apa bedanya decision making dan problem solving

Decision Making vs. Problem Solving

What's the difference.

Decision making and problem solving are two closely related concepts that are essential in both personal and professional settings. While decision making refers to the process of selecting the best course of action among various alternatives, problem solving involves identifying and resolving issues or obstacles that hinder progress towards a desired outcome. Decision making often involves evaluating different options based on their potential outcomes and consequences, while problem solving requires analyzing the root causes of a problem and developing effective strategies to overcome it. Both skills require critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to weigh pros and cons. Ultimately, decision making and problem solving are interconnected and complementary processes that enable individuals to navigate complex situations and achieve desired goals.

Further Detail

Introduction.

Decision making and problem solving are two essential cognitive processes that individuals and organizations engage in to navigate through various challenges and achieve desired outcomes. While they are distinct processes, decision making and problem solving share several attributes and are often interconnected. In this article, we will explore the similarities and differences between decision making and problem solving, highlighting their key attributes and how they contribute to effective problem-solving and decision-making processes.

Definition and Purpose

Decision making involves selecting a course of action from multiple alternatives based on available information, preferences, and goals. It is a cognitive process that individuals use to make choices and reach conclusions. On the other hand, problem solving refers to the process of finding solutions to specific issues or challenges. It involves identifying, analyzing, and resolving problems to achieve desired outcomes.

Both decision making and problem solving share the purpose of achieving a desired outcome or resolving a particular situation. They require individuals to think critically, evaluate options, and consider potential consequences. While decision making focuses on choosing the best course of action, problem solving emphasizes finding effective solutions to specific problems or challenges.

Attributes of Decision Making

Decision making involves several key attributes that contribute to its effectiveness:

• Rationality: Decision making is often based on rational thinking, where individuals evaluate available information, weigh pros and cons, and make logical choices.
• Subjectivity: Decision making is influenced by personal preferences, values, and biases. Individuals may prioritize certain factors or options based on their subjective judgment.
• Uncertainty: Many decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty, where individuals lack complete information or face unpredictable outcomes. Decision makers must assess risks and make informed judgments.
• Time Constraints: Decision making often occurs within time constraints, requiring individuals to make choices efficiently and effectively.
• Trade-offs: Decision making involves considering trade-offs between different options, as individuals must prioritize certain factors or outcomes over others.

Attributes of Problem Solving

Problem solving also encompasses several key attributes that contribute to its effectiveness:

• Analytical Thinking: Problem solving requires individuals to analyze and break down complex problems into smaller components, facilitating a deeper understanding of the issue at hand.
• Creativity: Effective problem solving often involves thinking outside the box and generating innovative solutions. It requires individuals to explore alternative perspectives and consider unconventional approaches.
• Collaboration: Problem solving can benefit from collaboration and teamwork, as diverse perspectives and expertise can contribute to more comprehensive and effective solutions.
• Iterative Process: Problem solving is often an iterative process, where individuals continuously evaluate and refine their solutions based on feedback and new information.
• Implementation: Problem solving is not complete without implementing the chosen solution. Individuals must take action and monitor the outcomes to ensure the problem is effectively resolved.

Interconnection and Overlap

While decision making and problem solving are distinct processes, they are interconnected and often overlap. Decision making is frequently a part of the problem-solving process, as individuals must make choices and select the most appropriate solution to address a specific problem. Similarly, problem solving is inherent in decision making, as individuals must identify and analyze problems or challenges before making informed choices.

Moreover, both decision making and problem solving require critical thinking skills, the ability to evaluate information, and the consideration of potential consequences. They both involve a systematic approach to gather and analyze relevant data, explore alternatives, and assess the potential risks and benefits of different options.

Decision making and problem solving are fundamental cognitive processes that individuals and organizations engage in to navigate through challenges and achieve desired outcomes. While decision making focuses on selecting the best course of action, problem solving emphasizes finding effective solutions to specific problems or challenges. Both processes share attributes such as rationality, subjectivity, uncertainty, time constraints, and trade-offs (in decision making), as well as analytical thinking, creativity, collaboration, iterative process, and implementation (in problem solving).

Understanding the similarities and differences between decision making and problem solving can enhance our ability to approach complex situations effectively. By leveraging the attributes of both processes, individuals and organizations can make informed choices, address challenges, and achieve desired outcomes.

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Problem Solving: Arti, Manfaat, Proses, dan Contohnya di Dunia Kerja

Setiap orang pastinya tidak ingin mengalami masalah, termasuk di dunia kerja. Namun, masalah terkadang diperlukan untuk pengembangan diri. Karena itu, kamu harus tahu seluk-beluk bagaimana cara menyelesaikan masalah dengan tepat atau disebut dengan problem solving.

Bisa dibilang,  problem solving skill  adalah salah satu kemampuan   terpenting yang wajib dimiliki oleh setiap karyawan, apapun posisi dan bidang mereka. Temuan dari  National Association of College and Employers (NACE)  pun memperkuat kebutuhan tersebut. Sebab, lebih dari 60% perusahaan mengutamakan kandidat yang memiliki kemampuan  creative problem solving . 

Lantas, apa itu  problem solving dan apa saja manfaat spesifik yang bisa kamu dapatkan dengan menguasainya? Yuk ,  kita pelajari di sini, lengkap dengan cara meningkatkan kemampuan tersebut!

Apa Itu Problem Solving?

Tujuan dan manfaat problem solving, proses problem solving, metode-metode problem solving, tips mengasah kemampuan problem solving, contoh problem solving di dunia kerja.

• Pertanyaan Seputar Problem Solving ⁠

Pada dasarnya,  problem solving  artinya kemampuan untuk mencari solusi terbaik dari sebuah hambatan atau masalah yang sedang dihadapi.  Problem solving  adalah proses yang memerlukan sejumlah  soft   skill . 

Sesuai dengan pengertian  problem solving , kemampuan tersebut mencakup bagaimana kamu bisa mengidentifikasi permasalahan, menganalisis informasi yang terkait, berpikir kreatif, dan pengambilan keputusan dengan mempertimbangkan berbagai faktor.  ⁠

Mengingat tujuan  problem solving  adalah untuk mengatasi hambatan dalam hidup, termasuk dunia kerja, menguasai kemampuan ini tentunya akan sangat menguntungkan kamu. 

Manfaat  problem solving  yang pertama adalah kamu bisa mengasah kreativitas serta kepercayaan dirimu. Saat kamu berhasil menyelesaikan masalah yang membuatmu gelisah, kamu akan berpikir bahwa kamu punya kemampuan yang memadai untuk mengatasi rintangan berat lainnya.

Selain itu, ketika kamu harus mengatasi sebuah hambatan, tentunya kamu akan dituntut untuk memutar otak. Inilah yang membuatmu bisa berpikir secara out of the box dan menemukan solusi unik.

Tapi, manfaat dari  creative problem solving tidak hanya akan terasa untuk dirimu sendiri, lho! Justru, karena kamu harus mengambil keputusan yang mempertimbangkan kesejahteraan pihak terkait lainnya, kamu bisa mengasah kemampuan komunikasi dan empati. 

Dengan kemampuan  problem solving , kamu pun juga dapat menjaga hubungan harmonis dengan orang lain. Pada akhirnya, kamu akan merasa lebih puas saat bekerja dan bisa menekan risiko  burnout . Apalagi, mengingat  burnout  bisa menyebabkan banyak masalah kesehatan menurut  WebMD . ⁠

Lalu, bagaimana  problem solving  digunakan untuk membantu memecahkan masalah? Berikut langkah-langkah problem solving yang bisa kamu ikuti:

Memetakan masalah 

Logikanya, kamu tidak bisa memecahkan masalah kalau kamu sendiri tidak tahu apa yang menghambatmu. Maka dari itu, identifikasi masalah menjadi bagian paling penting sekaligus mendasar dalam langkah-langkah  problem solving . 

Di sini, kamu perlu mengetahui apa saja yang ingin kamu atasi secara detail. Misalnya, mungkin kamu ingin bisa datang ke kantor lebih pagi agar tidak terlambat. 

Mengidentifikasi akar penyebab masalah 

Kalau kamu sudah memahami masalah apa saja yang ingin diselesaikan, sekarang kamu perlu mengetahui penyebabnya. Tapi, terkadang sebuah masalah bisa saja terjadi karena lebih dari satu faktor.

Nah, supaya lebih efektif, kamu perlu mengetahui akar terdalam yang memengaruhi semua faktor tersebut.

Misalnya,contoh  problem solving  dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, kamu mengetahui bahwa penyebab utama kamu sering terlambat ke kantor adalah karena terlambat bangun dan terjebak kemacetan di jalan.    

Menetapkan urutan prioritas permasalahan 

Setelah mengetahui apa saja penyebab utama dari masalah yang kamu hadapi, sekarang saatnya kamu membuat daftar prioritas. Daftar prioritas mencakup apa saja aspek yang harus kamu utamakan terlebih dahulu, dan mana yang bisa kamu kesampingkan untuk nanti. 

Masih menggunakan contoh  problem solving  dalam kehidupan sehari-hari agar tiba di kantor tepat waktu, kamu bisa berfokus pada faktor internal dulu.  

Misalnya, karena kamu tidak bisa mengendalikan arus lalu lintas, setidaknya kamu bisa bangun dan berangkat lebih pagi dari biasanya. Nah, agar kamu tidak mengantuk saat bangun lebih pagi, kamu juga harus beristirahat lebih awal. 

Menyusun alternatif solusi 

Terkadang, bisa saja solusi yang kamu pikirkan di awal tidak dapat diterapkan secara efektif karena keadaan tertentu. Jadi, jangan lupa membuat rencana B atau alternatif dari proses pemecahan masalah tersebut. 

Dalam konteks praktik  problem solving  agar tidak terlambat ke kantor, kamu dapat mencari solusi lain seandainya kamu tetap kesulitan bangun jauh lebih pagi dari biasanya. Contohnya, berunding dengan atasan untuk membuat jadwal  kerja  remote   pada hari-hari tertentu atau beralih ke moda transportasi lain. 

Menjalankan solusi dan melakukan evaluasi 

Jika kamu sudah menemukan masalah yang ingin diatasi, penyebabnya, dan berbagai cara untuk mengatasinya, sekarang saatnya untuk menerapkan solusi tersebut. 

Supaya kamu tidak mudah kewalahan, cobalah menerapkan satu solusi pada suatu waktu terlebih dulu, alih-alih semuanya secara bersamaan. Dengan pendekatan problem solving secara bertahap, kamu akan lebih mudah mencari solusi terbaik yang paling efektif dan apa saja yang harus ditingkatkan dari sana. 

Kemudian, terapkan hasil pembelajaran yang kamu dapatkan dari proses evaluasi tersebut dalam keseharianmu agar tidak mengulangi kesalahan yang sama. ⁠

Dalam dunia profesional, ada banyak teknik problem solving yang bisa kamu gunakan untuk meningkatkan kualitas produk, mencapai target KPI, atau bahkan  meningkatkan hubungan dengan rekan kerja.

Berikut 8 model  problem solving  yang sering dijumpai, yaitu: 

World Cafe 

Cara kerja dari teknik  problem solving  ini sebenarnya tidak berbeda jauh dengan  focus group discussion . Sebab, kamu hanya perlu mengumpulkan setidaknya 12 orang untuk dibagi menjadi 4-5 kelompok kecil per meja. 

Setelah memilih pemimpin diskusi untuk setiap meja, semua orang akan mengetahui pertanyaan apa saja yang perlu dijawab dalam sesi diskusi. 

Kemudian, setiap kelompok akan punya waktu 20 menit untuk berdiskusi sebelum harus pindah ke meja lainnya dan memberi tahu apa yang sudah mereka dapat kepada pemimpin diskusi dari kelompok baru. 

Karena model  problem solving  World Cafe sangat menuntut partisipasi aktif dari setiap anggotanya, metode ini juga bisa menjadi ajang yang baik untuk memperdalam hubungan antar pegawai.

Problem Definition Process 

Selain World Cafe, kamu juga bisa menggunakan Problem Definition Process yang cukup sederhana. Sesuai namanya, metode  problem solving  ini melibatkan kemampuan mengidentifikasi masalah dan menjabarkan proses yang diperlukan untuk mengatasinya. 

Namun, ada satu tambahan yang membuat teknik Problem Definition Process cukup unik. Jadi, setelah memetakan kebutuhan yang ingin dipenuhi, kamu juga perlu menjustifikasi alasan dari keperluan tersebut 

Setelah memetakan urgensi dari masalah yang ditentukan, barulah kamu bisa memahami penyebabnya secara menyeluruh, membuat kalimat singkat dan sederhana yang merangkum esensi masalah tersebut, serta langkah-langkah mengatasinya. 

Six Thinking Hats 

Ingin pendekatan  problem solving  yang lebih menyeluruh dan bisa dilakukan sendirian maupun secara berkelompok? Kamu dapat mencoba teknik Six Thinking Hats yang diciptakan oleh Edward de Bono, seorang dokter, psikolog, dan filsuf dari Malta. 

Sejalan dengan arti namanya, metode  problem solving  ini mengharuskan kamu dan anggotamu menjalani enam peran yang diwakilkan oleh berbagai warna “topi”, yaitu:

• Topi biru/kondektur: menetapkan agenda dan merangkum diskusi agar tidak melenceng; 
• Topi hijau/kreatif: mengeksplorasi berbagai ide dari setiap sudut pandang;
• Topi merah/emosi: mengungkapkan perasaan terdalam tanpa perlu justifikasi logika;
• Topi kuning/optimis: melihat sisi terang dari masalah yang dibahas dan solusinya;
• Topi hitam/hakim: mengkritisi setiap solusi untuk meminimalkan risiko. 
• Topi putih/fakta: mempertimbangkan informasi apa saja yang sudah dimiliki dan apa lagi yang perlu kamu kumpulkan.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD) 

Sama seperti World Cafe, metode DAD sangat menekankan partisipasi aktif anggota kelompok. Sebab, kamu harus menanyakan ketujuh pertanyaan berikut ke setiap partisipan:

• Bagaimana kamu bisa mengetahui ada masalah A?
• Bagaimana kamu bisa berkontribusi untuk memecahkan masalah A?
• Apa yang menghambatmu memecahkan masalah tersebut?
• Apa kamu kenal seseorang yang bisa memecahkannya dengan konsisten?
• Apa kamu punya ide?
• Apa yang harus kamu lakukan untuk mengatasinya? Ada sukarelawan?
• Ada lagi yang perlu dipertimbangkan? 

