How to Become a Better Problem Solver

At BXP, we identify as creative problem solvers as much as we identify as marketers. We pride ourselves on listening to clients’ needs, identifying blind spots, getting to root the issues and coming up with creative ways to help address your pain points.

Like doctors, teachers and engineers, marketers have to be expert problem-solvers. We diagnose your issues and find the most effective way to solve them. You have business goals and we will help you achieve them.

We help you get out your message in a way your audience will connect and understand.

Creative Problem-Solving Tips

We offer this service to our clients and can also help you become a better problem solver. It might seem like an obvious process, but many businesses skip steps and end up with a less-than-ideal solution that doesn’t really fix the issue being addressed (or worse, one that creates a new issue).

To improve problem-solving skills, try this method with your own team.

Pinpoint the Problem

You can’t jump into a solution without fully understanding the problem. Too many companies jump onto a visible issue without understanding the true root cause.

Ask lots of questions to dig deeper and see it from multiple vantage points. Become aware of the full impact of the problem and how it affects other areas of your business.

Consider Your Key Stakeholders

Top-down leadership can run into a lot of problems, including unrealistic expectations or a team that isn’t fully engaged.

The more you are removed from the initial problem, the more your “fix” might be idealistic and not actually helpful. Take into consideration how this affects your audience, your team and your partners.

You may need to reach out and get some feedback before you implement a change. And you should certainly stay in close contact to see how the change impacts your invested parties.

List and Calculate Solutions

In order to consider the best solution, you will need to make a list of potential options. For each solution you can come up with, ask yourself:

• How does this impact the issue?
• How does this impact our audience?
• Does this support our team?
• How will this affect our resources?
• What secondary issues could this cause?

Define Solution Boundaries

Choose the best solution or combination of solutions, but don’t stop there. To make sure you truly address the issue, you will need to clarify how the solution is implemented and what defines success. A vague solution can lead to a lack of clarity in terms of success or failure. There is nothing worse than failing without realizing it until you feel the impact. Determine:

• Solution specifics (Who changes what? How will it be different?)
• Timelines (When will implementation start and when will it be assessed?)
• Key metrics (How do you determine success or failure when you are ready to assess?)
• Overarching goals (What are you hoping this solution changes in the long term?)
• Management (Who is responsible for overseeing the solution change?)

Assess and Reevaluate

Don’t assume your problem will be solved with the first attempt. Of course, the goal is to find the right solution on the first try, but sometimes there are unknowns that impact your attempt.

It’s much better to be agile and ready to adapt as needed. Your timeline should include regular checkpoints to ensure things are improving. If the problem is not resolved, pick a different solution and try again.

While you don’t want to be jumpy and pivot too often, you shouldn’t go a long time before checking to see if the expected progress has been made. You may find you have more information that requires starting the problem-solving process over to consider new solutions.

Are you looking for the right solutions for your marketing, branding, eCommerce or design? We can help. Talk to our team today and learn how to become better at problem solving.