over communicating.
 Seek to understand all angles.
 Take responsibility for being heard and understood.
 Work to clear up misunderstandings quickly and accurately.
 Reinforce and recognize team member efforts.
Appreciate Diversity
Team members come from all walks of life, with different backgrounds and perspectives. Ideas for
taking advantage of team diversity include:
 Remember that reasonable people can and do differ with each other.
 Try to learn as much as you can from others.
 Evaluate a new idea based on its merits.
 Avoid remarks that draw negative attention to a person's unique characteristics.
 Don't ignore the differences among team members.
Balance the Team's Focus

How People Function in Groups

If a group is functioning well, work is getting done and constructive group processes are creating a
positive atmosphere. In good groups the individuals may contribute differently at different times.
They cooperate and human relationships are respected. This may happen automatically or
individuals, at different times, can make it their job to maintain the atmospbere and human aspects
of the group.
Roles That Contribute to the Work
Initiating - taking the initiative, at any time; for example, convening the group, suggesting
procedures, changing direction, providing new energy and ideas. (How about if we.... What would
happen if... ?)
Seeking information or opinions - requesting facts, preferences, suggestions and ideas. (Could you
say a little more about...Would you say this is a more workable idea than that?)
Giving information or opinions - providing facts, data, information from research or experience. (ln
my experience I have seen...May I tell you what I found out about...? )
Questioning - stepping back from what is happening and challenging the group or asking other
specific questions about the task. (Are we assuming that... ? Would the consequence of this be... ?)

36
Clarifying - interpreting ideas or suggestions, clearing up confusions, defining terms or asking others
to clarify. This role can relate different contributions from different people, and link up ideas that
seem unconnected. (lt seems that you are saying...Doesn't this relate to what [name] was saying
earlier?)
Summarizing - putting contributions into a pattern, while adding no new information. This role is
important if a group gets stuck. Some groups officially appoint a summarizer for this potentially
powerful and influential role.(If we take all these pieces and put them together...Here's what I think
we have agreed upon so far... Here are our areas of disagreement...)

Roles That Contribute to the Atmosphere

Supporting - remembering others' remarks, being encouraging and responsive to others. Creating a
warm, encouraging atmosphere, and making people feel they belong helps the group handle
stresses and strains. People can gesture, smile, and make eye-contact without saying a word. Some
silence can be supportive for people who are not native speakers of English by allowing them a
chance to get into discussion. (I understand what you are getting at...As [name] was just saying...)
Observing - noticing the dynamics of the group and commenting. Asking if others agree or if they see
things differently can be an effective way to identify problems as they arise. (We seem to be
stuck...Maybe we are done for now, we are all worn out...As I see it, what happened just a minute
ago..Do you agree?)
Mediating - recognizing disagreements and figuring out what is behind the differences. When
people focus on real differences, that may lead to striking a balance or devising ways to accomodate
different values, views, and approaches. (I think the two of you are coming at this from completely
different points of view...Wait a minute. This is how [name/ sees the problem. Can you see why she
may see it differently?)
Reconciling - reconciling disagreements. Emphasizing shared views among members can reduce
tension. (The goal of these two strategies is the same, only the means are different… Is there
anything that these positions have in common?)
Compromising - yielding a position or modifying opinions. This can help move the group
forward. (Everyone else seems to agree on this, so I'll go along with... I think if I give in on this, we
could reach a decision.)
Making a personal comment - occasional personal comments, especially as they relate to the work.
Statements about one's life are often discouraged in professional settings; this may be a mistake
since personal comments can strengthen a group by making people feel human with a lot in
common.

37
Humor - funny remarks or good-natured comments. Humor, if it is genuinely good-natured and not
cutting, can be very effective in relieving tension or dealing with participants who dominate or put
down others. Humor can be used constructively to make the work more acceptable by providing a
welcome break from concentration. It may also bring people closer together, and make the work
more fun.
All the positive roles turn the group into an energetic, productive enterprise. People who have not
reflected on these roles may misunderstand the motives and actions of people working in a group. If
someone other than the leader initiates ideas, some may view it as an attempt to take power from
the leader. Asking questions may similarly be seen as defying authority or slowing down the work of
the group. Personal anecdotes may be thought of as trivializing the discussion. Leaders who
understand the importance of these many roles can allow and encourage them as positive
contributions to group dynamics. Roles that contribute to the work give the group a sense of
direction and achievement. Roles contributing to the human atmosphere give the group a sense of
cooperation and goodwill.

38
 US: 14919, NQF Level 4 Worth 5 Credits
Learning Unit 3
Resolve computer user`s problems

The learner achieving this unit standard will be able to implement a data
collection plan in the agricultural sector. S/he will be able to effectively
analyze, interpret and evaluate agricultural data and be able to
communicate findings accurately. In addition to this, the learner will be able
to recognize, interpret and report on a range of deviations in data collection
processes.
Learners will be well positioned to extend their learning and practice into
other areas of information management and dissemination in the
agricultural sector. Competent learners will understand the value of
Unit Standard
accurate data collection to the agricultural sector and be able to implement
Purpose
best practices in the area of information gathering.
Learners will understand the importance of the application of business
principles in agricultural production with specific reference to information
systems and technology.
They will be able to operate farming practices as businesses and will gain the
knowledge and skills to move from a subsistence orientation to an economic
orientation in agriculture. Farmers will gain the knowledge and skills to
access mainstream agriculture through a business-oriented approach to
agriculture.

Learning It is assumed that a learner attempting this unit standard will demonstrate
Assumed to be competence against unit standard
NQF 3: Supervise the Collection of Agricultural Data.
in Place

39
Session 1
Receive computer user's problems.
SO 1

 The request received identifies the users and their terms of support so that
the response procedure can be determined.
 The request received records sufficient information about the problem to
Learning begin an investigation.

Outcomes  The contact with users of the request received employs personal

(Assessment communication techniques which allows users to feel that the problem will

Criteria) be resolved to their satisfaction.

 The request received is assigned a timeframe and priority to the problem
according to organisation standards and the terms of the support
agreement for each user.

It is always better to focus on solutions rather than on problems. Sometimes, however, you cannot
find the right solution to a problem unless you spend some time making sure that you understand
the problem as well as you can. Often, once you have defined and analysed a problem, you realise
that is a much smaller problem than you thought it was. As a result, it becomes much easier to solve.
In this session you are going to find out how to define and analyse problems. You will first
investigate how to define a problems. You will first investigate how to define a problem. After that,
you will learn how to make sure that you have collected the right facts about the problem. Finally,
you will learn how to make sure that cultural factors are not affecting your ability.

How to define a problem

In this section, you will look at what different problems have in common. All problems have a type,
parameters and possible causes.
What do we mean by problem type, problem parameters and possible causes? Let us explore an
example of a problem to explain these.
Think about an example of a company that publishes tourism books about South Africa. The
company is getting ready to move to a bigger building because it needs more space for its new
employees. The company’s computer supplier is going to deliver the new 20 computers you ordered
in three day’s time. However, you are moving premises in a week’s time, so you need to find a
suitable storage space for the new computers. This is difficult because employees’ files and boxes

40
that are ready to be moved to the new offices have already taken up most of the storage space. How
do we define this problem?