Kemudian, di akhir sesi diskusi bersama, orang yang bertindak sebagai notulen akan merangkum wawasan penting dan langkah-langkah konkret yang perlu diambil.

The 5 Whys 

Kalau kamu ingin proses pemecahan masalah yang lebih menitikberatkan pada proses identifikasi akar masalah, The 5 Whys merupakan pilihan yang tepat.  

Alasannya, dengan metode ini, kamu harus membuat lima pertanyaan yang dimulai dengan kata “mengapa” dan berkaitan dengan masalah yang dihadapi. 

Lalu, di setiap poin, kamu akan menggali jawaban dari pertanyaan-pertanyaan sebelumnya. Dengan begitu, kamu bisa menemukan penyebab paling utama dari masalah yang sedang kamu hadapi.

Design Sprint 2.0 

Butuh pendekatan proses penyelesaian masalah yang lebih teknis untuk membuat produk? Design Sprint 2.0 dapat membantumu menemukan solusi nyata dari hambatan yang sedang kamu hadapi. 

Prinsip  problem solving  ini sebenarnya hampir sama dengan Agile yang sering digunakan di perusahaan  startup . Pada dasarnya, kamu akan membuat beberapa kelompok kecil. 

Kemudian, kelompok-kelompok kecil ini akan memetakan masalah yang dihadapi konsumen dan membuat sketsa kerangka dari solusi mereka. Kemudian, dari sketsa tersebut lahirlah prototipe produk fisik. 

Namun, proses Design Sprint 2.0 tidak berhenti sampai di sana saja. Setelah membuat prototipe produk, setiap kelompok masih harus melakukan uji coba mendalam dan meningkatkan kualitas prototipe tersebut dari hasil evaluasi. 

Open Space Technology 

Apakah kamu punya tim berisikan orang-orang yang ahli dan berinisiatif untuk belajar secara mandiri? Kamu bisa melibatkan mereka dengan metode  creative problem solving  seperti Open Space Technology. 

Berbeda dengan metode-metode sebelumnya yang memerlukan arahan spesifik, Open Space Technology justru lebih menekankan kebebasan dan fleksibilitas.  

Sebab, setelah kamu memperkenalkan topik yang ingin dibahas, kamu cukup membiarkan semua orang berdiskusi secara leluasa. Lalu, kamu bisa mendengarkan solusi yang mereka presentasikan sebagai proses penyelesaian masalah.

Lightning Decision Jam

Bagi kamu yang punya banyak masalah, tapi bingung harus memulai dari mana, ada satu metode untuk membantumu menentukan prioritas, yaitu Lightning Decision Jam. 

Pada metode  problem solving  ini, kamu akan diminta menuliskan semua kekhawatiran, tantangan, dan kesalahan yang pernah dibuat berkaitan topik tertentu di dalam sebuah buku catatan kecil.  

Lalu, kamu dan anggota tim dapat memilih masalah mana yang sekiranya perlu diselesaikan terlebih dahulu. Jika sudah, barulah kamu bisa merancang solusi untuk mengatasinya bersama-sama ataupun sendirian. ⁠

Mengingat  problem solving skill  adalah kemampuan yang sangat diperlukan untuk kehidupan sehari-hari maupun profesional, mungkin kamu sedang mencari cara untuk meningkatkannya. 

Jangan berkecil hati, kamu bisa mencoba tiga tips berikut untuk mengasah kemampuanmu:

Tingkatkan keterampilan teknis 

Pertama dan yang paling penting, kamu perlu mengasah  kemampuan analitik dan deduksi logis untuk bisa menerapkan  problem solving  dengan baik. 

Kalau kamu merasa kedua hal tersebut adalah kelemahan terbesar dalam dirimu, tenang dulu. Kamu bisa mengasahnya dengan rajin membaca buku, memecahkan studi kasus, atau bahkan mengikuti pelatihan  problem solving . 

Temukan peluang-peluang baru 

Salah satu kunci kesuksesan pemecahan masalah adalah kejelian melihat peluang tersembunyi di sekitar. Maka dari itu, kamu harus selalu mencari berbagai kesempatan untuk menjalankan solusimu.

Nah, agar kamu dapat menemukannya dengan lebih mudah, kamu perlu memiliki pikiran yang terbuka dan bisa melihat sebuah isu dari berbagai sudut pandang.  Dengan demikian, kamu akan lebih bersedia  mendobrak zona nyaman  serta mencoba hal-hal baru yang belum pernah terpikirkan sebelumnya. 

Berfokus pada orang lain 

Sering kali, pengambilan keputusan kita akan berdampak pada nasib orang lain. Oleh sebab itu, saat melakukan  problem solving , pastikan kamu juga mempertimbangkan perasaan, pemikiran, dan situasi mereka. 

Dengan lebih memahami lawan bicara, kamu tidak hanya akan melatih empati untuk menjalin hubungan baik, tapi juga mendapatkan wawasan baru yang dibutuhkan untuk memecahkan masalah. ⁠

Saat berinteraksi dengan banyak orang di sebuah organisasi, kamu akan berhadapan dengan berbagai tantangan. Supaya kamu lebih siap menghadapinya, berikut berbagai contoh kasus problem solving  dalam organisasi secara nyata: 

Contoh 1: Deadline mepet dan beban kerja banyak 

Salah satu contoh  problem solving yang akan sering kamu jumpai di dunia profesional adalah tugas yang menumpuk dengan tenggat waktu berdekatan. Jika kamu berada dalam situasi ini, jangan panik dulu. 

Pertama, tarik napas agar kamu bisa berpikir dengan jernih. Setelah itu, kamu bisa menggunakan pendekatan pemecahan masalah untuk menentukan daftar prioritas tugas, mulai dari yang paling  urgent  hingga yang bisa dikerjakan nanti. 

Kalau kamu sudah membuat prioritas, sekarang tentukan mana yang sekiranya harus kamu kerjakan sendiri dan mana yang bisa kamu delegasikan kepada rekan kerja. Tapi, pastikan kemampuanmu dan orang yang kamu mintai bantuan sesuai dengan persyaratan teknisnya. 

Contoh 2: Konflik internal dalam tim 

Apa yang harus kamu lakukan ketika hubungan antara anggota tim jauh dari kata harmonis hingga mereka enggan bekerja sama? Langkah pertama untuk  problem solving  dalam organisasi seperti ini adalah dengan mengetahui penyebab dari konflik tersebut. 

Misalnya, mungkin ada perbedaan dalam gaya kerja atau kepribadian orang tertentu yang menyebabkan perselisihan. Tapi, terlepas dari penyebabnya, kamu harus tetap tenang dan mendengarkan sudut pandang dari setiap orang. Hargai pendapat mereka, tunjukkan empati, dan berikan solusi yang menguntungkan kedua belah pihak.

Contoh 3: Rasio turnover tinggi dalam tim

 Biaya yang diperlukan untuk mencari karyawan pengganti dan melatih mereka dari awal bisa sangat mahal. Bahkan, menurut estimasi  SHRM , nominal tertingginya bisa mencapai 250.000 dolar AS.

Maka dari itu, kamu perlu segera bertindak saat ada banyak pegawai yang  mengundurkan diri dari tempat kerja  secara bersamaan hingga rasio  turnover  tim kamu meningkat drastis. 

Pertama, ketahui apa saja yang mendorong keputusan tersebut. Terutama, dari segi apakah ada kaitannya dengan kebijakan perusahaan seperti beban kerja, jadwal kerja, dan gaji. 

Kalau kamu sudah memetakan penyebabnya, barulah kamu bisa menyampaikannya kepada petinggi terkait untuk mendiskusikan solusinya bersama-sama agar menguntungkan pegawai. ⁠

Sekarang, kamu sudah memahami esensi dari pengertian  problem solving  dan manfaatnya secara menyeluruh. Intinya, ingatlah bahwa memiliki kemampuan ini akan menguntungkanmu dalam berbagai aspek kehidupan sehari-hari maupun profesional untuk menunjang kesejahteraanmu. 

Untuk mengasah kemampuan tersebut, teruslah berlatih dan belajarlah dari berbagai contoh kasus  problem solving  di kehidupan nyata. Salah satu sumber pembelajaran yang bisa kamu gunakan adalah rubrik  Tips Karier di situs Jobstreet by SEEK. 

Lalu, agar kemampuanmu terus berkembang, jangan lupa terapkan secara nyata di dunia kerja.

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Pertanyaan Seputar Problem Solving

• Apa yang dimaksud dengan problem solving? ⁠ Problem solving  artinya tindakan memecahkan masalah dalam kehidupan sehari-hari dan profesional. ⁠
• Apa langkah-langkah dalam problem solving? Langkah-langkah problem solving melibatkan identifikasi masalah, penyelidikan akar masalah, pembuatan daftar prioritas pemecahan masalah, analisis informasi, pembuatan solusi, memilih solusi, penerapan solusi, dan evaluasi. ⁠
• Apa tujuan dari problem solving? ⁠ Tujuan problem solving adalah untuk mengatasi hambatan yang membuatmu kesulitan memenuhi kebutuhan penting atau meraih pencapaian tertentu. ⁠
• Bagaimana cara meningkatkan kemampuan problem solving? ⁠ Untuk meningkatkan skill problem solving, kamu bisa rutin membaca buku, mempelajari studi kasus, dan mengikuti pelatihan khusus. ⁠
• Strategi apa yang harus dilakukan dalam problem solving? ⁠ Terlepas dari metode yang digunakan, kamu harus bisa menganalisis informasi, melakukan riset, dan mempertimbangkan pendapat orang lain supaya keputusanmu bersifat objektif serta menguntungkan semua pihak. ⁠
• Mengapa strategi problem solving di dunia kerja diperlukan? ⁠ Selain meningkatkan peluang mendapatkan pekerjaan, mengetahui strategi problem  ⁠solving yang tepat akan membantumu mencapai target dan menjaga ⁠hubungan baik  ⁠dengan orang lain. ⁠
• Apa langkah terakhir dalam problem solving? ⁠ Langkah terakhir dalam problem solving adalah menerapkan solusi yang sudah dirancang dan mengevaluasi efektivitasnya.

Telusuri istilah pencarian teratas

Populer di jobstreet, jelajahi topik terkait, berlangganan panduan karir.

Problem Solving vs Decision Making: Difference and Comparison

Key Takeaways Problem-solving involves identifying and resolving issues or obstacles, while decision-making involves choosing different options or courses of action. Problem-solving is used to address a specific issue or challenge, while decision-making can be used in various contexts, such as business, personal life, or government. Problem-solving involves a step-by-step process of analysis and evaluation. At the same time, decision-making can be influenced by various factors such as personal values, emotions, or external pressures.

Problem Solving vs Decision Making

Comparison table.

What is Problem Solving?

What is decision making, main differences between problem solving and decision making.

Last Updated : 11 July, 2023

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20 thoughts on “problem solving vs decision making: difference and comparison”.

I appreciate the article’s delineation of problem-solving’s complex analysis and decision-making’s structured paths, illustrating the contrasting elements and nuanced approaches of these essential processes.

Absolutely, the article’s comparison table provides a comprehensive overview, elucidating the multifaceted nature of problem-solving and decision-making and their interconnected role in addressing challenges and reaching conclusions.

I found the detailed analysis of problem-solving’s goal of correcting issues and the structured paths of decision-making to be particularly insightful, shedding light on their differing functions.

Indeed, the article’s delineation of these two processes clarifies how problem-solving involves methodical approaches towards resolution, while decision-making focuses on structured choices and actions.

The article’s comparison table effectively highlights the complexity and differences between problem-solving and decision-making, providing a comprehensive overview.

I agree, the table neatly summarizes the key factors of each process, making it easier to grasp the nuances and interconnectedness of problem-solving and decision-making.

I appreciate the detailed explanations of both problem-solving and decision-making processes, which are crucial elements in various aspects of life and business.

The article’s emphasis on the goal-oriented nature of problem-solving and the opportunity identification in decision-making is quite enlightening.

The distinction between problem-solving’s solution-driven outcomes and the structured paths taken in decision-making effectively portrays the dissimilarity in their objectives.

Indeed, understanding the deep analysis and unknown techniques of problem-solving, as opposed to the structured paths and goal of avoiding potential problems in decision-making, provides valuable insights.

Absolutely, the article makes it clear that these two processes have different motives and ultimate goals, shedding light on their multifaceted nature.

The detailed description of problem-solving and decision-making processes provides a comprehensive understanding of their intricacies and interplay in various contexts.

Absolutely, the article’s clear distinction between the two processes and the comparison table help in elucidating the methods and outcomes involved in problem-solving and decision-making.

The article effectively portrays the aims and mechanisms of problem-solving and decision-making, emphasizing the importance of clear identification and identification of opportunities in each process.

This article provides a clear distinction between problem-solving and decision-making, highlighting the different processes and goals involved.

Absolutely, the comprehensive comparison table is especially helpful in summarizing the disparities between problem-solving and decision-making.

I couldn’t agree more. The identification of opportunities in decision-making is a key difference, showing how it’s not just about solving problems, but also about making choices.

The article’s detailed explanation of problem-solving and decision-making sheds light on their distinctive motives, processes, and outcomes, providing valuable insights into their complex nature.

I couldn’t agree more. The article effectively highlights how problem-solving aims to resolve specific issues, while decision-making focuses on choosing alternatives and preventing potential problems.

Absolutely, the comprehensive descriptions underscore the different considerations and end goals of problem-solving and decision-making, elucidating their roles in addressing challenges and formulating solutions.

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Problem Solving and Decision Making: Key Differences & Applications

Explore the nuances of solving complex problems and making intricate decisions in this insightful blog. Gain a deeper understanding of the key distinctions between them. In this blog, explore Problem Solving and Decision Making, their key differences and how to apply these abilities in the workplace. Let's dive in!

