WEEK THREE:  Addressing Big Problems & Root Cause Analysis 

Main Ideas and Topics of the Week:

Social innovation is all about solitons, however to effectively create a solution we have to understand the problem.  This week we learned about “wicked problems” which are social problems that are characterized by the interconnectedness and shares other system or social problems. Next, we learned how to understand problems the cause and effect fishbone diagram and the 5 why’s problem solving skill. 

The fishbone diagram is used when you have a serious problem, it's important to explore all of the things that could cause a problem, before you start to think about a solution. That way you can solve the problem completely, first time round, rather than just addressing part of it and having the problem run on and on.

The 5 why’s are a powerful tool for cutting quickly through the outward symptoms of a problem to reveal its underlying causes.  The 5 Whys uses "counter-measures," rather than solutions. A counter-measure is an action that sets out to prevent the problem from happening again. You can use 5 Whys for troubleshooting, quality improvement and problem solving, but it is most effective when used to resolve simple or moderately difficult problems. 

Reflection:

This week I really enjoyed the Ted talk by the Roslings called “How Not to be Ignorant About the World.” I feel like in society today we aren’t encouraged to look outside of our sphere of influence and thereby we make assumptions as to what we think the world around us is rather than what it actually is.  As social innovators we must know what the state of the world actually is and we cannot make assumptions.  Assumptions don’t solve problems.  We must acknowledge our personal bias, factor in our personal experiences, and take note of outdated world views along with emotion-based media reporting. When we consider all of these factors we will be well on our way to solving social issues and making a big difference in society. 

 

Writing Prompt:

What are you most looking forward to in regard to your social issue?

I chose as my social issue “Education Lifts Poverty.”  The interesting part about this social issue is that it effects every person in every society.  As I researched this week, I boiled down the issue to three root causes: violence, money, and cultural norms.  Each of those three categories look different from first to third world countries.  Some might even say that some are worse off than others when education is ignored. Or that first world countries at least have governmental programs in place to help alleviate the severity of the situation.  All of those points are true, and I agree with, however the talking point remains. Whether you live in the United States and rely on schools to find a place of belonging, so you don’t drift into gangs and violence or you are in a third world country trying to escape violence and recruitment into the military, we all agree violence is a common thread and education has a positive influence. 

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