Problem type
In the above example, you saw how two factors make your problem. The first factor is space. This is
because you cannot put the new computers into the storage areas of the old building. The second
factor is time. This is because all the company’s computers need to move at the same time. So this
type of problem is a space and time problem.
Why do you think it is important to identify the type of problem when you define a problem? Well, if
you do not know what type of problem you need to solve, you cannot solve it. In the example above,
you know that problem involves space to store the new computers for the time between when they
are delivered and when the company is going to move.

Problem parameters
When you define a problem, you also need to identify its parameters. Parameters are fixed limits
that control the way in which you need to do something. For example, what do you think are the
parameters for using a gas stove safely? Firstly, you need to make sure that the gas the gas bottle is
not leaking and that it has enough gas inside it. Secondly, you need to make sure that you d not light
the gas stove anywhere near things that can catch fire, such as curtains or chemicals. And thirdly,
you need to make sure that you switch the gas stove off.
Before you solve a problem you need to collect the information you need to start thinking of
solutions. For example, when you identified that the problem about moving was about time and
space you collected information about storage space and moving and moving dates. When you
identified the problem parameters, you collected information about what the company would be
prepared to do to solve the problem. And when you identified possible causes of the problem, you
collected information about where the problem came from in the first place.
Once you have collected information about the problem, the next step is to make sure that the
information meets the requirements. This means that the information you have collected needs to
be able to help you to solve the problem. For example, collecting information about the storage
space at the company’s present building. And collecting information about what software the new
employees will need on their computers will not help you to solve the problem either.
But suppose that you have a meeting with the person organising the move to discuss your. At that
meeting, you learn that the company’s big boardroom desk and chair set is moving to the new
building on the night before the new computers are going to be delivered. This is because the

41
 boardroom desk needs to be varnished first before it can be used again in the new building. So you
learn that the boardroom is going to be empty on the morning of the scheduled delivery. This
information is very useful, because you might be able to put the new computers in the boardroom
until the move. This information meets the problem requirements. This second stage in solving
problem is illustrated on the next page.

Step 1b Define
the problem

Identify the Make sure that

problem type, the facts you
parameter and have collected
possible causes meet the
problems
requirements

Determining a course of action

Once you have identified the problem type and parameters, and thought about some possible
causes, you need to start thinking about what to do to solve the problem. The things you do to solve
a problem are called courses of action. In this step, you do not actually start taking action yet.
However, you start to from ideas about what you are going to do to solve the problem.
Let us look at the above example again. When you determine possible causes of action to solve your
storage problem, you consider packing the new computers into the boardroom when they arrive.
You cannot actually pack the computers there yet because they have not been delivered yet and the
boardroom table is still in there. But you determine that storing the computers in the boardroom is a
possible course of action. This is the third step in solving a problem, as illustrated.

Step 1c Define the

problem

42
 Identify the Make sure that the Determine
problem type, facts you have possible
parameter collected meet the actions to
and possible problems take
causes

Evaluate Solutions
Have you ever had a problem that has more than one solution? If you think about problems
carefully, most of them do not have only one possible solution. There are usually a few things u
could do to solve one problem. But how do you know which solution is the best one?

Common PC Problems
There are thousands of problems that your PC could have, from an endless list of possible error
messages to various hardware failures. Most of those problems might have several possible causes
as well. Luckily, the majority of these potential issues are rare. The problems most computer users
see are common errors and failures seen by many, many others.

Every PC user has a computer problem now and then. Even the most stable, secure machine is not
safe from buggy software, failing hardware, or even the occasional loose wire. PC problems can be a
huge headache, bringing productivity to a halt and potentially costing you money. Here are some of
the most common computer problems, and their possible causes.

Insufficient Memory

 Processor-intensive programs also demand a lot of memory. Random access memory (RAM)
aides the central processing unit (CPU) by storing instructions linked to common operations.
Without enough RAM, software crashes and slowdowns can occur.

Adware

 Mysterious pop-up messages and random banner ads that hamper computer performance
are symptoms of adware. The only purpose of adware is to violate computer screens with
advertising. Adware is annoying, but is generally easy to remove.

Slowdown

43
  Computers are supposed to perform processes faster and better, which makes the
occasional bout of slowdown more pronounced. Video out of sync with audio, longer than
normal load times and stuttering mouse movement all indicate either a fragmented hard
drive or an overtaxed CPU.

Weird Noises

 Whirling fans are sometimes accompanied by other clicks and flutters that could signal
either a pending mechanical failure or that a part is loose. The problem is usually minor and
can be fixed by shifting a wire's path or by tightening screws.

Failing Power Supply

 A computer that suddenly shuts off or has difficulty starting up could have a failing power
supply. Without sufficient power, a computer will not operate.

Overheating

 Computer components generate heat during operation. If the case lacks a sufficient cooling
and ventilation setup, the computer parts could burn themselves out. Under rare
circumstances, when the electrical system is damaged, the computer could become a fire
hazard.

Bad Hard Drive Sectors

 Over the course of a hard drive's life, parts of the hard drive begin to fail. Mechanical
problems are possible, but the hidden threats are bad sectors. Data stored in bad sectors
can become corrupted and can cause problems with data and settings throughout the
computer.

Rootkits

 A rootkit gives a remote user complete control over a victim computer. The computer
bearing a rootkit often becomes a tool to attack other computers, and at worst implicates
the unwitting user in the crimes of someone else.

Spyware

 Spyware can monitor computer processes and log key strokes. Banking records, passwords
and other forms of private information are recorded and then exported, and this could
result in identity theft.

44
Viruses

 Viruses are computer programs designed to debilitate a computer and then use it as a
carrier to spread the virus to other computers. An infected computer is a danger to itself and
every computer on its network. No computer is truly immune to viruses.

45
Session 2
Investigate computer user's problems
SO 2

 The investigation uses information sources to identify known problems.

 The investigation use industry recommended procedures to identify the
cause of the problem.
Learning
 The investigation records symptoms of unresolved identified problems to
Outcomes
be forwarded to technical support services to resolve.
(Assessment  The investigation advises users of progress according to the terms of their
Criteria) support agreement.
 The investigation advises third parties of progress according to the terms
of the user's support agreement.

How to troubleshoot a computer problem

What steps do you go through in order to diagnose a computer problem? There's more than one correct
answer, of course, but here's one way to work through the troubleshooting thought-process.
We all have our methods to identify and correct computer problems. Most of us probably have
certain things we go through, or steps we follow, and so on. I'm not suggesting that there's only one
right way to diagnose and fix a problem, but they probably all have some commonalities. Moreover,
different environments, applications, and countless other circumstances will influence any
troubleshooting methods, so your particular circumstances might dictate something otherwise.
Nonetheless, here's an outline of the process when approaching a computer problem.
User support problems usually fall into one of the following categories: Hardware failure: This
could actually be a failed component -- a bad motherboard or hard drive, for example - or it could be
a matter of an unplugged cable, a router or modem that needs to be recycled, or some other such
thing.
Software issue: This would include the operating system, something affected by a Windows update,
an application update, or an actual software bug.
User-created problem: These are usually of the unintentional variety where a user might
inadvertently disable something, change something, delete something, and so on.
Training or documentation: Often times there is no real problem, per se, except for a lack of
knowledge or understanding about something. In these cases, it might be that training is needed or
documentation needs to be updated.