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Have you ever faced the trouble of deciding what is right or wrong? In our daily lives, we often come across situations that require us to confront challenges and make choices. This is why two critical cognitive processes are involved in addressing these situations: Problem Solving and Decision Making. While the terms are frequently used interchangeably, they represent distinct mental activities with specific objectives. Problem Solving involves identifying and resolving issues using critical thinking and creativity. On the other hand, Decision Making entails choosing the best course of action among alternatives and considering risks and rewards. In this blog, we will Learn the differences between Problem Solving and Decision Making, how to apply these abilities at work, and some advice on how to improve them.

Table of Contents 

1) What do you understand by Decision Making? 

2) Understanding Problem Solving 

3) What are the differences between Problem Solving and Decision Making?

4) Tips on how to improve Problem-solving and Decision-making skills

5) How can you integrate Decision Making and Problem Solving? 

6) Conclusion 

What do you understand by Decision Making? 

It is a hard choice when we are faced with the question to make important decisions, in organisational setting and personal life as well. Nevertheless, it is not a reason to be afraid, but rather, to master these tasks through comprehensive knowledge of their consequences. First, we should define Decision Making before going on to the difference between Decision Making and Problem Solving.

It is an intellectual process that has a direct impact on our everyday and work-life matters. It is the process of analysing different options to find the best one in line with various factors and the one that is going to meet the objectives.

Effective Decision Making combines Critical Thinking, analysis, and judgment, and it can be the determinant of outcome and consequences. Let's uncover the important steps to Decision -making and some real-life examples:

1) Evaluation of alternatives: The first step in Decision Making requires the identification of problems and conceptualisation of possible alternatives that can help to deal with the given situation or problem.

2) Rationality and objectivity: The correct Decision Making process consists of a detailed analysis of all the data that is accessible, assessing the pros and cons of each scenario, and selecting a logical and beneficial option. 

3) Heuristics and biases: Sometimes, it is possible that you may have mental heuristics to be quick in the decision process. However, biases may be introduced by shortcuts and suboptimal choices could become inevitable for you.

4) Decision Making under uncertainty: Some times, you have to make important decisions based on the information that is not complete or with determined assumptions. The risk is directly connected and making risk assessment is considered to be the answer to this question. You must enhance on your flexibility to address the unpredictable.

5) Group Decision Making: In collaborative contexts, people may arrive at a decision together having discussed, brainstormed and found a common consensus with one another. Such a method taps into the different perceptions and skills.

6) Strategic Decision Making: In organisations, Strategic Decision Making requires being concerned with the possible long-term implications, aligning decisions with organisational goals, and trying to anticipate potential impacts on stakeholders.  

7) Ethical considerations:  This involves assessing the moral implications of choices, decisions, and actions. It revolves around making the right and just choices, guided by one's ethical values and principles.

8) Learning from outcomes: As an effective decision-maker, one should have the audacity to learn from both successful and unsuccessful outcomes because learning from these will only enhance future Decision Making processes. 

Here are some real-life examples that may require you to make some justified decisions: 

a) Choosing between two job offers based on salary, benefits, and career prospects. 

b) Deciding which college or university to attend, considering factors like location, courses offered, and campus culture. 

c) Selecting an investment option after analysing risk, return potential, and financial goals. 

d) Determining the best marketing strategy for a new product launch, considering target audience, budget, and competition. 

e) Making a medical treatment choice for a patient after weighing the benefits, risks, and patient preferences.   

Understanding Problem Solving  

You're now aware of how you can make effective Decision Making. Let us now learn how to effectively carry out Problem Solving tasks in our daily life. Problem Solving is a fundamental cognitive process that entails identifying challenges, finding solutions, and accompliching the set goals. 

It is a logical process aimed at knowing the problem, looking for possible solutions, and choosing the most efficient solution. This helps you to navigate complexities and arrive at successful conclusions. Let us now look at some tips that can help you in Problem Solving effectively:  

1) Problem identification: As a first step towards Problem Solving, effectively carry out tasks. Also, recognise and define the issue or challenge that needs to be addressed.  

2) Data gathering: Gathering relevant information and data related to the problem is essential for understanding its root causes and implications. This helps you become a good problem solver. 

3) Analysis and diagnosis: Analyse the gathered information to identify the underlying causes of the problem. This helps you in devising targeted solutions. 

4) Solution generation: Brainstorming and generating multiple potential solutions is crucial for you when you are exploring diverse approaches to resolve the problem. 

5) Evaluation of alternatives: Carefully evaluate the pros and cons of each solution. This helps you in selecting the most feasible and effective one. 

6) Implementation: After choosing a solution, you have to put the chosen solution into action. This requires planning, coordination, and effective execution. 

7) Creative thinking: Sometimes adopting an open-minded view towards finding a solution to the challenging situations will encourage you to be creative.

8) Root cause analysis: Finding and tackling the cause behind the problem in itself can make a change that lasts and you will get a much better, sustainable solution to your problem.

Let us now see some real-life examples where you need to apply your Problem Solving skills: 

a) Resolving a technical issue with a computer by identifying and troubleshooting the actual cause of the problem. 

b) Finding an alternative transportation route when faced with unexpected road closures. 

c) Addressing a communication breakdown within a team by facilitating open discussions and conflict resolution. 

d) Solving a math problem by applying various Problem Solving Techniques and mathematical principles. 

e)  Fixing a malfunctioning appliance by diagnosing the issue and performing necessary repairs. 

Learn to be more Mindful when you are applying your Problem Solving skills with our Conflict Management Training .  

What are the differences between Problem Solving and Decision Making?

Let us now have a look how Problem Solving and Decision Making skills are different from each other:

1) Definition  

Problem Solving is a step-by-step approach that one uses to identify, analyse, and finally come up with the solution to the issues or challenges they face. It seeks to find the origin of a problem, generate possible ideas or solutions, and choose the best alternative to be implemented. In most researches and practices, the primary aim of Problem Solving is reducing or overcoming the negative impacts of the problem.

On the other hand, the Decision Making process gives the choice, which can be taken from different alternatives. Every process of Decision Making produces a choice like taking action, a strategy, or making a resolution. There is not necessarily a problem but it is applicable in any situation which requires making a choice.

2) Objective 

Problem Solving is an effort to overcome a given obstacle or challenge. Its basic aim is to produce a solution that would change the current situation from less desirable to more desirable. On the other hand, Decision Making aims at selecting the best possible choice from among several alternatives. It could be proactive, such as deciding on an expansion strategy for the market, or it could be reactive, such as deciding on a course of action in response to the moves of a competitor.

3) Nature 

In the Problem Solving process, a problem often arises as a response to a discrepancy between what was expected and what is actually experienced, necessitating a solution. This process is typically reactive. On the other hand, Decision Making can be both proactive and reactive. Proactive Decision Making involves making choices based on anticipation of future events, while reactive Decision Making involves selecting courses of action in response to an immediate situation or problem.

4) Process 

The process of Problem Solving usually starts with understanding and diagnosing the problem. This is followed by brainstorming various solutions and analysing the suitability of each before finally implementing the most fitting one.

On the other hand, the Decision Making process typically begins with identifying a need, often through gathering information. This leads to the search for alternatives and compiling a list of these options. The alternatives are then weighed against criteria such as risks, benefits, and implications before making a choice.

5) Tools and techniques 

In Problem Solving, commonly used tools include root cause analysis, brainstorming, SWOT analysis, and fishbone diagrams (Ishikawa). These tools help in pinpointing the origin of a problem and exploring all possible solutions.

On the other hand, Decision Making often utilises techniques such as decision trees, cost-benefit analysis, pros and cons lists, and grid analysis. These methods assist in evaluating the implications of each available choice.

6) Skills required 

The major skills required in Problem Solving include critical thinking, analytical skills, creativity, and resilience. It is crucial to have the ability to persevere and not be overwhelmed by challenges.

However, Decision Making requires analytical skills, risk assessment, intuition, and foresight. The essential capability here is to be accountable for decisions, which involves predicting the outcomes of every choice

7) Duration and finality  

Problem Solving is time-consuming. It requires a deep dive into understanding the problem before moving on to solutions. The process concludes once a solution is implemented, and the problem is resolved. 

On the other hand, Decision Making can be swift (like everyday decisions) or prolonged (strategic decisions) depending on the complexity of the problems. Once a decision is made, the next step is to implement it, but decisions can sometimes be revisited based on outcomes or changing scenarios. 

Gain a deeper understanding of yourself to take more effective Decision Making with our Decision Making Course .

Tips on how to improve Problem Solving and Decision Making skills

Decision Making and Problem Solving are two most important skills that every individual must possess to excel in their career and in their personal life. There are multiple ways which can be used to improve these skills. Let’s have a look at some of these tips to improve these skills:

Developing skills related to Decision Making and Problem Solving

You can improve your Decision-making and Problem-solving skills by developing other skills such as analytical thinking, creativity and critical thinking. These allied skills will help you boost your analytical thinking skills, will help you think creatively and outside the box. Moreover, honing these skills will help you understand the problems deeply and analyse them without getting partial with your decisions.

Effective communication

Communication is the one of the major keys to success. Effective communication helps in solving problems, miscommunications and helps you understand different perspectives to the same problem. By practicing effective communication, you can convey an information or tasks seamlessly to you team members or colleagues. It helps you understand the root cause of any problem and helps you take an informed decision.

Think about past decisions

It may seem unrelated to you in this context, however, thinking back on your decisions that you made previously can help you not repeat the mistakes, or save you the time that you previously took to make a small decision. Reflecting on past decisions helpin analysing the current problems impartially and help you learn more about your own methods to decide or solve a problem.

Research your industry

Before you make any important decision, or solve out a problem, you need to know about your industry in detail. Since not all situations are same, neither are the industries. Every industry, company or business have their own set of goals, requirements, ideologies, and policies. Whenever you are a part of that specific industry, you should keep in mind, their framework. If you are going beyond their framework or their principles, while solving a problem, there may not be any significant impact taken by your decisions.

Keep yourself updated

It is necessary that you keep yourself updated. As you know that our world is going through many technological advancements. Hence you need to know and update yourself so that you can incorporate all these inventions and discoveries in your industry.

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How can you integrate Decision Making and Problem Solving? 

Even though Decision Making and Problem-solving have their differences, there are still instances where you need to integrate these two special skills so that you can carry out any challenging tasks or situations, whether it be in the workplace or in your personal life. The following tips will help you show how you can take effective decisions and simultaneously solve problems: 

1) Foster a systematic approach: You can start by adopting a systematic approach to Problem Solving. It involves defining the issue, gathering relevant information, analysing data, generating potential solutions, and evaluating alternatives. Then, you can implement your structured Problem Solving process, which provides a solid foundation for your informed Decision Making. 

2) Identify decision points: You can recognise the key decision points within the Problem-solving process. Then you have to determine which factors require choices and weigh the consequences of each decision on the overall Problem Solving outcome.  

3) Incorporate critical thinking: You can emphasise your critical thinking throughout both Problem Solving and Decision Making. Engage in objective analysis so that you can consider multiple perspectives and challenge assumptions to arrive at well-rounded solutions and decisions.  

4) Utilise data-driven decisions: Ensure that the decisions made during the Problem Solving process are backed by relevant data and evidence. Your data-driven Decision-making minimises biases and increases the chances of arriving at the most suitable solutions. 

Gain a deeper understanding of yourself to take more effective Decision-mking with our Personal & Organisational Development Training . 

Conclusion 

If you integrate both Problem Solving and Decision Making, you can have a more potent approach toward various challenges or tasks. This will help you in making well-informed choices in those circumstances. Moreover, this synergy will empower you to have a Problem -solving mindset to navigate complexities with clarity and achieve effective outcomes. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Problem Solving is both a skill and a competency. It involves the ability to analyse situations, identify issues, generate solutions, and implement them effectively. Developing this capability enhances decision-making, creativity, and adaptability in various personal and professional contexts.

The five steps for Problem Solving and decision-making are: 

1) Define the problem

2) Identify possible solutions 

3) Evaluate alternatives

4) Make a decision 

5) Implement and monitor the chosen solution.

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The Knowledge Academy offers various Management Courses , including the Management Training for New Managers Course, Problem Solving Course and Introduction to Management Course. These courses cater to different skill levels, providing comprehensive insights into 10 Ways for Developing Leadership Skills .

Our Business Skills Blogs cover a range of topics related to Decision Making, offering valuable resources, best practices, and industry insights. Whether you are a beginner or looking to advance your Management skills, The Knowledge Academy's diverse courses and informative blogs have got you covered.

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The Difference Between Problem Solving and Decision Making

Decision making and problem solving are two related but different skill sets that apply to distinct business challenges. Sometimes leaders use decision-making techniques when they should be using a problem-solving approach, and vice versa. Knowing the difference between problem solving and decision making and understanding which skill to utilize in a particular situation will help you overcome challenges more quickly.

Seeking a Solution, or Choosing Between Options?

Both decision making and problem solving use information to inform a certain action, but that’s where the similarities end. Problem solving is the process of finding a solution to an ongoing, intermittent, or one-time failure of a process or system to perform at an acceptable level — or perform at all. It consists of identifying the causes through asking basic questions like “where,” “how,” “who,” and “why” to find the solution. Decision making involves choosing between different courses of action by evaluating each based on a set of criteria. It requires implementing an action plan based on what you have learned from problem solving.

A helpful way to illustrate the difference between problem solving and decision making is to consider the difference between a detective and a judge. As anyone who has seen an episode of Law & Order knows, a detective is a problem-solver. Their role is to determine who committed the crime based on evidence. A judge is a decision-maker. They weigh evidence, circumstances, and precedent to arrive at a judgment.

Understanding Differences in Processes and Outcomes

The process of decision making is clear: each option is evaluated based on a set of parameters or criteria. But the outcome is uncertain until a specific decision is made and time tells how well it worked — or didn’t work.

