A Short Case for Teaching Why and How to Define Problems First

Problem-solving skills are critically important for managing organizations effectively. Authors of many management texts, therefore, encourage following some version of the age-old problem-solving process, always emphasizing the same staring point: First, define the problem. Despite this consistent emphasis, these texts never seem to include exercises explicitly teaching students why and how to define managerial problems first. We address calls for such instructional material by introducing a one-page-case exercise which shows students why and how they should thoroughly define problems first before attempting to solve them. Our exercise provides a strong context for this purpose as more than 98% of participants propose suboptimal solutions due to insufficiently defining the problem. The debrief then guides students through critical-thinking questions managers must ask to define and ultimately solve problems effectively. This exercise is suitable for students of all levels, including undergraduate, MBA, and executive, in any course in which problem-solving is relevant.