46
Outside vendor issue: As much as I hate hearing the buck being passed around from one support
group to another, it's sometimes real and justified. A custom software application or a supported
piece of hardware might be experiencing some issues. High-end and high-output printing devices
often fall into these categories. In my case, the support obligation usually ends at the printing or
plotting device itself (except for low-end desktop printers), and short of restarting the unit, there
isn't much I can do to troubleshoot and fix the problem. Such units are seldom sold alone, and they
almost always come with a use-and-support agreement.
One thing I always do, however, when calling on such outside support help is to make myself
available to assist in whatever way necessary. I would never say (or seldom say), for example, this is
your problem that you need to fix. But rather I'd approach it as a joint problem that we, together,
need to address until the issue is resolved.
I try to identify into which category the problem falls as quickly as I can. It is possible, I suppose, for a
problem to actually have two (or more) underlying reasons, which can make finding the solution
even more of a challenge; and in such cases, the fixes would probably have to be addressed in that
order -- hardware first, then software (drivers, etc.), then user issues (configuration, etc.), followed
by training or documentation. Nonetheless, I try to isolate the problem into one of those categories
as quickly as possible.
Possible steps to seek a solution:
Reboot: Try this preferably before support is called. I actually had a user who posted a message to
himself that he taped along the edge of his monitor: Reboot first, call Joe second. Of course, on one
hand, there's the situation where a reboot actually fixes a problem. On the other hand, however,
requiring a reboot might really be a symptom of a deeper underlying problem. Rebooting once and
being done with it is one thing, but if it becomes necessary to reboot too frequently to fix the same
problem, then digging a little deeper to find the underlying problem would be required.
Replicate the problem or issue: Make the problem happen again, see the error message, etc.
Experience the problem yourself to get a better feel.
Retrace user steps that led up to the problem: What did the user do immediately leading up to the
problem? What was changed? What was installed (or uninstalled)? The answer is usually, “I did
nothing different,” or something along those lines. But it's amazing how often we actually can
identify that something really was changed by simply asking questions of the user.
Device Manager: This is such a quick and easy way to get an overview of the hardware status. A
quick look for the yellow or red warning tags might quickly identify the source of a problem.
Error logs: Like the Device Manager, the error logs might reveal the source and frequency of a
problem.

47
Isolate the problem: Is it unique to this one computer, or are more people experiencing the same
issue? For example, is it only one computer that can't print versus all of them that can't print?
Seek obvious solutions: Unplugged cords and cables are often the cause of a problem or failure.
Sometimes the most simple and obvious solution is the hardest to see. I recall having received a
support call telling me that a computer hard drive had failed, but upon further investigation I
discovered that a prankster had put a floppy disk into another user's floppy disk drive, and since the
BIOS boot order was set as such, it was looking for a bootable floppy disk. Since floppy disks are used
so seldom any more (in fact, many computers don't even have floppy disk drives), it was an easy
thing for the user to overlook.
There's no one right way to troubleshoot all computer problems, and none of my outlined steps are
necessarily in any correct order. But this is pretty much my own mind-set when I approach problems
in my environments. Please share your own thoughts and comments.

48
Session 3
Implement solutions to computer user's problems.
SO 3

 The implementation ensures that the user's system is returned as soon as

possible.
 The implementation uses reference data sources to identify known
Learning
solutions to known problems.
Outcomes
 The implementation designs solutions for any new problems identified.
(Assessment  The implementation records the action taken in sufficient detail to allow it
Criteria) to be repeated.
 The implementation monitors progress of a solution so that users may be
advised of progress according to the terms of their support agreement.

Implement Solutions
Before you implement a solution you have to assess several options that you can use to solve your
problem. In this section you will find out how to implement solutions to problems. You will first learn
how to monitor your solution to make sure it is effective. After that, you will learn how to make sure
that you involve everybody who needs to be involved in solving the problem.

Ensure that solutions are effective

What makes a solution effective?
Have you ever taken something back to a shop to be fixed, only to find that it breaks again after a
few days? You will agree that a solution does not last is not effective. To be effective, a solution
needs to solve the problem problem properly. How can you make sure that a solution to a problem
is effective? Let us look at how to do this.

How to trail and monitor solutions for effectiveness

Suppose that an employee in the tourism book company example asks you to solve a problem he is
having with his mouse. The roller is not working smoothly, so the pointer on the employee’s screen
is difficult to move around. You remove the roller from the mouse and clean it. When you return it
to the employee, he is happy with the way the mouse works. But two weeks later, he reports the
same problem to you again. He says that the mouse has not working properly for a few days. You
know that the roller could not have become dirty in such a short time. When you investigate the
problem again, you find that the cable is faulty. So you replace the mouse with a new one. In this

49
example you thought that you had solved the problem when you cleaned the roller. But your
solution did not last very long. This is because you did not follow up, or trail, your solution.
If you had trailed the solution by asking the employee how his mouse was working after the first
week, he would have told you that the mouse was starting to give him problems again. You could
then have looked at the mouse again, and solved the problem properly.

Reviewing and modifying solutions

Once you have followed up the solution that you have implemented, you need to review and modify
it. You might also need to standardise some of the practices regarding the solution. What do we
mean by review, modify and standardise? Let us take a closer look.

How to review a solution

When you review a solution, you evaluate or analyse it. You examine it carefully to see whether you
need to make any changes to the solution you have implemented. For example, suppose that you
have completed a project for one of your subjects at college. When you have finished the project,
you do not just hand it in straight away. You go back and read through the project from the
beginning to the end. You check it against the information your lecture gave you about he or she
expected from you. And you make that it includes all the information that it needs to include. When
you do this, you are reviewing the project before you hand it in to be marked.
When you review a solution to a problem, you look at your original assessment of the problem. You
look at what you wanted the solution to achieve. And you know the solution achieves those things.
For example, suppose that your bedroom cupboards were very untidy. This was causing the problem
of you not being able to find the clothes you were looking for when you wanted to get dressed in a
hurry. Your solution to the problem was to tidy your cupboards so that you were organised in the
mornings. Once you have implemented your solution by tidying your cupboards, you review your
solution by asking question such as:
 Do the tidy cupboards save me time in the mornings?
 Can I find the clothes I am looking for more easily now?
 Now that I have solved the problem, does my solution work as well as I expected it to work?
Once you have answered those questions, you have reviewed your solution.
How to modify a solution
Once you have reviewed your solution, you know if it is working as well as you expected it to work.
But what if you find that your solution is not working as well as you expected it to work? In this case,
you need to change, or modify, your solution so that it does work as well as you expected it to work.