The process of problem solving is not immediately clear. Initially you might not understand the root of the problem, which makes it difficult to know where to start. For example, you can see that the conveyor belt in your warehouse isn’t working, but what made the motor controlling it stop working remains a mystery until you diagnose the problem, system by system. Once the problem is determined and addressed, the outcome is clear: the conveyor belt is again working.

In business, typical problems could be:

• Customer churn is increasing. Solution: expand product offering.
• The organization’s carbon footprint is too big and costly. Solution: implement green initiatives.
• A team is struggling to keep up with leads and organize customer data. Solution: implement a customer relationship management [CRM] system.

The associated complex decisions would be:

• Determining what new product to launch
• Selecting the green strategies that best balance cost and effectiveness
• Identifying which CRM solution is right for your organization

Problem solving and Decision Making: Best Practices

Whether problem solving or decision making, there are some factors you should consider to make the process as successful and efficient as possible. When problem solving, make sure to gather as many facts as you can, which will help make the solution more obvious. For example, app development companies will often take a “ test and learn ” approach to determine what customers want and need in an app. They’ll create a beta version, provide it free-of-charge to customers, and then analyze that data to develop a paid app that meets customer needs.

 When making decisions, be action-oriented. This means that you should be able to act on your decisions. Many of your decisions, especially those concerning complex issues, should involve other key employees and subject matter experts for the best results. Gather a team with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to help you consider a wide range of options.  Be open to feedback; even the most carefully made decision may not work out as expected when implemented. And lastly, you should adopt a decision-making framework that enables you to make the best decisions possible on a consistent basis, in a variety of scenarios.

• Ken Thompson

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5 thoughts on “the difference between problem solving and decision making”.

Hi Ken. Problem solving is a skill based on creativity and the ability to see things from many points of view. Decision making in particular requires the ability to manage emotions and a strong sense of responsibility. These are two very important skills in every area and in great demand at work. In the business environment, every good leader should be provided with them to perform at his best in his role.

Thank you for the insight. Agreed – creativity is key for problem solving. Thank you again for visiting the blog, and if you’re interested in learning more on the topic, you might find our Complex Decision Making for Leaders guide helpful. https://alignorg.com/guide/complex-decision-making-for-leaders/

I need help about the similarities of problem solving and decision making

We have an Executive Guide that might help you. You can find it here: https://alignorg.com/guide/complex-decision-making-for-leaders/ .

Every problem solving procedure is made of at least one process of divergent and convergent thinking. In the first part after determining the problem we should look for many many possible solutions in hand (which is one of the many many definitions of creativity). This is the divergent part of thinking (one to many). After having the options in hand, we encounter the second obstacle, i.e. looking for the best option from the many. This second part needs some convergent thinking and decision making skills (many to one). Then, I think the decision making in many cases is a part of problem solving procedure.

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Making the Difference: Problem Solving vs Decision Making

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Do you ever find yourself stuck between a rock and hard place, unable to decide what the best course of action is?

I have. Whether it’s what desk to put in our new conservatory space (and I’ll tell you what we ended up deciding later), or who to invite to meetings, or managing to order everyone else’s food and then getting so overwhelmed with having made decisions all day for all the people that I couldn’t choose anything for myself.

I left the café with nothing for me and ended up with a couple of slices of peanut butter toast at home.

Making decisions can be difficult for even the most experienced project managers. But before making any decision, it’s important to understand the difference between problem solving and decision making.

Ready to get into it?

Problem solving involves diagnosing issues that arise during projects while decision making requires taking appropriate steps based on those diagnoses. While they may appear similar at first glance, there are key differences in how each process should be approached – understanding these differences will help you make more informed decisions!

Let’s explore both processes as well as their similarities and differences.

What is problem solving?

You’ve been solving problems since you were a baby: how to stand up, how to get your socks off, how to get your parents to bring you your favorite sippy cup.

As an adult, we solve problems every day at work and at home.

So it probably sounds a bit odd to want to define problem solving before we go any further. Surely we all know what we are talking about as we do it all the time?

Humor me. Problem solving is the process of identifying and analyzing a problem, generating potential solutions, and selecting the best solution to address the issue. It involves breaking down complex problems into smaller components and then finding ways to solve them.

The problem solving process

If you think that description sounds linear, then you’d be right. Problem solving fits neatly into a process, one that we don’t even know we’re following most of the time.

The problem solving process typically consists of four steps:

• Identify the problem
• Generate possible solutions
• Evaluate each option
• Select an appropriate course of action.

That does make it sound easy. Wicked problems need a slightly different approach (PMI has a problem solving training course that is brilliant and will help with that).

But for now, let’s stick with a high-level approach that works for most problems.

1. Identify the problem

First, it’s important to understand what caused the issue in order to determine how best to resolve it.

You’d be surprised at how many managers don’t bother to find the root cause of the problem to truly understand it. Use techniques like the 5 Whys or an Ishikawa diagram to dig down into what the problem actually is.

2. Generate possible solutions

Brainstorming is one way to come up with different ideas for potential solutions. You could also interview experts, review lessons learned or innovative solutions from previous projects, research what the rest of your industry is doing or consult customers on what they’d like to see. There are no silly ideas at this point!

Choose the creative approach that gets you a range of options to review.

Read next: How to improve problem solving with lessons learned.

3. Evaluate each option

Once you have several options to consider, you can evaluate each one based on its effectiveness and cost before deciding which one is most suitable for your situation.

Use pairwise prioritisation, multi-criteria decision making or analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to help with the evaluation.

4. Select an appropriate course of action

Now you’ve got all the options for solving your problem, you can actually solve it by choosing a course of action that will sort it out. This is where decision making comes in. in this step you make the decision.

Finally, implement your chosen solution and monitor its progress over time so that any necessary adjustments can be made as needed.

Benefits of problem solving skills

There are many benefits associated with having effective problem solving skills.

These include improved decision making abilities (more on that in a minute), increased creativity, better communication skills, greater confidence when faced with challenging situations, enhanced ability to think critically, more efficient use of resources, improved relationships between colleagues or team members due to shared understanding of goals and increased productivity levels due to fewer mistakes being made during projects or tasks.

(Breathe. That was a long sentence, sorry.)

All these advantages make problem solving an invaluable skill in both personal life and professional life scenarios.

What is decision making?

Basically, decision making is the process of selecting a course of action from a number of alternatives. It involves gathering information, weighing options, and choosing the best option for achieving a desired outcome.

But how is that different to problem solving?

Decision making is the process of doing Step 4 of the problem solving process. It’s the choice making, option selection, conclusion of the analysis and thinking.

It’s decisive (duh), purposeful, specific. It removes the ambiguity of the ‘what do we do?’ and helps the team move towards the ‘OK, how do we do that?’

It brings action to a situation.

The decision making process

There is a simple method for decision making too, although the actual decision itself might be tough to make.

• Identify that a decision is required
• Ensure you have the data to make the decision
• Make the decision
• Tell whoever needs to implement the decision

1. Identify that a decision is required

The decision-making process typically begins with identifying what decision needs to be made. Are you making the right decision, or is there something else, deeper, different that is really what’s required?

In this step you also want to identify who is making the decision. That could be your project sponsor, a panel, you by yourself, a committee or whoever. Getting this step clear saves headaches later.

2. Ensure you have the data to make the decision

Do you have all the info you need to make the decision? If not, get it.

When decisions are made quickly but thoughtfully, they can save time and resources while still producing quality results.

Major decisions need more time spent on this step to make sure you understand all the variables.

3. Make the decision

After considering all potential solutions, it’s time to make a choice based on what will yield the best results for everyone involved.

This is the hard part: make the decision! The person or people responsible for this should weigh up the data and use their professional judgement to choose the right course of action. Decision trees can be useful here to avoid unconscious bias (or conscious bias!).

Obviously this is harder for complex decisions. What vendor to choose for a 3-year outsourcing arrangement is harder to decide than what venue to book for a team away day.

4. Tell whoever needs to implement the decision

Great – you’ve made the call and know what to do, but does the rest of the team? Don’t keep the decision to yourself!

Make sure whoever needs to know the next steps is aware that the decision has been made so they can implement it and take the right action.

Having confidence in decisions leads to greater trust between team members and better collaboration overall, which can lead to improved project outcomes over time. Well-made decisions often create opportunities for growth within teams by allowing them to learn from their mistakes as well as their successes along the way.

Similarities between problem solving and decision making

Problem solving and decision making sound very similar, right?

Well, that is true. Both processes involve gathering information, analyzing it, and coming up with solutions or courses of action. They both require critical thinking skills to identify potential solutions or options that are most likely to be successful.

The processes use a similar flow

Both processes involve identifying a problem or issue, researching possible solutions, evaluating those solutions based on criteria such as cost-effectiveness or feasibility, selecting an option from among the available choices, implementing the chosen solution, and you’d also want to monitor its effectiveness over time.

The process can be iterative if necessary; if one solution does not work out as expected then another may need to be tried until a satisfactory outcome is achieved.

They both produce a satisfactory solution

Problem solving and decision making usually lead to some kind of action being taken in order to address a given issue or situation. Problem solving often involves finding creative solutions for complex problems, while decision making typically entails selecting a course of action from several possibilities after carefully evaluating each option’s advantages and disadvantages.

But ultimately, the goal is for something positive (or at least neutral) to come out of the helpful process so that whatever challenge was initially presented can be effectively addressed.

Despite being so similar you could pretty much interchange them in some circumstances, there are some differences.

Differences between problem solving and decision making

Although they have similarities in terms of the process used to come up with a solution, their goals differ significantly.

Process goals are different

The goal of problem solving is to find a solution to an existing issue. It involves identifying the cause of a problem and then finding ways to address it. Problem solving often requires input from multiple stakeholders who can provide different perspectives on how best to solve the issue at hand.

On the other hand, decision making focuses on choosing the best option from multiple alternatives. This could include selecting between competing products or services or deciding which strategy will be most effective for achieving certain objectives.

In other words: decision making doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem. We make decisions every day about small things and big things, but they aren’t all problems that need the creative step of solutioning.

Sometimes a decision just needs to be taken and the options are clearly known.

They require different stakeholders

Another key difference between problem solving and decision making is that while problem solving typically requires input from multiple stakeholders, decision making is usually done by one individual or group who has access to all relevant information needed for the decision-making process.

To give you an example. Let’s say on a technical project the development team hit a problem. They have to bring in various subject matter experts to research and identify the parameters involved. They consult, brainstorm and debate. It’s a group effort, and it’s likely to end in a solution.

However, if I need my project sponsor to choose between two risk treatments, I’ll take him my recommendation and a summary of options and he’ll simply choose. Done.

Decisions are made based on what is known about a situation rather than relying on external opinions or advice when trying to make an informed choice about what course of action should be taken next.

They produce different results

The nature of both processes also differs in terms of the types of solutions they produce. Problem solving typically results in creative solutions that can be implemented over time, while decision making produces immediate choices from among existing alternatives without necessarily creating something new or unique.

Both processes involve the identification of a problem or issue, the collection of information to evaluate possible solutions, and an analysis of potential outcomes. The main difference between them is in their goals: problem solving seeks to identify the root cause of an issue and develop a solution that will address it; decision making focuses on selecting from among available options.

Both processes require careful consideration of facts and opinions before any action is taken. Problem solving often involves more people than decision making as it requires collaboration to identify underlying causes and brainstorm potential solutions. Decision makers may consult with others for input but ultimately make decisions independently based on their own judgment.

Still got a question?

What is the difference between decision and decision making.

A decision is the act of making a choice between two or more alternatives. Decision making is the process by which decisions are made. It involves gathering information, analyzing data, evaluating alternatives and choosing a course of action based on this analysis. The outcome of the process is the decision. The decision-making process also includes monitoring progress to ensure that goals are being met and taking corrective action if needed.

What is the importance of problem-solving and decision making?

Problem-solving and decision making are essential skills for project managers and managers in general. The processes keep work moving by making sure problems get solved and decisions get made so team members are not blocked from finishing their tasks.

What are the steps in problem-solving and decision making?

Problem-solving and decision making involve a series of steps that can help ensure the best possible outcome. The first step is to identify the problem or opportunity, then analyze it by gathering relevant information and evaluating potential solutions. After considering all options, select an appropriate solution and develop an action plan for implementation. Finally, monitor progress to ensure success and make necessary adjustments along the way. By following these steps, project managers can effectively manage projects while minimizing risks and maximizing results.

Before you go…

Sometimes there isn’t a right decision – it’s simply important to make a decision. As for the desk, in the end, we used a piece of furniture we already had upstairs and didn’t buy one at all.

I spent a morning measuring and researching options, and I’ll never get that time back, but that’s OK.

As a leader, you should be skilled at solving problems and making decisions, and the processes that support them. However, you don’t have to be doing all the solving and making all the calls yourself. As long as you facilitate the process and get the right people in the room, you can step back and let the experts do their thing.

Let the right people do the work and create an environment where your projects move forward because everyone’s got what they need to keep things moving.

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years. Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects .

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Problem solving & decision making.

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Difference Between Problem Solving and Decision Making

• Categorized under Language | Difference Between Problem Solving and Decision Making

Problem Solving vs Decision Making

Life is filled with complexities, and one of them is to know the difference between problem solving and decision making. People tend to use ‘problem solving’ and ‘decision making’ interchangeably. Although they are somewhat related, these two phrases are not synonymous and are completely different. The major difference between the two is; problem solving is a method while decision making is a process.

Problem solving, as the name implies, is solving a problem. Meaning, it is a method wherein a group or an individual makes something positive out of a problem. Decision making, on the other hand, is a process that is done many times during problem solving. Decision making is the key that will help in reaching the right conclusion in problem solving. Problem solving is more an analytical aspect of thinking. It also uses intuition in gathering facts. Decision making, on the other hand, is more of a judgment where, after thinking, one will take a course of action. However, these two need a certain set of skills for each to be more effective.

To understand the differences between the two a little better, it is best to define each of them. With the definition of each term, it will be easier for you to distinguish one from the other.

Problem solving is more of a mental process. It is included in the larger problem process, namely, problem finding and problem shaping. Problem solving is the most complex process among all the intellectual functions of a human being. It is very complex. It is considered a higher order of the cognitive process. It is very complex in that it needs regulation and modulation of the basic skills of a human being. When an organism or artificial intelligence system is undergoing a problem and needs to be transferred into a better state to achieve a certain goal, then this needs problem solving.

