Eight step process to fix the world

A major reason for this project is to try and fix problems in the world as a member of the human race. This made me think, is there a proven methodology for solving a problem?

When I think about it for five minutes, I can come up with dozens of problems, that if fixed would make the world a better place. The question I have is whether there is a formal process to look at problems and fix them. More importantly, is this process an officially accepted one?

As I started looking, it’s clear there is no one single procedure to solve a problem. What I did find out is there are a number of processes that are proposed by all manner of people, teachers and leaders of all kinds. Pretty quickly, I found a few that seemed legitimate and worked well for what I’m looking at. So, I took 3 that were similar but had some unique details about them and adapted them into what I’m going to use for this mission.

Here’s my 8-step process to fix the world

1. Identify the Issues
   • Be clear about what the problem is
   • Look for the root cause of the problem
     • When was the last time this system worked correctly?
     • When did this issue arise?
     • What do we know/not know about this problem?
   • Separate root causes from symptoms.
   • Approach the problem from several different directions
   • Ask, “What else is the problem?” Don’t be satisfied with a superficial answer
   • Understand everyone’s interests
2. Define the Criteria for Success
   • Agree on contingencies, monitoring, measurement and evaluation
     • Set measures on your decision
     • Clearly define the parameters and/or targets required for success
     • How will you know that you are making progress? 
     • How will you measure success?
     • How will you compare the success of this solution against another solution?
3. Define the Possible Solutions (options)
   • What exactly would the solution accomplish?
   • What ingredients does the solution contain?
   • What does the ideal solution to this problem look like?
4. Evaluate the Options
   • Identify possible negative outcomes, side effects or exacerbations of the problem for each solution
   • There are likely multiple solutions to the same problem, not just one
5. Take Action
   • Select an option or options.
   • Document the agreement(s)
   • Set a deadline for when things should be solved
   • Set milestones for measuring progress
   • Establish roles and responsibilities
   • Implement the plan
6. Evaluate Results
   • Measure Your Progress
   • Celebrate successes and milestones
7. Make Adjustments
8. Celebrate Success

Repeat 4, 5, 6 & 7 until issue resolved

This process is generic. The assumption is that this process can be used for any problem. Let’s look at how these will apply to the issues of the world. So… what are the problems of the world?

Photo by Kaleidico on Unsplash