50
For example when you tidied your bedroom cupboards, you might have put your socks on a shelf
that is high up in your cupboard. So now you know where your socks are, but you cannot reach them
very easily. Os you modify your solution by putting your socks on a lower shelf, where you can reach
them.
How to standardise a solution
A good example of a standardised solution can be found in any supermarket. As you know, eggs
break very easily. So to make sure that it does not sell broken eggs to its customers, the supermarket
packs them in to special protective boxes. This means that the egg packaging has been standardised.
When you standardise something, you make it the Same as a group of other things. School uniforms,
for example are way of standardising the clothes that children wear to school.
When you standardise a solution to a problem, you are saying: This way of solving a problem works
the best. So I am going to use it to solve all problems of this type.

Consulting stakeholders during implementation

Imagine that you are part of a group doing a project for one of your college subjects. Everyone in the
group has a different task to do for the project to be completed. You complete your task on time,
but when you work as group you might require more time.

51
Session 4
Close resolved computer user's problems.
SO 4

 The closure presents a report on the resolution of each problem to the

Learning
user, so that they may judge that the problem has been satisfactorily
Outcomes
resolved.
(Assessment  The closure records resolution of the problem according to organisation
Criteria) standards and procedures.

Close resolved problems

Imagine that your car has been in workshop for repairs. The workshop phones you to tell you that
your car is ready to collect. You go to the workshop, where the workshop manager gives you a copy
of the job card. The job card is document that records everything the workshop did to your car. You
sign the job card, and get your car keys. You are now ready to leave with your car and the repair job
has been closed. How does this process work for computer problems?
In this session you will find out how to round off or close a user’s computer problem. You will first
learn how to tell a user his or her computer problem was resolved. After that you will learn how to
record the way that you resolved the problem.
Reporting a resolution
What do we mean when we say that the computer problem has been resolved? What is a
resolution? To resolve something is to find a satisfactory way of dealing with a problem. So a
resolution is a kind of solution that closes a problem.
Take the example of the car repair introduction above. What is the workshop manager doing when
he or she hands you the job card and tells you what the workshop did to your car? He or she is
telling you how the job was done so that you can judge whether the mechanics did the job properly.
If for example you had asked the workshop to replace your front tyres but the job card shows that
this was not done, then the repair has not been resolved properly. But if the job card reports that
the tyres were replaced, and everything else that you asked for has been resolved properly.
To report the resolution of a computer problem to a user, you would tell the user exactly what you
did to repair the computer. You would mention which parts you replaced and which parts you
repaired or serviced. In particular, you would mention how what you did to the computer has solved
the problem.

52
Record a solution to organisation standards and procedures
The way that you record how you fixed a computer problem differs from company to company. The
company that you work for probably has its own methods and documents that it wants you to use
for recording the resolutions to problems. However, in general, the record should show the
following important factors:
 What the original problem was.
 An explanation of the symptoms of the problem.
 When the user first told you about the problem
 An outline of all the steps you took to troubleshoot the problem.
 Whether you could fix the problem or whether you forwarded it to technical support.
 If you forward the problem to technical support an indication of when as well as an
explanation of what happened while the computer was there.
 When you reported back to the user about how the solution implementation was
progressing and.
 When you returned the computer to the user as well as an explanation of what you did to fix
it.
Problem Solving Techniques
As a computer technician, you do not need to identify possible solutions to computer problems by
yourself. You can use problem-solving techniques to help you. Problem-solving techniques are the
methods that can be used to solve problems. Let us look at some problem-solving techniques.
Comparing a problem to information about previous problems
The first problem-solving technique is to compare a problem to information that you have gathered
about similar problems that you have solved before. For example, suppose that you had a problem
with the camera on your cell phone. When you took a photograph it was not saved into your phone.
You looked through the user’s manual for the phone and found information about how to save
photographs now, you no longer lose because you know how to save photographs to your sim card.
So when you take photographs now, you no longer lose them because you know how to save them
correctly. You have used information about a previous problem to solve the problem when it comes
up again.
Take the example of a tourism book company. Two weeks ago a user reported a problem with her
monitor to you. The monitor was displaying a black frame around the outside and the information
on the monitor was not centred. You accessed the menu for changing the way in which the monitor
displays information by pressing the buttons at the bottom of the monitor. You used this menu to fix
the display problem.

53
Yesterday another user reported that his monitor display was very dark. He could not see the
information on the monitor very clearly. You remembered the menu options you accessed on the
monitor when you fixed the first monitor problem two weeks ago. You then used that information to
fix the contrast on the user’s monitor when he reported his problem. In this way you have used
information about the previous problem to solve the similar one.

Troubleshooting
The second problem-solving technique is troubleshooting. Remember troubleshooting is a way of
solving problems. It is based on the process of eliminating or getting rid of all the possible causes of
a problem until you are left with the actual cause. You need to be very methodical when you
troubleshoot a problem.
Seeking Expert Help
Seeking expert help is the third problem-solving technique. One of the benefits of the computer age
is that many experts are available to help you solve problems. Let us look at an example of seeking
expert help. Imagine that your Aunt has asked you to look after her new baby for the afternoon
because she has to go out. You do not know much about the babies, but you agree to help her. She
gives you some basic information about looking after babies. But when she leaves the bay starts
crying. You do everything you can think of, but the baby keeps on crying. You decided to phone your
mother for some advice. She tells that the baby is probably hungry. So you give the baby a bottle,
and she stops crying. You have now sought expert help to solve the problem.
Where do you find expert help about computer problems? The internet, software manufactures,
Hardware manufactures and computer shops are good place to start looking.

54
Session 5
Forward unresolved computer user's problems to appropriate area.
SO 5

 The extension of the problem is reported to the user involved, according to

Learning the terms of their support agreement.

Outcomes  The extension advises third parties of progress according to the terms of

(Assessment the user's support agreement.

Criteria)  The extension records additional information on unresolved identified

problems to be forwarded to appropriate area to resolve.

In this session you will learn how to send computer problems that you are unable to resolve to
people who can resolve them. You will also learn how to tell a user that his or her computer problem
has not been resolved. After that you will learn how to keep in contact with the user about how the
resolution to the problem is progressing.
Unresolved PC problems
Reporting unresolved problems to the user using a car example imagine that the workshop manager
phones you to say that they cannot fix you damaged car seat because the workshop does not have
the necessary equipment. The workshop manager tells that the factory which they normally send car
seat repairs is closed for the next two weeks. The workshop manager also says that she is looking for
another place that can take your car for the seat repair it needs.

You probably would not feel very happy about the news that your car can not be properly fixed for a
while. However you would be satisfied that the workshop manager is doing everything she can to
find another place for your car repair. OS you do not mind waiting a bit longer to get your car back.

But imagine that the workshop manager had phoned you and told you to collect your car and find a
place yourself that can repair seats. You would probably be very unhappy about the way in which
your problem was being handled. You might get a bit angry and refuse to pay the workshop until the
full repair is done. You would not feel as if the problem was being handled very well.
As you can see from the above example the way in which you report unresolved computer problems
to people is very important. This applies to computer problems as well. If you are not able to fix a
user’s computer problem, find out who can. Contact that person before you phone the user. If
possible, arrange to have the computer looked at by an expect as soon as possible so that you can
give the user as much information as possible when you phone him or her. If you put in some extra

55
effort for unresolved problems, users will be satisfied that you do everything you can to get their
computers fixed.