Decision making is concerned on what action should be made. It is still a process of cognitive function, but it focuses on what action to take and what alternatives are available. Decision processes will always end up with a final choice; this choice may be an action or an opinion about a certain issue. When looking at decision making in a psychological aspect, the decision of an individual is based on his or her needs and the values that a person is looking for. When looking at decision making in a cognitive aspect, it is a continuous process related to the interaction of the person and his or her environment. In the normative aspect of decision making, on the other hand, it is focused more on the logical and rational way of making decisions until a choice is made.

Problem solving is a method; decision making is a process.

Decision making is needed during problem solving to reach the conclusion.

Decision making will lead to a course of action or final opinion; problem solving is more analytical and complex

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Cite APA 7 Magno, E. (2015, January 13). Difference Between Problem Solving and Decision Making. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-problem-solving-and-decision-making%e2%80%a8/. MLA 8 Magno, Eva. "Difference Between Problem Solving and Decision Making." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 13 January, 2015, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-problem-solving-and-decision-making%e2%80%a8/.

You say “Problem solving is a method; decision making is a process.”

Yet in the 4th paragraph discussing problem solving you use the word “process” repeatedly without explaining with examples how it is a method.

So shd I say that choice making is the same as decision making?

Good but not illustrated

Pls Explain in table

Decision making typically involves the selection between of some collection of options from within a larger set which includes those options as well as a number of additional options. The larger the total set of options within which the subset is being selected, the more criteria are needed to give you a basis for the decision.

People tend to think of a decision as being “difficult” when in respect of the options being selected from, none of them look like they have obviously better outcomes … or sometimes even “none of the choices are good ones”.

Problem solving whereas has a wider remit. Effective problem solving typically involves the process of iterative re-specification of what the problem actually is, in a cycle with low-cost experiments to determine whether that way of defining the problem tends to give rise to more of what we want or less or what we want.

Thank you so much

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Provide further explanations regarding the two aspects of problem solving and decision making. Thank you.

If one is a method and the other is a process, what is the difference between a method and process?

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Written by : eva. and updated on 2015, January 13 Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.

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Problem Solving: Arti, Proses, Contoh, Manfaat, dan Tips Tingkatkannya

Isi Artikel

Banyak orang yang mengira bahwa problem solving atau pemecahan masalah adalah suatu  skill  yang dapat diasah lewat praktik.

Padahal, hal ini kurang tepat, lho. Meski merupakan bagian dari soft skill , kamu bisa belajar penyelesaian persoalan layaknya hard skill .

Kira-kira, mengapa bisa begitu? Ketahui jawabannya dengan menyimak penjelasan Glints di bawah ini.

Apa Itu Skill Problem Solving?

Seperti namanya, problem solving adalah sebuah kemampuan untuk mencari solusi atas segala halangan dari tujuanmu. 

Semakin baik kamu menguasai skill ini, semakin cepat dan efektif pula persoalanmu selesai. Hal ini juga berlaku sebaliknya.

Metode Problem Solving

Mengutip dari Session Lab dan Chanty , berikut adalah beberapa metode yang bisa digunakan untuk pemecahan masalah.

1.  Brainstorming

Salah satu metode yang ampuh untuk memecahkan masalah adalah  brainstorming .

Ketika melakukan  brainstorming , kamu dan rekan kerja mencari solusi kreatif untuk suatu masalah.

Sehingga, metode ini mendorong setiap orang yang terlibat untuk menyampaikan idenya.

Setelah terkumpul, ide-ide tersebut bisa digabungkan atau diolah untuk menjadi satu solusi utama.

2. 6  thinking hats

Six thinking hats  adalah metode  problem solving  selanjutnya.

Dalam metode ini, kamu dan rekan kerja silih berganti mencoba menghadapi suatu masalah dari beragam perspektif.

Adapun perspektif yang digunakan seperti;

• fakta dan data
• solusi kreatif
• hal positif dari suatu solusi
• hal negatif dari suatu solusi

Fakta-fakta tersebut jadi pendorong dan pendukungmu dalam mencari solusi.

3.  The 5 whys

Metode  problem solving  lain yang bisa kamu gunakan bersama rekan kerja adalah  the 5 whys .

Dalam metode ini, kamu cukup meng- highlight  masalah yang akan dipecahkan.

Lalu, tanyakan pada dirimu dan tim “mengapa” masalah tersebut bisa terjadi. Setelah itu, terus tanyakan “mengapa” atau “ why ” sebanyak 5 kali.

Namun, pastikan untuk menjawab seluruh pertanyaan dengan objektif. Hal ini dapat membantumu capai akar dari permasalahan yang sedang dihadapi.

4.  Lightning decision jam

Dalam metode ini, kamu dan rekan kerja masing-masing menulis tantangan, kekhawatiran, atau kesalahan dalam sebuah catatan kecil.

Kemudian, tim memilih masalah mana yang diselesaikan dan dituntun untuk melihat masalah tersebut dari sudut pandang baru.

Hal ini memungkinkan kamu dan tim untuk membuat solusi dari masalah yang dipilih.

Metode ini pun memastikan bahwa proses penyelesaian masalah dilakukan secara terfokus dan teratur.

5.  Failure mode and effect analysis

Metode  problem solving  lain yang bisa kamu gunakan adalah  failure mode and effect  analysis .

Dalam metode ini, kamu dan tim mencoba menganalisis setiap elemen dari strategi bisnis dan memikirkan hal-hal terburuk yang mungkin terjadi.

Hal-hal terburuk seperti kenapa strategimu gagal dan kapan terjadinya menjadi pokok bahasan dari pemecahan masalah dalam metode ini.

Dengan melihat kemungkinan terburuk dan seberapa mungkin hal itu terjadi, kamu dan tim bisa mencari solusi dari permasalahan tersebut serta mencegahnya.

Contoh Problem Solving

Berikut adalah beberapa contoh kasus yang sering terjadi di dunia kerja di mana kemampuan  problem solving  sangat dibutuhkan.

1. Menyelesaikan komplain pelanggan

Di kasus ini, jelas sebagai seorang profesional, kamu harus memikirkan bagaimana langkah-langkah menyelesaikan masalahnya.

Meski bisa merujuk ke SOP, tidak jarang komplain konsumen bersifat unik yang juga membutuhkan langkah penyesuaian yang  personalized.

2. Mencari jalan keluar ketika ada alat yang rusak

Contoh yang satu ini mungkin terkesan sepele, tetapi dengan  problem solving skill  yang kurang mumpuni, seseorang bisa saja membuatnya menjadi masalah besar.

Ketika mesin fotokopi di kantor rusak, misalnya, kamu dapat langsung menghubungi tim terkait yang bertugas mengelola peralatan kantor, seperti tim operasional atau  general affair.

Yang pasti, jangan menyembunyikan kejadian tersebut karena justru bisa menghambat pekerjaan orang lain ke depannya.

3. Melakukan kesalahan saat bekerja

Contoh  problem solving  selanjutnya adalah ketika berusaha memperbaiki kesalahan saat mengerjakan tugas.

Langkah penyelesaiannya tentu sangat berbeda-beda, tergantung kesalahan yang dibuat.

Misalnya, kamu salah  upload  konten di media sosial.

Dalam hal ini, tentu langkah pertama adalah langsung menghapus konten tersebut secepatnya, lalu upload  ulang konten yang benar. Kamu juga bisa  post  permintaan maaf atau klarifikasi tambahan.

Jangan lupa untuk menginformasikannya pada tim supaya bisa mengantisipasi dampak ke depannya.

4. Menghadapi rekan kerja yang sulit diajak kerja sama

Tak jarang, permasalahan di tempat kerja muncul akibat interaksi yang kurang baik dengan rekan satu tim.

Situasi seperti ini juga sangat memerlukan kemampuan pemecahan masalah yang mumpuni.

Kamu bisa coba beberapa cara, mulai dari berusaha bangun komunikasi langsung dengannya atau konsultasi ke atasan.

5. Menyesuaikan  deadline  ketika ada tugas mendadak

Situasi seperti ini terkadang tidak bisa dihindari di dunia kerja.

Kamu harus bisa mengatur tugas dan waktumu dengan baik sehingga semua tugas tetap bisa diselesaikan sesuai standar dan  timeline.

Untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini, coba delegasi atau tunda beberapa tugasmu sesuai skala prioritas. Diskusikan ini ke atasan supaya tidak ada miskomunikasi.

Proses Problem Solving

Apakah kamu masih bingung dengan pengertian dari penyelesaian masalah? Tak heran, skill yang satu ini memang abstrak.

Meski begitu, kamu tak perlu khawatir. Glints sudah merangkum langkah-langkah memecahkan masalah dari The Balance Careers . 

Dengan penjelasan ini, kamu tentu bisa lebih menggambarkan semuanya. Ada juga tambahan contoh pemecahan masalah berikut ini agar kamu makin paham.

Misalnya, kamu adalah seorang koki di toko kue. Biasanya, kamu menjual 100 buah roti dan 100 buah bolu kukus dalam sehari.

Sayangnya, hari ini, produksi roti terhambat. Ini tentu bisa merugikan toko roti.

Untuk contoh pemecahan masalah ini, langkah-langkahnya adalah:

1. Analisis situasi

Solusi yang tepat tentu menyasar akar masalah. Oleh karena itu, kamu wajib tahu akar masalah ini dulu.

Dalam tahap ini, kamu membutuhkan skill – skill seperti:

• pengumpulan data
• analisis data
• analisis historis

Oleh karena itu, dalam konteks ini, kamu wajib mencari penyebab masalah di toko kue. Misalnya, ternyata, mesin penggiling adonanmu rusak.

2. Buat daftar solusi

Tahap problem solving selanjutnya adalah mencari jalan keluar. 

Tentu saja, tiap masalah punya jalan keluar yang beraneka ragam. Oleh karena itu, daftar dulu berbagai kemungkinan solusi yang ada, ya! 

Untuk melakukan tahap ini, kamu butuh kemampuan:

• berpikir kreatif
• perencanaan proyek
• desain proyek

Untuk masalah di toko kue, alternatif solusinya adalah:

• membeli mesin penggiling baru
• mencoba memperbaiki mesin penggiling
• tidak produksi roti sama sekali, buat bolu kukus saja
• tidak produksi bolu kukus, tenaga dan waktu dipakai untuk membuat roti
• membuat roti tanpa mesin penggiling
• dan lain-lain

Apa pun yang kamu pikirkan, kumpulkan saja dulu menjadi satu.

3. Pilih solusi terbaik

Sudah menuliskan berbagai alternatif solusi? Sekarang, saatnya memilih yang terbaik di antara pilihan itu.

Ingat, tiap pilihan punya konsekuensinya masing-masing. Terlebih lagi, kadang kala, kamu tak jadi satu-satunya orang yang membuat keputusan. 

Oleh karena itu, dalam tahap problem solving ini, kamu butuh skill :

• penentuan prioritas

Kita kembali lagi ke contoh pemecahan masalah toko kue. Misalnya, pada hari itu, ada pesanan 50 roti yang harus selesai hari ini.

Akhirnya, kamu memutuskan untuk mengurangi produksi bolu kukus. Ada tenaga ekstra untuk membuat roti pesanan tanpa mesin penggiling.

Ingat, tiap masalah punya konteks yang berbeda-beda. Oleh karena itu, solusi terbaiknya juga berbeda-beda.

Untuk memahami hal ini, Glints akan memberikan contoh tambahan. Misalnya, ternyata, roti yang kemarin masih bersisa. Roti-roti itu juga sangat layak jual.

Kalau begitu, kamu tak perlu membuatnya lagi. Hari ini, fokuskan saja tenaga untuk mengukus bolu-bolu.

Itulah mengapa, penting bagimu memahami konteks persoalan.

4. Rancang rencana

Sudah punya solusi, waktunya eksekusi. Dalam pelaksanaan ini, kamu membutuhkan kemampuan:

• manajemen proyek
• manajemen waktu

Nah, saat mengurangi produksi bolu kukus, siapa saja yang dipindah ke produksi roti? Berapa waktu yang dibutuhkan? 

Karena tidak ada mesin, bekerja di dapur tentu menjadi lebih lelah. Kamu juga harus memikirkan waktu istirahat pegawai.

Rencanakan semua ini matang-matang, ya! Dengan panduan yang jelas, solusi yang kamu buat tentu bisa terlaksana dengan baik.

5. Evaluasi

Saat sudah selesai, coba lakukan evaluasi dari solusimu. Apakah jalan keluar itu sudah benar-benar bekerja?

Dalam proses ini, skill yang kamu butuhkan antara lain:

Mengapa Skill Problem Solving Penting?

Kamu sudah memahami pengertian dari skill pemecahan masalah. Nah, sekarang, kenapa kamu harus menguasainya?

Dirangkum dari Cleverism & Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales , ini dia informasinya.

1. Bukti mampu terapkan ilmu

Proses belajar tentu mengasah kemampuan analisis. Secara otomatis, kamu bisa lebih memahami masalah dan mencari solusinya.

Sayangnya, seperti yang sudah Glints singgung, tiap konteks masalah punya solusi yang berbeda-beda.

Nah, realitanya, persoalan punya aneka ragam konteks. Secara otomatis, pemilihan solusinya juga berbeda.

Lalu, apa tanda bahwa kamu mampu memahami konteks dan memilih solusi yang tepat? Skill pemecahan masalah adalah jawabannya.

Belajar merupakan tanda bahwa kamu menguasai teori. Praktiknya bisa dibuktikan lewat skill menyelesaikan masalah.

2. Menarik rekruter

Pemecahan masalah merupakan skill yang terdiri dari berbagai macam sub- skill . Ragam sub- skill ini sudah Glints jelaskan tadi.

Analisis, kreativitas, manajemen proyek, bahkan kolaborasi, termasuk di dalamnya.

Dengan alasan ini, rekruter menyukai orang yang mampu menyelesaikan persoalan. Ia jadi penanda bahwa kamu juga punya segudang skill lainnya.

