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The project
planning worksheet is designed to help you develop a feasible, detailed
plan for researching and writing the recommendation report. In order to
effectively plan your project and write a successful proposal, read the
following instructions and develop answers for the questions asked.
Project Planning
Worksheet: Problem and Solution Analysis
This worksheet
contains three sections:
- Problem Analysis
- Criteria for
Evaluating Potential Solutions
- Solution Analysis
Problem
Analysis
You must first identify a suitable problem
to investigate for your major project. As you work through these worksheets,
you may discover that the problem you have identified is not workable.
If that is the case, begin the process again with a different or reshaped
problem. Remember, one of the purposes of the worksheet is to help you
test the suitability of the problem you have selected to investigate so
that you do not spend a lot of time working something that has to be abandoned
later on.
- Your problem should first meet the following preliminary
criteria:
- The problem must
be relevant to a real client. It
must be a problem that is complex enough to warrant an investigation
and a report.
- The consequences
of the problem must be severe enough to warrant an investigation and
a report.
- You must understand
the problem well enough to forecast potential solutions.
- You must have access
to the resources and information required to analyze the problem and
evaluate the solution.
If your problem meets each of the
preliminary criteria, then complete the “Problem Analysis” section of
Project Planning Worksheet: Problem and Solution Analysis.
Problem Analysis Section
of Project Planning Worksheet
(adapted from Randy
Clark and Brenda Orbell—used with permission)
| A
statement of the problem: |
| A
description of the immediate workplace context in which the problem
is occurring:
[For example,
if the problem you investigate deals with the filing system at
United Way, the workplace context constitutes the direct effect
this problem has on the United Way office operations. How does
this problem affect the office staff’s performance of daily duties,
billing/pledge collection, etc.? ] |
| A
description of the broader system context in which the problem
is situated:
[For example,
if the problem you investigate deals with the filing system at
United Way, the system context constitutes the effect the current
filing system has on the organizations under the umbrella of United
Way (i.e. Big Brothers/Big Sisters, American Red Cross, YMCA,
Salvation Army to name a few). How does this problem affect distribution
of funds, updating board member rosters, maintaining current volunteer
lists, etc.?] |
| A
description of the negative consequences (economic and social)
that will occur if the problem is not remedied:
[For example,
what problems does the current filing system cause now? Misplaced files, not searchable, takes up space and so on] |
| A
description of potential causes of the problem:
[What caused
this filing system to become ineffective? Has it always been this
way? Who established it?] |
| A
discussion of what, if anything, is being done to solve the problem
and the effectiveness or consequences of these actions:
[Is there an
interim solution or a "work around" currently in place?
Explain.] |
Note: The example included in the problem analysis
worksheet is meant as a guide, not as a template that must followed
exactly. Hopefully, the example will help explain the goals of this sheet.
Criteria
for Evaluating Potential Solutions
Before
identifying potential solutions for the problem you are investigating,
you must first determine the goals that an effective solution will achieve.
These goals are often stated in the form of criteria so that they can
be used to assess a potential solution or to compare alternate solutions.
- To complete this section of your
worksheet, return to your problem analysis. Consider whether an effective
solution will need to eliminate the negative consequences you have identified.
- Consider
the workplace and system contexts. What elements of those contexts need
to be accounted for in your criteria?
- Also,
consider whether there are any conditions that may eliminate or constrain
some solutions.
For
some investigations, you may not know enough about the problem to identify
a complete set of criteria and this step will be one of the first investigative
activities you will need to undertake.
NOTE:
It is important to
realize that your understanding of the criteria needed to evaluate your
solution may change as you conduct your investigation and your understanding
of the problem becomes more complete.
Criteria
Section of Project Planning Worksheet
(adapted from
Randy Clark and Brenda Orbell—used with permission)
| The
overall goal an effective solution should achieve:
[What are the
goals of your client? To save money? To save time? How do these
solutions solve this problem?] |
| Criteria
that can be used to evaluate possible solutions:
[How will the
client determine the solution(s) you provide are valid? How do
these solutions alleviate the problem or meet the need of your
client? (it must be time efficient, informatoin must be easily accessible, it must be cost effecient, and so on]
·
·
·
·
·
·
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| Conditions
that may eliminate or constrain some solutions:
[Is your client
limited by budget? Time? Personnel? Other constraints?] |
Forecasting Possible Solutions
After
you have identified the criteria that you will use to evaluate possible
solutions, you need to identify solutions with the potential for solving
the problem. If there is more than one solution, you need to consider
whether you will investigate only the most promising solution or whether
you will investigate and compare multiple solutions. As you analyze the
possible solutions, consider the economic and social value that each will
add to your client’s situation when implemented. Complete the “Solution
Analysis” section of Project Planning Worksheet: Problem and Solution
Analysis.
Solution
Analysis Section of Project Planning Worksheet
(adapted
from Randy Clark and Brenda Orbell—used with permission)
| Description
of Solution 1: Scan Current Records |
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How will this solution solve the problem? [searchable, saves space, makes employee more efficient]
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What negative consequences will it eliminate? [easier access to information, fewer errors, faster reports]
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What value
(positive consequences) will it add to the client’s situation? [effiency, saves time and money]
|
How does
this solution compare to other potential solutions in meeting
the criteria? [may be expensive to implement, employees may need training, client may not like the idea, resistence to change]
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| Description
of Solution 2: Keep Current Files and Computerize the New Information |
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How will this solution solve the problem?
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What negative consequences will it eliminate?
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What value
(positive consequences) will it add to the client’s situation?
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How does
this solution compare to other potential solutions in meeting
the criteria?
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| Repeat
the above sections if additional solutions are being considered. |
Do not limit yourself to only 2 solutions.
The more solutions you can investigate, the more information you can provide
your client, demonstrating you have carefully considered the problem from
many angles.
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