Unresolved problems and Support agreements

As you can imagine, users with support agreements are unhappy when you tell them that you
cannot fix their computers in the time stated in their support agreements. This is especially true of
users who have spent money on special warranties to make sure that their problems are fixed very
quickly.
If you can not fix a user’s computer within the timeframe of the support agreement, try to give the
user a computer to use while an expect is looking at his computer.

56
 US: 120379, NQF Level 4 Worth 8 Credits
Learning Unit 4
Work as a project team member

Learners accessing this standard will be working as a leader in the context of

a small project / sub-project involving few resources and having a limited
impact on stakeholders and the environment or working as a contributing
team member on a medium to large project when not a leader. These
projects may be technical projects, business projects or developmental
projects and will cut across a range of economic sectors. This standard will
also add value to learners who are running their own business and recognise
that project management forms an integral component of any business.
Unit Standard The qualifying learner is capable of:

Purpose  Demonstrating an understanding of the criteria for working as a

member of a team.
 Collaborating with other team members to improve performance.
 Participating in building relations between team members and other
stakeholders.
 Respecting personal, ethical, religious and cultural differences to
enhance interaction between team members.
 Using a variety of strategies to deal with potential or actual conflict
between team members.

 Learners accessing this qualification will have demonstrated

competence in mathematics and communication skills at NQF level
Learning 4 or equivalent.
Assumed to be  Learners accessing this qualification will have demonstrated

in Place competence in computer literacy and applicable software at NQF

level 4 or equivalent.
 ID 120372 - Explain fundamentals of project management.

57
 Teams are changing the way we do business. Companies that succeed
create thinking organization here employees are empowered within
teams to create.
In this module we will recommend effective for team building. We will
also discuss the benefits of companies developing a coaching program
to assist individuals at various levels within the organization.
The project leader must first determine the major goals and objectives
of the project. The next step is to build teams that implement the
desired goals and objectives by developing and executing plans.
Just like a captain cannot win a soccer match and score a goal without his or her team, a project
leader cannot succeed and accomplish goals without teams. The traditional command system of top
down leadership has proven ineffective at empowering and aspiring followers. Teams empower
people and increase productivity within organizations.
Teams turn visions into reality. A captain may have great ideas, strategies and a good understanding
of market challenges, but without a team, he or she can do nothing. Teams empower project leaders
and turn their visions into reality.
Group vs. Team
Groups are organizational units within an organisation and are used to assemble people who
perform similar tasks and share similar needs. Groups, however, do not recognize their
interdependence on each other towards accomplishing specific goals.
A team comprises of a group or groups of people within an organization focused on accomplishing a
specific goal. Teams have recognized their interdependence.
Some Facts about Groups
1. A collection of people with similar needs and resource.
2. An administrative classification of individuals.
3. Groups and individuals tend to work independently of each other.
4. Groups are assigned tasks and told what course of action to take.
5. groups are not able to develop individual skills

Some Facts about Teams

1. A collection of people focused on contributing towards shared goals and objectives.
2. A functional classification of individuals.
3. Teams depend on each other for success.

58
 4. Teams may or may not be assigned tasks, but they determine the course of action as team
and participate in the decision making process.
5. Teams empower people to develop individual skills
Leading a Team of Leaders
A major challenge of project team leader is to empower followers to become leaders. A project team
leader has the responsibility for a particular goal; however, it is critical that each team member leads
their assigned objectives and assigned tasks. An effective project team leader empowers his or her
followers to become a team of leaders.
What do you think are some other difference between groups and teams?

Leadership vs. Management

 Leaders manage
 Not all managers lead
 Resources are managers

All effective project leaders have developed management practices. As such, good management and
effective leadership are essential to successfully accomplishing your goals. However, the difference
between the two must be noted
Management Leadership
Management is focused on controlling resource Leadership is focused on empowering people
Management is focused on structure Leadership is focused on people
Management manages people as employees Leaders see people as part of a team
Not all managers lead All effective leaders manage
Managers are focused on accomplishing a Leaders are focused on accomplishing a vision
specific task
Managers have a short range perspective Leaders have a long range perspective
Managers plan, organize, direct and control Leaders inspire, motivate and unleash team energy

59
Companies can have unlimited capital and the appropriate infrastructure, but in most cases, it is the
talent of the company that makes things happen. Treating employees as resource to be controlled
stifles creativity and affects overall performance. Project leaders, on the other hand, see employees
as part of a team and know that success can only be accomplished when every team member is
motivated, empowered, and willing to embrace their responsibilities. Companies that embrace
leaders unlock their potential and experience innumerable benefits.

Responsibilities of a Team
Leader
 Defining the team’s mission, goals &
objectives
 Selecting the right team members
 Communicating team members’
responsibilities
 Meeting team member needs
 Motivating team members
 Developing a culture of accountability

Mission, Goals and Objectives

Every team requires a mission or general goal that the team unites to accomplish. This general goal
or mission may be just a subset or part of the organization’s overall mission
Once the team has been assigned a mission, the project team leader or team may identify major
goals and objectives required to accomplish the team’s mission.
Once the purpose for the team has been identified, the project team leader must now select the
right team members and assign team member responsibilities. This is similar to the way a soccer
captain may pick his team and assign certain members to the defense or offense positions.
Team Members Selection Criteria
 Select qualified individuals to meet the various responsibilities.
 Research the candidate’s résumé and performance history to determine
capabilities and previous team cohesive involvement.
 Clearly explain responsibilities to potential team members.
 Determine the candidate’s willingness to assume the responsibility of being part of
a team.

60
  Appoint members based on willingness and capability to function effectively for
success.
Communicate Team Member’s Responsibilities
Every team member must have a clear understanding of the requirement and expectations of a
team member. A team member may clearly understand his or her individually assigned
responsibilities, but not clearly understand the team’s responsibilities. Each member must
understand and be committed to team dynamics.
Meeting Team Needs
Upon understanding team responsibilities, the team may express various needs such as resource and
training. The project leaders must adequately address these needs to ensure the team’s
effectiveness.
Motivation
Continuous motivation is required to maintain adequate team performance.
The following are some suggestions for keeping team members motivated:

 Keep the team focused on the picture or mission.

 Encourage creativity – it keeps the job interesting and exciting.
 Develop a climate of mutual trust.
 Provide continues encouragement and support.
 Set attainable goals and focus the team on becoming results-oriented.
 Reward tam effort.
Accountability
Project leaders must hold team members accountable for performing their assigned responsibilities.
Each member must know that their success as a team depends upon everyone doing their part. The
member must be
aware that
substandard
performance not Team Building Benefits
only affects the
 Accountability
individuals, but the  Ownership
entire teamBuilding  Authority
 Acceptance
a team offers  Collective approach to success
and failure
numerous benefits
to corporation that

61
can be frequently overlooked. Team members are able to understand each other’s priority and do
not feel like detached or isolated entities within the company. Teams also tend to be more
communicative and open to new ideas and forms of creativity.