3. Penting untuk promosi

Salah satu ciri pemimpin baik adalah mampu menyelesaikan masalah. Oleh karena itu, kalau ingin promosi jabatan, kamu wajib memilikinya.

Tips Meningkatkan Skill Problem Solving

© Freepik.com

Nah, sekarang, bagaimana cara meningkatkan kemampuan ini ? Dirangkum dari Indeed , ini dia tipsnya:

1. Asah skill teknis

Ternyata, kemampuan teknikal atau hard skill bisa membuatmu mahir memecahkan masalah, lho. 

Padahal, problem solving sendiri adalah contoh soft skill . Ternyata, ia tetap tak bisa lepas dari hard skill . Glints sudah menyebutkan hal ini di atas.

Ini bisa terjadi karena, dengan kemampuan teknikal, kamu jadi punya teori. Solusi dari masalah pun bisa lebih mudah dirumuskan.

2. Cari kesempatan baru

Jangan lupa, asah terus kemampuanmu dengan praktik di berbagai tempat. Kamu bisa melakukannya dengan mencari:

• proyek baru
• tim yang berbeda dengan sekarang
• komunitas atau organisasi di luar tempat kerja

3. Perhatikan orang lain

Selain menempa diri, kamu juga bisa mengamati proses pemecahan masalah orang lain, lho.

Coba perhatikan bagaimana atasan atau kolegamu menghadapi persoalan. Siapa tahu, kamu bisa meniru dan memodifikasi pola pemecahan masalah mereka.

Demikian penjelasan Glints soal kemampuan problem solving . Terus asah skill ini agar kariermu makin berkembang, ya!

Kalau kamu mau belajar lebih banyak tentang kemampuan penting di dunia kerja, yuk, baca artikel lainnya dari Glints!

Ada kumpulan artikel yang secara khusus mengulas topik tentang  hard skill  beserta  soft skill  di dunia kerja.

Baik yang berkaitan dengan pekerjaan tertentu maupun  skill yang secara umum dicari banyak perusahaan.

Tertarik? Ayo klik  link  ini sekarang juga untuk baca artikel lainnya!

• What Are Problem-Solving Skills?
• Problem solving-Cleverism
• Problem solving-Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
• Problem-Solving Skills: Definitions and Examples

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Apa Itu Problem Solving? Ini Pengertian, Tujuan, & 5 Metodenya

Maret 20, 2024

Di masa ini, problem solving adalah salah satu skill yang wajib dimiliki karyawan, terutama pemimpin dan manajer. Ada banyak manfaat problem solving , mulai dari mempermudah pengambilan keputusan hingga meningkatkan efisiensi. Tapi apa itu problem solving sebenarnya? Apa saja skill problem solving yang perlu Anda kuasai?

Dalam bahasan kali ini, kita akan membahas dengan lengkap tentang problem solving , tujuan, manfaat, dan berbagai metodenya. Yuk, scroll ke bawah untuk tahu kelanjutannya!

Apa itu Problem Solving ?

Memahami apa itu problem solving adalah hal fundamental yang harus dipahami siapapun, terutama yang baru masuk ke dunia kerja atau ingin naik jenjang karir. Tanpa pemahaman dan skill problem solving yang mumpuni, seseorang akan mengalami kesulitan saat bekerja, apalagi jika lingkungan kerjanya penuh tekanan.

Menurut buku The Executive Guide to Improvement and Change , pengertian problem solving adalah kemampuan mendefinisikan masalah, menentukan sumbernya, membuat skala prioritas, menyusun alternatif-alternatif solusi, dan mengimplementasikannya sesuai kebutuhan. Singkatnya, problem solving adalah kemampuan menemukan masalah dan memecahkannya dengan baik.

Agar proses pemecahan masalah terlaksana, ada beberapa karakteristik problem solving yang wajib dipenuhi, yaitu:

• Interaksi antara pihak-pihak terlibat, misalnya antar karyawan dalam satu divisi, lintas jabatan, atau antara atasan dan bawahan.
• Terdapat diskusi yang diselenggarakan dengan efektif, sistematis, dan menghasilkan progres, baik secara formal, semiformal, atau informal.
• Informasi lengkap dan valid, penyampai dapat mempertanggungjawabkan kebenarannya.
• Saling membimbing dan melatih dari pihak berpengalaman ke yang kurang berpengalaman.

Berdasarkan karakteristik di atas, kita dapat menemukan bahwa peran pemimpin sangat vital dalam proses pengambilan keputusan. Agar proses problem solving terselesaikan, pemimpin tidak boleh egois atau terlalu longgar pada rekan-rekan yang membantunya mengambil keputusan.

Tujuan Problem Solving

Setelah mengetahui apa itu problem solving , kali ini kita akan membahas beberapa tujuan problem solving dalam perusahaan, di antaranya adalah:

• Melatih kemampuan karyawan untuk menghadapi masalah
• Melatih karyawan dalam menemukan langkah-langkah terbaik untuk mencari solusi dari masalah yang ada
• Melatih karyawan bagaimana cara bertindak dan apa yang harus dilakukan dalam situasi baru
• Melatih karyawan untuk lebih berani dalam mengambil keputusan terbaik
• Melatih karyawan untuk meneliti suatu masalah dari berbagai sudut pandang dan kemungkinan yang ada

Sementara itu, melatih skill problem solving bagi diri sendiri juga sangat penting. Sebab pada faktanya, keahlian ini tidak hanya berguna di dunia kerja, tapi juga dalam aspek-aspek lain kehidupan.

Sebagai contoh, Anda adalah seorang karyawan berusia 24 tahun dengan tanggungan orang tua dan 3 adik. Selain itu, Anda juga punya keinginan punya rumah dan kendaraan di usia 30 tahun. Supaya tanggung jawab dan impian tercapai, Anda melakukan proses problem solving dan menemukan solusi bahwa Anda harus punya side hustle supaya bisa menabung sekaligus tetap membantu ekonomi keluarga.

BACA JUGA: Manfaat Menerapkan Teamwork Karyawan di Perusahaan Anda

  Tahapan Problem Solving

Setelah memahami apa itu problem solving dan tujuannya, di bawah ini terdapat beberapa tahapan untuk menerapkan metode problem solving . Jika Anda merasa belum punya skill problem solving mumpuni, cara-cara di bawah ini dapat membantu Anda berlatih.

1. Mendefinisikan Masalah

Tahapan pertama problem solving adalah dengan mendefinisikan, mengurai, dan menyusun kembali satu per satu masalah pokok yang sedang terjadi. Meskipun masalah-masalah tersebut tampak banyak, usahakan untuk menemukan inti dari semua masalah tersebut.

Jika Anda sedang bekerja di perusahaan, pastikan untuk mengajak rekan kerja dan orang lain yang berhubungan dengan masalah tersebut. Dengan demikian, Anda dapat mendengar masalah dari berbagai perspektif dan menemukan titik masalah.

2. Menentukan Sumber/Dalang Penyebab Masalah

Setelah masalah utama ditemukan, tahapan selanjutnya problem solving adalah menyelidiki sumber masalah tersebut. Apakah masalah timbul karena sistem? Orang-orang terlibat? Atau komunikasi yang kurang efektif? Dengan menemukan jawaban dari pertanyaan semacam itu, Anda dan tim dapat melakukan brainstorming sumber masalah, sebelum mencari solusinya.

3. Menentukan Prioritas Masalah

Dalam satu kali brainstorming , Anda dan rekan-rekan barangkali akan menemukan lebih dari satu masalah untuk dipecahkan. Namun demikian, memaksakan diri menyelesaikan semua masalah dalam satu waktu sangat tidak efisien. Bukannya tuntas, bisa-bisa Anda dan tim justru tidak akan memecahkan satu pun masalah.

4. Mengembangkan Solusi Alternatif

Claire Cook – penulis terkenal asal Amerika Serikat – pernah berkata, “Jika plan A tidak berhasil, ingatlah masih ada 25 huruf untuk dijadikan rencana ( plan B, C, D, dan seterusnya”. Alternatif-alternatif rencana seperti ini juga perlu Anda siapkan jika sewaktu-waktu solusi utama tidak bekerja.

5. Mengimplementasikan Solusi dan Mengevaluasinya

Tahapan terakhir pada proses problem solving adalah mengimplementasikan solusi sesuai kesepakatan bersama. Setelah sudah menemukan solusi terbaik, maka Anda tinggal menyusun strategi penerapan, membagikannya kepada tim anggota, dan menindaklanjuti solusi yang sudah diputuskan.

Tidak berhenti sampai disitu, ada baiknya jika Anda bisa mengumpulkan masukan dari anggota tim atau pihak-pihak yang terlibat dan melakukan evaluasi dari penerapan solusi tersebut.

Pada setiap tahapan untuk menyelesaikan masalah, dibutuhkan beberapa skill problem solving yang mumpuni. Seperti kemampuan menganalisis, kemampuan berdiskusi, hingga penentuan prioritas.

BACA JUGA: Jenis Kepemimpinan Dalam Perusahaan. Anda Termasuk yang Mana?

Metode Problem Solving

Dalam proses problem solving , ada beberapa metode yang dapat Anda gunakan, di antaranya adalah:

1. Linear Thinking

Metode problem solving pertama yang dapat Anda terapkan adalah linear thinking . Penggunaan metode ini sangat sederhana, yaitu dengan menekankan pada pertanyaan “mengapa” agar bisa menemukan akar permasalahan. Setelah akarnya ditemukan, Anda bisa menggunakan data-data lama dan solusi yang ada untuk diterapkan.

Linear thinking adalah salah satu metode problem solving paling tradisional dan mudah dilaksanakan. Kelemahannya, linear thinking hanya cocok untuk menghadapi masalah yang pernah dihadapi sebelumnya, tapi tidak sesuai jika masalahnya sama sekali baru.

2. Design Thinking

Berbeda dengan linear thinking , dalam apa itu problem solving penggunaan design thinking lebih menekankan pendekatan dari sisi user . Untuk memulainya Anda bisa mencoba untuk berempati kepada user yang sedang menghadapi masalah.

Kemudian setelah Anda mengetahui apa masalah yang dihadapinya, Anda bisa menggunakan skill problem solving yang dimiliki untuk membuat beberapa gambaran atau prototype yang dapat diuji untuk menemukan solusi dari masalah tersebut.

3. Creative Problem Solving

Ketika kita membahas apa itu problem solving , maka Anda perlu menciptakan keseimbangan antara logika dan kreativitas. Anda bisa menggunakan kreativitas untuk mencari tahu apa penyebab masalah yang terjadi dan kemudian mengembangkan solusi yang inovatif.

Metode creative problem solving tidak hanya seputar brainstorming atau ide-ide gila yang out of the box . Tetapi Anda juga perlu fokus untuk mendapatkan ide sebanyak-banyaknya dari proses tersebut.

4. Solution-based Thinking

Metode problem solving keempat yang dapat Anda terapkan adalah solution-based thinking , yaitu metode pemecahan masalah dengan berfokus pada solusi-solusi yang dapat dipastikan keberhasilannya.

Jika dibandingkan, solution-based thinking tampak seperti pertengahan antara linear thinking dan creative problem solving . Dari segi kecepatan, metode solution-based sama terfokusnya seperti linear thinking . Akan tetapi, dari segi fleksibilitas ide, solution-based thinking menggunakan pendekatan brainstorming seperti creative problem solving .

Demikianlah penjelasan mengenai apa itu problem solving , tujuan, dan metode-metodenya. Skill problem solving adalah salah satu keahlian paling dicari di dunia kerja. Bagi perusahaan, karyawan dengan kemampuan memecahkan masalah adalah aset berharga, baik untuk masa sekarang atau masa depan.

Apakah perusahaan Anda sedang mencari karyawan berkualitas tersebut? Kesulitan menemukan platform penyedia SDM dengan skill problem solving tingkat tinggi? Pasang iklan lowongan kerja Anda di KitaLulus dan jemput anggota tim impian Anda sekarang juga!

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The Differences Between Problem Solving and Decision Making

By: linda henman.

From the time you started work, and actually from the time of birth, you have been solving problems. By definition, problem solving involves the process of finding a solution to something that needs to change or a deviation from what you expected to happen. It involves a multistage process for moving an issue or situation from an undesirable to a more advantageous condition and typically involves your answering the following questions:

• What changed, when, and why?

• What is the tangible evidence that you have a problem?

• How can you measure the magnitude of the problem?

• What caused the change?

• Is this change or deviation consequential enough to spend time resolving it?

Once you have the answers to these questions, problem solving requires a series of decisions as people choose from and evaluate alternatives to overcome the obstacle that stand between them and a satisfactory resolution. Numerous methods exist, but these are among the most effective.

The Steps of Reflective Thinking

In 1910 John Dewey introduced the “Steps of Reflective Thinking,” a systematic approach to problem solving and a solid foundation for decision making. This sequence creates a kind of “map” of the problem and involves these steps:

• Define or identify the problem

• What is wrong? • What are the symptoms? • When did this happen? • How big is it? • Whom does it affect? • What have we already tried? •What will happen if we do nothing?

Sakichi Toyoda developed a technique that Toyota Motor Corporation later used during the evolution of their manufacturing methodologies that can help most groups begin the analysis process. The architect of the Toyota Production System, Taiichi Ohno, described the 5 whys method as “… the basis of Toyota’s scientific approach… by repeating why five times, the nature of the problem as well as its solution becomes clear.”

Companies and industries beyond Toyota adopted the technique, which and is now used within Kaizen, lean manufacturing, and Six Sigma. The five “why’s” have become almost catechistical for many organizations, especially those in manufacturing. When someone presents a problem, the “whys?” begin. Why can’t we fulfill that order? Why are we out of stock? Why did we let the inventory get too low? As the questions continue, the group moves close to the core issue, which is “How do we balance the need to respond quickly to customer requests with a need to keep inventory low?” The group’s goal, then, is to find a definitive answer but setting the specific criteria the solution will offer.

• Analyze the problem and set criteria for possible solutions

• What conditions led to the present problem? •What criteria mush a satisfactory solution offer?