The following are some of the major benefits that can be achieved by team building:

 Accountability
 Ownership
 Authority
 Acceptance
 Collective approach
Accountability
In a soccer team, for example, each player feels accountable to his or her team mates and captain. A
team fosters a culture of accountability, where each team member is accountable to each other and
to their project leader. This accountability promotes commitment and dedications. If one member of
the team does not perform their responsibility, the entire team suffers. It is not only the project
leader, but the entire team that demands performance form team member’s and holds team
members accountable
Ownership
Ownership implies that team members have accepted responsibility for the success or failure of
their assigned task or goal. Team empower individual by their ownership of assigned work.
Frequently individuals may have suggestions concerning the way a particular task can be effectively
executed, but their suggestions are not taken into the decision making process. As tasks are
distributed to various team members, each member assumes ownership and responsibility for
success and becomes directly involved in completing tasks. Ownership allows each team member to
become a leader of their work and allows the team member to develop his or her individual
leadership skills.
Authority
Teams involve individuals in the decision making process. In a traditional command structures, all
the decision are made by the leader and then carried out by the followers. Frequently, individuals do
not have an understanding of the reason they are carrying out a particular command and may
therefore believe that it is not in the best interest of the organization. This leads to frustration and
eventual disharmony.

62
When building teams, everyone is given the authority to make decisions for their assigned task, with
the support and consultation of their project team leader. As the project leader assigns tasks to
various team members, he or she will assign a level of authority to the team member may still
consult the project leader before carrying out plans.
The entire company now becomes an empowered, thinking, organization with suggestions and
decisions being made at all levels, compared to a traditional command structure where the decisions
are top down.
Acceptance
Team members feel a part of something. They do not feel isolated within an organization. This felling
of acceptance goes a long way in improving morale and fostering creativity. The need for belonging
is fundamental need of individuals. Teams complement this need by providing an environment that
adds relevancy, belonging, security, and autonomy.
Collective Approach to Success and Failure
In a soccer match, when the team wins the game, everyone wins; when the team loses the game;
everyone loses. There may be players who may have performed well in a particular game, but the
team experiences the loss. Maybe a particular player scored the winning goal and the team won, but
although that player was critical to the success of the team, the entire team gets the glory. This
collective approach to success and failure inspires everyone to be their best, not only for
themselves, but also for the greater good of the team. It now becomes clear that when someone is
under-performing, everyone feels the responsibility to challenge that individual to do their best. As a
result, this burden of motivation is shared among team members and the leader.

Team Selection
The key criteria in team selection and building

 The team member’s function

 Willingness to commit energy
 Qualifications and skills
 Identifying training need
 Diversity
 Size

63
 The Team Member’s Function
Establishing the right criteria for team member selection is necessary to ensure that the team can
successfully complete their goals and objectives. Selecting wrong or unqualified team members can
have disastrous result. Ideally, every team member must be capable of performing job requirement
and committed to the success of the team.
The following are recommendations for selecting qualified team members:
Capability

Develop a clear understanding of the job requirement by referring to goals and

objectives.

Does the candidate possess the academic requirement for the position? Yes/No

Does the candidate possess the necessary job skills (personal and technical for the Yes/no
position?

Does the candidate possess a work history that demonstrates the desired Yes/No
capabilities and performance?

Commitment
Communicate to each candidate to your understanding of the company’s vision and mission.
Communicate the team’s mission, goal and objectives, and how success will be measured.
Additionally, you should clearly communicate your understanding of teamwork and team dynamics

Answer the following when selecting the candidates:

Does the candidate have a clear understanding of the team’s mission, goals Yes/No
and objectives? Yes/no
Does the candidate clearly understand what is required and how success will Yes/No
be measured? Yes/No
In your opinion, does the candidate believe in the mission, goals and objective? Yes/No
Is the candidate willing to commit energy and time to achieve team success?
Is the candidate committed to the teaming process?

64
Identifying Training Needs
The team selection process may identify excellent candidates who may still require support I
different areas. For example, some candidates may require additional training to effectively perform
their job function.
The Benefits of Diversity
Getting the right combination of capable and committed team members is the responsibility of
every project team leader. Don’t forget every project team leader should do their best to put
together a diverse team. Diversity encourages the creativity process by getting a variety of opinions
and solutions for different challenges.
Size
The team you select will determine if your mission is successful or not. Choose the right people for
the right position. Do not be tempted to place individuals in positions as a matter of convenience.
Additionally, your team should consist of the ideal number of members to complete the mission.
Having too few or too many team members can also have negative effects on the team’s success.
Choose the right number of capable and committed team members to accomplish the team’s
mission
Team Member Contracts
Team members are assembled for the life of a project. After the project is completed, Team
members may move on to other projects within your company or within other companies. As such,
your contractual arrangements should allow for the eventual closure of the project.

Team Communication

 Clearly interpret goals

 Clearly explain each team
member’s function, both as a team
member and individual
responsibilities
 Establish time lines and target
dates

65
The Communication Cycle
Clearly interpret goals

Message

Receiver
Sender

Feedback

A project leader may clearly understand the team’s mission, goals and objectives. However, teams
are not empowered until their mission has been effectively communicated to them. Project leaders
need to do more than just communicate
This communication needs to be effective.
Let us look at the communication cycle:
Let’s take a look at the methods of communication that are available to a leader
Methods of Communication
Reading Writing

66
Speaking Listening

Communication is a continuous process that starts at the formation of the team and continues
throughout the team’s existence.
An effective communication model prevents misunderstanding and ensures that all team members
have developed synchronized understanding. Strong business communication skills are critical to the
success of any project despite its size, geographic location, and its mission. Ultimately, good business
communication practices assist the organisation in achieving its goal and objectives. As a project
team leader, you should define clear lines and forms of communication and feedback, and practice
effective listening skills.
Team Meetings
As outlined in the planning Stage, meetings are one of the most important parts of projects. You
should meet regularly and frequently with team members and stakeholders. Every meeting should
be documented for future references. Meeting should be scheduled and communicated.
Synchronized Understanding is identified when all team members have come to the same
assumption, observation and analysis.

The following are some communications barriers that all leaders should be aware of:
 Assumptions
 Personal feelings, viewpoints and opinions

67
  Non-universal terminology and language
 Non-facilitative environment
 Emotions

Conflict Resolution

Simple methods for dealing with conflict

Mutual satisfaction:

What is conflict resolution?

Conflict resolution is a discussion in which mutual satisfactory goals are reached. It may include
Negotiation, and compromise.
1. Face the problem! It’s not going away you don’t talk about it; it will only get worse
2. Share the responsibility of resolving your conflict. Don’t always leave it up to your colleague
to bring up hard issues and solve then.
3. Stick to the issue at hand. Don’t try to bring in past issues just to strengthen your argument.
4. Be open about your feelings and encourage your colleague to do the same. Nobody should
be left trying to mind-read.
5. Use ‘I’ messages, like ‘I would like’, ‘I feel…’ instead of ‘you’ messages, like ‘You should
have…’, ‘You are…’
‘I’ statements help the other person listen, instead of responding defensively.
6. Take action! If you have talked trough an issue of conflict and have come to a solution, make
it happen. You don’t want to end up right back where you started.

The Project Manager’s Responsibilities – Mediation

1. First, speak with individual privately. Remember, this process is not to take sides but simply
to gather information.
2. Don’t jump to any conclusions until you have all the information. Keep focused on the
workplace, and avoid information dealing with gossip or out-of-the-office problems. Also, do
not put the blame on one person; you are the mediator.

68
 3. You may want to discuss company policies and job duties that may have been affected by
your employee’s behavior. Let them know what is and isn’t appropriate in the workplace.
4. Once you have discuss the problem with the both parties, bring them together for a joint
meeting and talk openly. Have both people give their side of the story. Ask each of them to
come to some resolution that is acceptable to everyone.

Motivating Teams

Creating a motivating team environment

 Creating a learning environment

 The 4 basics needs of teams
 Relevancy
 Autonomy
 Security
 Belonging

Motivating team members is an important role for project leaders. Motivation is something
overlooked; however, it is very important if teams are to be effective. A system of motivation and
encouragement should be developed by every leader.
The following are recommendations that motivate and encourage team members:
 Team members are motivated when they clearly understand what they have to do and what
is expected of them.
 Team members are motivated by personal interaction with the project team leader and
other team members.
 Team members should be given the resource to complete their job.
 Team members should be able to access the necessary training, coaching and mentoring
needed to excel in their position.
 The team and individual members should be rewarded for success.
 We will discuss motivation in greater detail in a later module.
Creating a Learning Environment – 4 Basic Needs

69
In order to achieve maximum success, a project team leader must clearly attend to the special needs
of the team and never violate these basis needs.
Basic needs
 The need for relevancy
 The need for autonomy
 The need for security
 The need for belonging
Relevancy
No one likes to do something that they believe is unimportant. People tend to be goal-oriented and
also want to clearly understand the importance of achieving specific goals and the role they play in
the big picture. An effective project leader sets clear, achievable goals and objectives and provides
the criteria for achieving and measuring success. Additionally, the project leader clearly explain and
continuously points team members to the relevance of the team and its functions in the big picture
of the corporation
The following are some of the benefits of meeting this basic need:
 Reduces wasted time as the team knows exactly what is required of them and is able to
focus on accomplishing their clear goals and objectives.
 Create a clear way to measure and evaluate performance.
 Keep the team on track.
What Can a Project Leader Do To Promote Relevancy?
 Clearly state what is expected of the team as defined by goals and objectives.
 Clearly identify the resources that are needed to achieve success.
 Clearly state the criteria for measuring success.
Autonomy
One of the exciting things about a team is its ability to empower and involve members in the
decision making process. Team members have a basic need to explore, act independently, and be
self-directing and self-governing.
The following are some of the benefits of meeting this basic need:
 Team members assume responsibility and ownership for assigned goals
 Team members develop their individual skills
 Team members explore more and search out the best solutions
 Team members interact in a positive manner.
What Can Leaders Do To Promote Autonomy

70
  Treat team members as professional colleagues
 Allow team members to suggest solutions and ideas without criticism.
 Empower team members to make decisions
 Allow team members to act as a team leader for various projects.
 Encourage team members to be autonomous.
Security
Team members are able to explore and grow to their full potential in an environment that is free
from threat. Every individual has a basic need for security; a lack of security can impede the team’s
progress. If a team member feels rejected by the project team leader or various team members,
their concerns about their self image and insecurity can district the individual from their assigned
goals.
The following are some of the benefits of meeting this basic need:
 Team members get more involved.
 Promotes a healthy climate for learning.
 Encourages creativity.
 Team members interact in a more positive manner.
What Can Project Leaders Do To Promote Security?
 Interact with team members as a supportive peer who acts as a leader, not as a dictator.
 Encourage team involvement.
 Clearly state goals and objectives.
 Remove any threatening element from the team’s environment.
Belonging
Team members feel a part of something: they do not feel isolated within an organization. This
feeling of acceptance goes a long way in improving morale and fostering creativity. The need for
belonging is a fundamental need of individuals. Teams complement this need by providing an
environment that adds relevancy, belonging, security and autonomy.
The following are some of the meeting this basic need:
 Team members enjoy working n teams.
 Team members become more committed.
 Promotes team cohesiveness.
What Can Project Leaders Do To Promote Belonging?
 Have team members spend time together apart from work.
 Reinforce and support each team member.
 Promote team cohesiveness

71
Creating a climate encourages learning is critical to the success of any project team leader. By
meeting these four basic needs, team members will become more effective and empowered to
accomplish team goals and objective.

Coaching Teams

 Coaching defined
 Developing a coaching process
 Be supportive
 A conditional process

Definition of Coaching
Coaching is a continuous relationship designed to help team member4s clearly define their values,
goals and objectives and assist them in overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of success. The
goal of coaching is to assist team members in determining action.
A coaching is a success partner who is committed to developing and helping team members
accomplish their goal and objectives.
Effective coaches are able to do the following
 Assist team members in clarifying values, goals and objectives
 Keep team members focused on the big picture
 Assist team members in articulating their action plan by:
o Encouraging team members to discover themselves
o Encouraging team members creativity and strategy
 Act as an accountability figure
Good project leaders are able to generate an environment with the action needed. They are able to
bridge the gap between the day to day work and the contribution of that work to the bigger.
Developing a Coaching Process
Through the process of coaching, team members improve learning and performance. Coaching
accelerates the decision making process by providing continuous support and advice, enabling the
team members to determine action in a rapid timeframe, Coaching creates a safe environment for
team member to discuss issues, challenges, concerns , perception and strategies.
The effective leader becomes a success partner who is committed to the success of his or her team
members.

72
Coaching teams can build relationship, trust, and encourage collaboration among team members.
The following are some of the benefits of coaching:
 Creates a safe environment for collaboration and discussions
 Generates an atmosphere of creativity and thinking
 Enables team members to respond more effectively to change
 Speed action and the decisions making process
 Inspires team members
 Aligns team members with team values, goal and objectives
 Creating a feeling of fulfillment and purpose among team members

Develop a Coaching Process as a Leader

Coaching should be natural and supportive, and should encourage self determination. Team
members should be allowed to develop their potential with the guidance of a successful
relationship. The goal of coaching is to allow the team member to determine their course of action
with a supportive relationship the coach should seldom impose or determine the action for the team
members.
The coach should assist the team member through the coaching process result, and remain focused
and well organized in attaining targets
As a project leader, you may follow this guideline with your team members to assist them in
determining action.
Be supportive
Act as source of encouragement, motivation and inspiration. Provide assistance, and let the team
member know that you are there to help and support. Encourage ideas and thinking in a non-critical
manner.
A Continuous Process
Remember coaching is an ongoing relationship and you will have to continuously interact with team
members if you are to be successful as a coach.

73
  Teams empower leaders and turn visions into reality. Teams have shared goals and
objectives.
 Teams are a functional classification of individual, whereas groups are an administrative
classification of individual.
 Team leaders are responsible for providing a mission, goals and objectives. Team leaders
must also build and motivate teams, and also provide accountability.
 Teams provide accountability, ownership, authority and acceptance.
 Selecting the right team members is one of the most important components of team
building
 Team communication is a continuous process that involves feedback from followers. Team
leaders use various forms of communication such as writing, speaking, listening and reading.
 A motivational environment is supported by acknowledging the four basic needs to team
members which are relevancy, autonomy, security and belonging.
 Coaching is a continuous relationship used to assist team members in determining action.