• Brainstorm possible solutions

• Evaluate potential solutions

• What do the experts say? • What risks and rewards does each possible solution offer? • How well do solutions meet the established criteria? • How practical is the solution?

• Select the best solution

• How we execute this decision? • What timeframe makes sense for solving this problem?

The individual decision maker or group can then plan implementation of the best solution. This approach has been modified and questioned through the years, but one principle remains clear: a structured approach to problem solving increases the chances that you and your team will arrive at a workable resolution. Surviving decades of scrutiny, Dewey’s approach has stood the test of time because it offers a reasonable start to almost any problem solving sequence. However, it is not without its restrictions. When groups use this technique singly, they too often show a tendency to stop at symptoms rather than digging deeper to root causes. Further, the members’ current knowledge and inability to ask the right “why” questions can limit their analysis. Other methods, however, like the 2 X 2 Matrix can challenge the group to go beyond obvious answers and simple solutions.

The Magic of the 2 x 2 Matrix

The 2 x 2 matrix represents, perhaps, the most notable analytical tool ever to emerge in business. It has been much-maligned, mistrusted, and misunderstood, however, chiefly because the people using it didn’t understand it. Like any other tool, it can only be as good as its least able workman. When tactical thinkers use the 2 x 2 matrix, they find themselves frustrated because once again, they can merely generate a colossal list of stuff that lacks perspective on the underlying factors that contribute to the problem, or they miss links that connect various principles or phenomena. So, the first step in capturing the magic of the matrix is to include strong, strategic, and analytical thinkers in the exercise.

The purpose of the 2x 2 matrix is to look at two variables influencing something that matters to the organization, like profitability and time. Placing these two on a standard x-y grid gives you the power to organize and marshal problem solving efforts as you analyze the tension between opposing forces. The horizontal axis represents a This / Not This (low/high, past/ present, etc) issue that stands in tension with the vertical axis that characterizes another This / Not This situation. For example, you might want to analyze cost versus benefit, product versus market, or change versus stability. 2 x 2 thinking recognizes the power of exploring competing forces as we challenge ourselves to think at a higher logical level.

Drawing from the work of Kepner Tregoe, I developed the following 2 X 2 matrix to help decision makers better understand how to explore and unearth the inherent tensions between strategy and tactics. The act of focusing on these variables does not simplify the analysis. On the contrary, decision makers can gain deeper understanding of their issues and learn more about their challenges when they break business down to manageable components and discuss competing priorities, in this case of tactics and strategy.

When faced with a problem, using tools like the 2 x 2 matrix will help you and your team restore things to what they were before the problem arose. However, reinstating the status quo won’t take your organization forward; it will just keep you from slipping backwards. Too often, senior leaders allow themselves and their team to focus on the past. Share on X In futile attempts to rewrite history, they concentrate on corrective or adaptive actions— activities that will keep you all busy but won’t really move the organization forward. A future orientation that gives attention to preventing problems before they arise or planning for contingencies if they do would be time better spent, but too frequently reinstating or maintaining the status quo sets the agenda, as decision makers overlook ways to move toward renewed success. Therefore, the next step addresses learning to use the 2 x 2 matrix as an instrument for making better decisions.

Decision making, as opposed to problem solving, involves the process of choosing from among several alternatives to move the company up and forward, to change what you’ve been doing to support a strategy that promises innovation and growth. Managers fill their days with problem solving, but successful executives know they have to do more. Even though decision making usually only takes a small fraction of the executive’s time, it defines a specific executive task. As Peter Drucker stated, “Only executives make decisions. Indeed, to be expected—by virtue of position or knowledge—to make decisions that have significant impact on the entire organization, its performance, and results defines the executive.” Effective executives do not make a great many decisions; instead, they concentrate on the important ones. They focus on the highest level of conceptual understanding to think through what is strategic and generic, rather than tactical and problematic. However, the action to carry out the strategic decision should be as simple as possible, otherwise the decision will degenerate into a good intention.

Dr. Linda Henman helps CEOs and Boards of Directors set strategies, mergers and acquisitions, plan succession, and develop talent. She can be reached at  [email protected]  or 636-537-3774.

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04 Mar 2022

Apa itu problem solving manfaat dan penerapannya.

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Masalah dapat didefinisikan sebagai situasi atau tantangan yang memerlukan tindakan atau pemecahan untuk mencapai tujuan yang diinginkan. Dalam hal ini, masalah dapat didefinisikan sebagai proses kognitif yang melibatkan identifikasi, pemahaman, dan penyelesaian suatu masalah.

Proses penyelesaian masalah dimulai dengan pengenalan masalah, kemudian analisis masalah untuk mengetahui penyebabnya dan solusi yang mungkin. Setelah itu, langkah-langkah konkret diambil untuk menerapkan solusi tersebut, dan hasilnya dievaluasi untuk memastikan bahwa masalah telah diselesaikan secara efektif.

Dalam penyelesaian masalah, berbagai keterampilan dapat diperlukan, termasuk kreativitas, pemikiran kritis, pengambilan keputusan, dan kemampuan untuk membangun dan menguji solusi. Ini adalah proses penting dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, baik dalam konteks profesional maupun pribadi. Kemampuan untuk mengatasi masalah dengan efektif dapat membantu seseorang mengatasi masalah, mencapai tujuan, dan membuat keputusan yang lebih baik.

Bagaimana Proses Problem Solving Terjadi?

Untuk mengatasi masalah atau situasi tantangan, seringkali seseorang menggunakan proses penyelesaian masalah. Pada tahap pertama, masalah diidentifikasi. Ini berarti masalah dikenali dengan jelas. Setelah itu, analisis masalah dilakukan untuk memahami sumber masalah, serta akibatnya. 

Pada tahap ketiga, ide kreatif digunakan untuk menghasilkan berbagai alternatif solusi. Setelah itu, evaluasi solusi dilakukan untuk menentukan solusi terbaik berdasarkan hasilnya. Tahap berikutnya adalah menerapkan solusi melalui rencana tindakan yang jelas, dan terakhir, evaluasi hasilnya. 

Proses penyelesaian masalah membantu orang mengatasi masalah dengan cara yang terorganisir dan efektif, menghasilkan solusi yang lebih baik, dan membuat keputusan yang lebih baik.

Manfaat Problem Solving

Delapan berikut adalah manfaat utama dari memiliki kemampuan menyelesaikan masalah yang perlu kamu tau:

1. Peningkatan Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah  

Manfaat utama problem solving adalah kemampuan untuk mengatasi masalah dengan lebih efektif. Seseorang yang telah memiliki kemampuan pemecahan masalah akan dapat menghadapi tantangan dengan lebih percaya diri, mencari solusi yang lebih baik, dan mengurangi tingkat stres yang dihadapi ketika menghadapi masalah.

2. Meningkatkan Kemampuan Pengambilan Keputusan

Proses analisis dan evaluasi yang dikenal sebagai penyelesaian masalah membantu orang membuat keputusan yang lebih baik dalam kehidupan pribadi dan profesional, seperti memilih karir, investasi, atau keputusan-keputusan penting lain dalam hidup.

3. Meningkatkan Kreativitas 

Saat menghadapi masalah, seseorang seringkali harus berpikir kreatif untuk menemukan cara baru untuk menyelesaikannya. Hal ini dapat membantu meningkatkan kemampuan kreatif dan inovasi.

4. Meningkatkan Komunikasi 

Untuk meningkatkan kemampuan komunikasi interpersonal, penyelesaian masalah sering melibatkan kerja tim, di mana orang harus berkomunikasi dan bekerja sama dengan orang lain.

5. Meningkatkan Produktivitas

Dengan memecahkan masalah secara efektif, individu dan kelompok dapat meningkatkan produktivitas dan efisiensi, yang berkontribusi pada pencapaian tujuan dan hasil yang diinginkan.

6. Meningkatkan Kepercayaan Diri 

Mengatasi masalah dengan sukses dapat meningkatkan kepercayaan diri seseorang. Ini karena mereka sadar bahwa mereka memiliki kemampuan untuk menghadapi tantangan.

7. Pengembangan Karier

Dalam konteks karir, kemampuan pemecahan masalah sangat dihargai. Orang yang memiliki kemampuan pemecahan masalah yang baik memiliki kemungkinan lebih besar untuk mencapai kesuksesan di tempat kerja.

8. Meningkatkan Kualitas Hidup 

Kemampuan menyelesaikan masalah dapat meningkatkan kualitas hidup seseorang. Ini karena kemampuan pemecahan masalah memungkinkan orang untuk mengatasi masalah yang mungkin menghalangi mereka dari mencapai tujuan dan kebahagiaan pribadi mereka.

Oleh karena itu, mempelajari kemampuan menyelesaikan masalah adalah langkah yang bagus untuk membangun diri sendiri dan meningkatkan kualitas hidup secara keseluruhan.

Penerapan Problem Solving di Kehidupan

Dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, memecahkan masalah berarti mengatasi berbagai situasi dan masalah. Pertama-tama, penting untuk mengidentifikasi masalah dengan jelas. Ini berarti merumuskan masalah dengan tepat, menemukan sumbernya, dan memahami bagaimana masalah tersebut akan mempengaruhi kehidupan kita. Misalnya, beban kerja yang berlebihan adalah masalah jika seseorang mengalami stres karena terlalu banyak tugas yang harus mereka selesaikan.

Analisis dilakukan setelah masalah ditemukan. Ini mencakup mengumpulkan informasi, memikirkan solusi yang mungkin, dan memahami akibat dari setiap solusi. Orang mungkin perlu mempertimbangkan contoh di atas atau meminta bantuan rekan kerja.

Selanjutnya, langkah ketiga adalah membuat dan menerapkan solusi. Ini mencakup membuat rencana tindakan yang jelas, mengambil tindakan konkrit untuk mengatasi masalah, dan dengan konsisten mengikuti rencana tersebut. Mengatur prioritas tugas, menggunakan alat manajemen waktu, atau berbicara dengan atasan tentang cara memberikan tugas yang lebih seimbang adalah beberapa solusi untuk beban kerja yang berlebihan.

Terakhir, refleksi dan evaluasi adalah langkah penting dalam menyelesaikan masalah. Setelah penerapan solusi, sangat penting untuk menilai apakah masalah telah diselesaikan dengan baik dan apakah solusi itu efektif. Jika hasil yang diinginkan belum dicapai, orang harus siap untuk merevisi rencana dan mencari solusi yang lebih baik atau perbaikan.

Problem solving membantu orang mengatasi masalah dengan lebih baik, mengurangi stres, meningkatkan kualitas hidup, dan membuat keputusan yang lebih baik. Ini juga membantu mereka tumbuh dalam keterampilan penting yang mereka miliki secara pribadi dan profesional. Problem solving dapat menjadi alat yang kuat untuk menghadapi masalah dalam kehidupan sehari-hari jika dilakukan dengan cara yang sistematis dan berpikir kritis.

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Sampoerna University menawarkan berbagai program sarjana dan magister di bidang-bidang seperti bisnis , teknologi informasi , kreativitas dan desain , serta studi kelas dunia. Universitas ini menempatkan fokus pada pendekatan pembelajaran yang inovatif dan berorientasi pada industri, dengan tujuan untuk mempersiapkan mahasiswa berhasil dalam karir mereka.

Kami berkomitmen untuk menyediakan lingkungan pembelajaran yang inklusif dan mendukung bagi mahasiswa, dengan dukungan fasilitas modern dan fakultas yang berkualitas. Kami juga memberikan beasiswa dan program bantuan keuangan untuk mendukung aksesibilitas pendidikan bagi mahasiswa berprestasi.

Dalam beberapa tahun sejak didirikan, Sampoerna University telah menjadi pilihan pendidikan tinggi yang menarik bagi calon mahasiswa di Indonesia. Dengan pendekatan pembelajaran yang inovatif, koneksi industri yang kuat, dan fokus pada pengembangan karir, kami memiliki tujuan untuk menghasilkan lulusan yang siap menghadapi tantangan dunia kerja.

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Critical Thinking dan Problem Solving untuk Milenial

Hidup di tengah perkembangan teknologi serta persaingan global yang sedemikian tinggi dan dengan gerak yang cepat, menjadi tantangan tersendiri bagi setiap orang, termasuk bagi generasi milenial. Critical thinking dan problem solving menjadi kemampuan yang harus dimiliki agar dapat bersaing. Kedua softskill tersebut tentu tidak didapatkan begitu saja, melainkan perlu dilatih.

Sudah bukan zamannya mengikuti arus, waktunya bagi generasi milenial meraih suksesnya sendiri. Caranya, adalah dengan meng- upgrade kemampuan diri agar tidak kalah bersaing dan dapat memiliki pencapaian yang diinginkan.

Memahami Critical Thinking dan Problem Solving

Apa sebenarnya yang dimaksud critical thinking dan problem solving ? Satu persatu akan dibahas agar dapat lebih dipahami.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking atau keterampilan berpikir kritis, artinya tidak begitu saja menerima informasi yang datang. Kita perlu mencari kebenaran dari informasi tersebut, melihat dari berbagai perspektif, atau jika perlu berpikirkan dengan menggunakan 6 Topi Berpikir . 

Teknik critical thinking adalah kemampuan berpikir secara rasional dan melibatkan diri dalam pemikiran reflektif. Dengan memiliki kemampuan berpikir kritis, Anda lebih mudah memahami sudut pandang orang lain, tidak terlalu terpaku pada pendapat Anda sendiri, dan lebih terbuka terhadap pemikiran, ide, atau pendapat orang lain, serta bisa mulai mendorong munculnya innovation mindset .

Problem solving

Problem solving, atau kemampuan menyelesaikan masalah, merupakan kemampuan yang wajib dimiliki generasi milenial. Kemampuan ini berguna saat dihadapkan pada kondisi yang sulit sehingga mampu fokus pada solusi, bukan pada masalah yang dihadapi. 

Setiap masalah yang datang, memang sudah seharusnya masalah cepat diselesaikan . Masalah yang dibiarkan berlarut-larut bisa menjadi bom waktu, yang seharusnya berdampak kecil jadi memiliki dampak yang besar. Hal berikutnya, Anda juga perlu memahami perbedaan permasalahan dan persoalan demi menemukan solusi terbaik.