Team Motivation

Definition of motivation:

 Move to action

Motivation
This project management course would not be complete without discussing the topic of motivation.
Effective project leaders are able to motivate and inspire team members to perform, even in difficult
situations.

74
Effective project leaders are able to see beyond obstacles and motivate team members to pursue a
shared vision and project.
In this module, we will discuss team morale and motivation. We will also recommend strategies that
can create a motivating environment. We will see that a project leader has many tools at his or her
disposal to motivate and inspire team members.
Motivation Defined
Motivation is the ability to persuade either yourself or another individual to move to action to
achieve a specific goal.
Move to Action
To motivate means to move to action. Every project leader puts great emphasis on stimulating
performance from their team members. However, people may be motivated by different things; for
example, to be an effective motivator, you must develop the ability to connect the desired action to
an individual’s personal desires and goals.

Some people are motivated by money while others may be motivated by recognition. An effective
project leader knows each member of their team and is able to adapt his or her motivational style to
stimulate action based on the individual team member.

Desires and Needs

What do people want?

 Achievement
 Recognition
 Challenge
 Responsibility
 Growth and development

Determining what team members want from their job is an important aspect of motivation and
maintenance of positive team morale.
The following factors increase job satisfaction and motivate teams to perform.
Achievement

75
 Achievement is a sense of accomplishment or successful closure of a task or activity. By setting clear
attainable goals, project leaders give team members opportunities to experience a sense of
accomplishment, thereby promoting achievement.
Recognition
Recognition is the acknowledgement of an individual’s or group’s efforts, accomplishments, or
contributions. Effective project leaders provide adequate recognition of team members’ efforts.
Challenge
We have all experienced the joy satisfaction increase when individuals feel responsible and
accountable for their own work.
Responsibility
Research has shown that job satisfaction increase when individuals feel responsible and accountable
for their own work
Growth and Development
All team members have a desire to grow and develop both personally and professionally on the job.
When these opportunities are not available, team members gradually become less motivated.

What do people want from a job?

Achievement Recognition Benefits

Promotion Challenge Security

76
 Encouraging Performance
 Know what encourages

 Know what discourages

 Remove any vagueness from work, by setting clear attainable goals.

 Demonstrate your confidence that team members are both academically and emotionally
capable of completing goals.
 Act as the intermediary between your team and the Project Oversight Committee. This
allows you to ensure that all information is communicated to your team in an appropriate
manner. Additionally, this allows you to soften any criticism that your team may face, by
turning criticism into motivational opportunities.

What Are Some Mistakes That Project Leaders Can Make That Discourage Performance?
 Treating team members as employees and not part of a team.
 Telling employees what to do, and not involving them in the decision making process.
 Not providing adequate resource to complete the assigned goals.

Morale

 Low morale
 Personal problems
 Job-related problems

Morale is the state of the psychological readiness of a person or team as exhibited by confidence,
cheerfulness, discipline, and willingness to perform assigned tasks.
Throughout the existence of a team, there may be times when either the team or an individual’s
morale may be low. A project leader has to cautiously observe the morale of the team, and quickly

77
address any situation resulting in low morale throughout the team or with an individual team
member.
There are two basic classifications of problems that result in low morale:
 Personal problems
 Job-related problems
Examples or personal problems that cause low morale are:
 Marital problems
 Sickness
 Death in the family
Examples of job-related problems that cause low morale are:
 Unattainable goals
 Lack of relevancy
 Lack of security
 Lack of autonomy
 Lack of belonging
 Partiality in the workplace
 Broken trust by leadership

Improving Morale
 Create an environment for motivation

Create an Environment for Motivation

As a project leader, your responsibility is to create an environment for motivation and to protect this
environment by removing any distractive or negative element. It is clear that although a leader may
provide the climate and incentives to foster motivation, it is something that is achieved by the
individual. This demonstrates the personal nature of motivation; a project leader must be dynamic in
his or her approach by meeting team members’ individual desires. The following are some
suggestions to keep team members motivated and to improve morale:

78
  Build support relationship with team members using a coaching model.
 Keep team members focused on goals and the bigger picture.
 Dynamically provide incentives to match team members’ personal goals.
 Continuously listen to team members express their hopes, concerns and challenges.
 Recognize achievements.
 Remove distractive and negative element to the team’s success, even if that element is a
team member.
 Continuously affirm team members and their role in the team.
 Respect and acknowledge the relevancy of a team member’s personal desires, issues and
challenges.
 Create job-related and non job-related opportunities for team bonding.

Building Loyalty in Teams

Strategies for building loyalty in teams

 Provide equal-like compensation and

benefits
 Recognition and acknowledgement
 Create a culture of ownership
 Fun and play

Loyalty
Loyalty is a feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection to an individual, group,
organization or task.
Companies place great emphasis on building customer loyalty, but seldom place emphasis on
building employee loyalty. Companies, that recognize the importance of developing employee
loyalty program, reap the benefits of increased productivity, lower training costs, and happier
employees.
Strategies for Building Loyalty in Teams

79
1. Provide equitable compensation and benefits. Team members frequently express
dissatisfaction that make huge profits, but still do not pay adequate salaries, and do not
provide appropriate benefits to team members. All team members should be able to access
a compensation package that is fair. People are loyal to companies that are fair and
trustworthy, even though, at time, the compensation packages may not be ideal.
2. Recognition and acknowledgement. It is said that everyone notices the bad things we do,
and no one notices the good things that we do. Companies who constantly recognize and
acknowledge achievements develop loyal team members. It is very important that project
leaders let team members know that they are doing a good job, when appropriate. People
are naturally drawn and attached to individuals that affirm and acknowledge their success
and encourage them through their failures
3. Creates a culture of ownership. Team members who see themselves as stakeholders in a
company are committed and loyal to the success of the company. Creating ownership
opportunities, where a team member is able to feel that he or she owns a project, fosters
loyalty. Ownership creates a natural attachment, where the team member sees the
company or project as their property and will loyalty defend it.
4. Creates opportunities for having fun and play. Work does not have to be a strict routine.
People who have fun enjoy their jobs are more loyal and give extra effort. A fun atmosphere
does not necessarily mean low performance. On the contrary, people who have fun at work
often perform better that people who see work as matter of duty or routine.
5. Creates a learning environment. Team members want to learn something new everyday.
Any team members move on to new jobs because they complain of routine and lack of
opportunities to learn anything new. Team members should be exposed to training and skills
development, and should be given opportunities to use the skills gained. Additionally,
companies can only benefit by having better equipped and trained tem members.
 Motivating Team members is the ability to persuade an individual to move to action
 Team members have basic needs and desires, such as achievement and compensation.
 Leaders should make great efforts to employ all means to encourage team members to
perform
 Morale is the state of the psychological readiness of an individual or team
 Low morale can result from personal or job-related problems.
 Loyalty is a feeling or an attitude of devotion.
 Loyalty can be fostered by using appropriate strategies such as recognition and
acknowledgement.

80
81