Globalisasi dan kemajuan teknologi telah menghancurkan batas-batas yang menimbulkan persaingan global. Tantangan yang harus dihadapi juga kian beragam, maka dari itu kemampuan problem solving harus dimiliki agar tidak mudah kalah dengan keadaan.

Menumbuhkan Kemampuan Critical Thinking dan Problem Solving

Kemampuan critical thinking dan problem solving tidak dapat begitu saja dimiliki seseorang. Butuh cara untuk menumbuhkan kemampuan ini. 

Identifikasi Masalah

Setiap sisi kehidupan akan selalu menghadirkan tantangan tersendiri, entah dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, dalam pekerjaan, dalam rumah tangga, bahkan urusan anak. Ketika terjadi masalah, maka hal pertama yang perlu Anda lakukan adalah melakukan identifikasi terhadap permasalahan tersebut. 

Untuk itu, Anda perlu memiliki kemampuan analisa masalah, melihat dari berbagai sudut pandang, kemudian memikirkan solusi yang bisa memecahkan masalah, bahkan jika perlu memikirkan beberapa solusi sekaligus. Selanjutnya, baru Anda mengambil keputusan terbaik untuk menyelesaikan masalah itu. 

Agar bisa melakukannya, Anda perlu memahami teknik pengambilan keputusan yang didasari oleh data dan fakta, sehingga keputusan yang diambil dapat lebih akurat serta tepat sasaran. Cerdas menganalisis permasalahan dan jitu dalam pengambilan keputusan akan mengantarkan Anda pada solusi terbaik untuk menyelesaikan masalah, atau bisa jadi malah bisa memanfaatkan peluang yang datang bersamaan dengan kehadiran masalah tadi. 

Pahami Kebutuhan dan Minat Orang Lain

Kemampuan untuk mengakomodir kebutuhan dan minat setiap orang yang terlibat dalam suatu masalah juga perlu Anda miliki. Tujuannya, agar bisa mengambil keputusan terbaik yang mampu menguntungkan semua pihak atau minimal tidak ada yang dirugikan. Dalam hal ini, critical thinking dan problem solving berperan penting.

Hadapi Setiap Masalah yang Datang dengan Tenang

Menghadapi masalah hingga bisa menemukan solusi terbaik membutuhkan kemampuan berpikir yang baik, juga pengendalian diri. Dengan kata lain, Anda perlu kemampuan untuk menghadapi masalah dengan tenang . Ketenangan ini nantinya membuat Anda mampu berpikir dengan jernih, bahkan bisa melihat hal-hal yang sebelumnya mungkin terlewatkan. 

Artikel critical thinking dan problem solving untuk milenial ini sebenarnya bisa pula berlaku bagi siapa pun yang ingin meningkatkan kemampuan diri dalam menghadapi dan menyelesaikan masalah. Tidak ada salahnya mempelajari kedua softskill ini karena keduanya akan sangat membantu Anda dalam menjalani kehidupan sehari-hari di bidang apa pun yang saat ini Anda tekuni. 

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What is decision making?

Decisions, decisions. When was the last time you struggled with a choice? Maybe it was this morning, when you decided to hit the snooze button—again. Perhaps it was at a restaurant, with a miles-long menu and the server standing over you. Or maybe it was when you left your closet in a shambles after trying on seven different outfits before a big presentation. Often, making a decision—even a seemingly simple one—can be difficult. And people will go to great lengths—and pay serious sums of money—to avoid having to make a choice. The expensive tasting menu at the restaurant, for example. Or limiting your closet choices to black turtlenecks, à la Steve Jobs.

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on decision making

Aaron De Smet is a senior partner in McKinsey’s New Jersey office, Eileen Kelly Rinaudo  is McKinsey’s global director of advancing women executives and is based in the New York office, Frithjof Lund is a senior partner in the Oslo office, and Leigh Weiss is a senior adviser in the Boston office.

If you’ve ever wrestled with a decision at work, you’re definitely not alone. According to McKinsey research, executives spend a significant portion of their time— nearly 40 percent , on average—making decisions. Worse, they believe most of that time is poorly used. People struggle with decisions so much so that we actually get exhausted from having to decide too much, a phenomenon called decision fatigue.

But decision fatigue isn’t the only cost of ineffective decision making. According to a McKinsey survey of more than 1,200 global business leaders, inefficient decision making costs a typical Fortune 500 company 530,000 days  of managers’ time each year, equivalent to about $250 million in annual wages. That’s a lot of turtlenecks.

How can business leaders ease the burden of decision making and put this time and money to better use? Read on to learn the ins and outs of smart decision making—and how to put it to work.

Learn more about our People & Organizational Performance Practice .

How can organizations untangle ineffective decision-making processes?

McKinsey research has shown that agile is the ultimate solution for many organizations looking to streamline their decision making . Agile organizations are more likely to put decision making in the right hands, are faster at reacting to (or anticipating) shifts in the business environment, and often attract top talent who prefer working at companies with greater empowerment and fewer layers of management.

For organizations looking to become more agile, it’s possible to quickly boost decision-making efficiency by categorizing the type of decision to be made and adjusting the approach accordingly. In the next section, we review three types of decision making and how to optimize the process for each.

What are three keys to faster, better decisions?

Business leaders today have access to more sophisticated data than ever before. But it hasn’t necessarily made decision making any easier. For one thing, organizational dynamics—such as unclear roles, overreliance on consensus, and death by committee—can get in the way of straightforward decision making. And more data often means more decisions to be taken, which can become too much for one person, team, or department. This can make it more difficult for leaders to cleanly delegate, which in turn can lead to a decline in productivity.

Leaders are growing increasingly frustrated with broken decision-making processes, slow deliberations, and uneven decision-making outcomes. Fewer than half  of the 1,200 respondents of a McKinsey survey report that decisions are timely, and 61 percent say that at least half the time they spend making decisions is ineffective.

What’s the solution? According to McKinsey research, effective solutions center around categorizing decision types and organizing different processes to support each type. Further, each decision category should be assigned its own practice—stimulating debate, for example, or empowering employees—to yield improvements in effectiveness.

Here are the three decision categories  that matter most to senior leaders, and the standout practice that makes the biggest difference for each type of decision.

• Big-bet decisions are infrequent but high risk, such as acquisitions. These decisions carry the potential to shape the future of the company, and as a result are generally made by top leaders and the board. Spurring productive debate by assigning someone to argue the case for and against a potential decision can improve big-bet decision making.
• Cross-cutting decisions, such as pricing, can be frequent and high risk. These are usually made by business unit heads, in cross-functional forums as part of a collaborative process. These types of decisions can be improved by doubling down on process refinement. The ideal process should be one that helps clarify objectives, measures, and targets.
• Delegated decisions are frequent but low risk and are handled by an individual or working team with some input from others. Delegated decision making can be improved by ensuring that the responsibility for the decision is firmly in the hands of those closest to the work. This approach also enhances engagement and accountability.

In addition, business leaders can take the following four actions to help sustain rapid decision making :

• Focus on the game-changing decisions, ones that will help an organization create value and serve its purpose.
• Convene only necessary meetings, and eliminate lengthy reports. Turn unnecessary meetings into emails, and watch productivity bloom. For necessary meetings, provide short, well-prepared prereads to aid in decision making.
• Clarify the roles of decision makers and other voices. Who has a vote, and who has a voice?
• Push decision-making authority to the front line—and tolerate mistakes.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

How can business leaders effectively delegate decision making.

Business is more complex and dynamic than ever, meaning business leaders are faced with needing to make more decisions in less time. Decision making takes up an inordinate amount of management’s time—up to 70 percent for some executives—which leads to inefficiencies and opportunity costs.

As discussed above, organizations should treat different types of decisions differently . Decisions should be classified  according to their frequency, risk, and importance. Delegated decisions are the most mysterious for many organizations: they are the most frequent, and yet the least understood. Only about a quarter of survey respondents  report that their organizations make high-quality and speedy delegated decisions. And yet delegated decisions, because they happen so often, can have a big impact on organizational culture.

The key to better delegated decisions is to empower employees by giving them the authority and confidence to act. That means not simply telling employees which decisions they can or can’t make; it means giving employees the tools they need to make high-quality decisions and the right level of guidance as they do so.

Here’s how to support delegation and employee empowerment:

• Ensure that your organization has a well-defined, universally understood strategy. When the strategic intent of an organization is clear, empowerment is much easier because it allows teams to pull in the same direction.
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities. At the foundation of all empowerment efforts is a clear understanding of who is responsible for what, including who has input and who doesn’t.
• Invest in capability building (and coaching) up front. To help managers spend meaningful coaching time, organizations should also invest in managers’ leadership skills.
• Build an empowerment-oriented culture. Leaders should role model mindsets that promote empowerment, and managers should build the coaching skills they want to see. Managers and employees, in particular, will need to get comfortable with failure as a necessary step to success.
• Decide when to get involved. Managers should spend effort up front to decide what is worth their focused attention. They should know when it’s appropriate to provide close guidance and when not to.

How can you guard against bias in decision making?

Cognitive bias is real. We all fall prey, no matter how we try to guard ourselves against it. And cognitive and organizational bias undermines good decision making, whether you’re choosing what to have for lunch or whether to put in a bid to acquire another company.

Here are some of the most common cognitive biases and strategies for how to avoid them:

• Confirmation bias. Often, when we already believe something, our minds seek out information to support that belief—whether or not it is actually true. Confirmation bias  involves overweighting evidence that supports our belief, underweighting evidence against our belief, or even failing to search impartially for evidence in the first place. Confirmation bias is one of the most common traps organizational decision makers fall into. One famous—and painful—example of confirmation bias is when Blockbuster passed up the opportunity  to buy a fledgling Netflix for $50 million in 2000. (Actually, that’s putting it politely. Netflix executives remember being “laughed out” of Blockbuster’s offices.) Fresh off the dot-com bubble burst of 2000, Blockbuster executives likely concluded that Netflix had approached them out of desperation—not that Netflix actually had a baby unicorn on its hands.
• Herd mentality. First observed by Charles Mackay in his 1841 study of crowd psychology, herd mentality happens when information that’s available to the group is determined to be more useful than privately held knowledge. Individuals buy into this bias because there’s safety in the herd. But ignoring competing viewpoints might ultimately be costly. To counter this, try a teardown exercise , wherein two teams use scenarios, advanced analytics, and role-playing to identify how a herd might react to a decision, and to ensure they can refute public perceptions.
• Sunk-cost fallacy. Executives frequently hold onto underperforming business units or projects because of emotional or legacy attachment . Equally, business leaders hate shutting projects down . This, researchers say, is due to the ingrained belief that if everyone works hard enough, anything can be turned into gold. McKinsey research indicates two techniques for understanding when to hold on and when to let go. First, change the burden of proof from why an asset should be cut to why it should be retained. Next, categorize business investments according to whether they should be grown, maintained, or disposed of—and follow clearly differentiated investment rules  for each group.
• Ignoring unpleasant information. Researchers call this the “ostrich effect”—when people figuratively bury their heads in the sand , ignoring information that will make their lives more difficult. One study, for example, found that investors were more likely to check the value of their portfolios when the markets overall were rising, and less likely to do so when the markets were flat or falling. One way to help get around this is to engage in a readout process, where individuals or teams summarize discussions as they happen. This increases the likelihood that everyone leaves a meeting with the same understanding of what was said.
• Halo effect. Important personal and professional choices are frequently affected by people’s tendency to make specific judgments based on general impressions . Humans are tempted to use simple mental frames to understand complicated ideas, which means we frequently draw conclusions faster than we should. The halo effect is particularly common in hiring decisions. To avoid this bias, structured interviews can help mitigate the essentializing tendency. When candidates are measured against indicators, intuition is less likely to play a role.

For more common biases and how to beat them, check out McKinsey’s Bias Busters Collection .

Learn more about Strategy & Corporate Finance consulting  at McKinsey—and check out job opportunities related to decision making if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced include:

• “ Bias busters: When the crowd isn’t necessarily wise ,” McKinsey Quarterly , May 23, 2022, Eileen Kelly Rinaudo , Tim Koller , and Derek Schatz
• “ Boards and decision making ,” April 8, 2021, Aaron De Smet , Frithjof Lund , Suzanne Nimocks, and Leigh Weiss
• “ To unlock better decision making, plan better meetings ,” November 9, 2020, Aaron De Smet , Simon London, and Leigh Weiss
• “ Reimagine decision making to improve speed and quality ,” September 14, 2020, Julie Hughes , J. R. Maxwell , and Leigh Weiss
• “ For smarter decisions, empower your employees ,” September 9, 2020, Aaron De Smet , Caitlin Hewes, and Leigh Weiss
• “ Bias busters: Lifting your head from the sand ,” McKinsey Quarterly , August 18, 2020, Eileen Kelly Rinaudo
• “ Decision making in uncertain times ,” March 24, 2020, Andrea Alexander, Aaron De Smet , and Leigh Weiss
• “ Bias busters: Avoiding snap judgments ,” McKinsey Quarterly , November 6, 2019, Tim Koller , Dan Lovallo, and Phil Rosenzweig
• “ Three keys to faster, better decisions ,” McKinsey Quarterly , May 1, 2019, Aaron De Smet , Gregor Jost , and Leigh Weiss
• “ Decision making in the age of urgency ,” April 30, 2019, Iskandar Aminov, Aaron De Smet , Gregor Jost , and David Mendelsohn
• “ Bias busters: Pruning projects proactively ,” McKinsey Quarterly , February 6, 2019, Tim Koller , Dan Lovallo, and Zane Williams
• “ Decision making in your organization: Cutting through the clutter ,” McKinsey Quarterly , January 16, 2018, Aaron De Smet , Simon London, and Leigh Weiss
• “ Untangling your organization’s decision making ,” McKinsey Quarterly , June 21, 2017, Aaron De Smet , Gerald Lackey, and Leigh Weiss
• “ Are you ready to decide? ,” McKinsey Quarterly , April 1, 2015, Philip Meissner, Olivier Sibony, and Torsten Wulf.

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