Define exactly what your problem is: The CIA Checklist

When we think purposefully and a problem or its Solution focus one thing above all helps: visualization. A good method is the CIA checklist.

Where the name comes from

During my studies I was a working student in the quality department of a small Company from the chemical industry. My job back then was to be a quality managementSystem to be introduced according to ISO 9001.

Since I myself had little idea of ​​this topic, I was once sent to an intensive training.

Like the CIA

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part of Vocational Training were Methods for problem analysis and resolution. The lecturer gave us the “CIA checklist”.

The trainer said the agents of the US intelligence agency, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), would use this checklist to look at a problem from different angles.

CIA checklist for problem analysis / solution

Regardless of whether it is true: I have used the list often in the case of professional problems and would like to pass it on to you.

• Why is it necessary that we solve the problem?
• What is the benefit of solving the problem?
• What is known to us?
• What do we not understand?
• What information is available to us?
• What is not the problem?
• Is the information sufficient? Are they insufficient? Are they redundant? Are they contradictory?
• Can we describe the problem graphically? Can it be quantified?
• Can the problem be broken down into sub-problems?
• How are the subproblems related?
• What are the variables that can be influenced by the problem?
• Have we seen this problem before?
• Have we seen a similar problem before?
• Do we know any related problems?
• Is there a known problem with the same unknown quantities?
• If there is a related problem we have already solved, can we use the solution to our current problem?
• Can we apply the same methodology?
• Can we reformulate our problem?
• In how many different ways can we describe it?
• Can it be generalized or specified?

How hard do we take the little everyday problems

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If you look it up in the dictionary, you will find that happiness only exists in the singular – but there are misfortunes. And they push us in Everyday life all too often. But what is important is how we deal with it.

I am not talking about fate, such as death or dismissal, but of everyday life, such as a missed customer presentation or a missed train.

How we catastrophy every day

I suspect that all such things happen to us at the same frequency. And yet there are big differences in how we react.

If you think about the circle of family, friends and colleagues, then you will certainly find a lot People can name, for whom life is one big drama. There would be eg

• The blouse has a saucy spot. O God!
• The daughter has a five in the math work. How tragic!
• The colleague forgot to give the monthly figures in time. Awful!

Everything a question of the point of view!

Perhaps you are one of those types yourself and miss everyday problems Status a disaster? No wonder life then seems to consist of nothing but an endless series of disappointments, misfortunes, inadequacies and annoyances.

But, soberly, is the situation that weighs on you, is actually as dramatic as it is being perceived? In general it is not! It is about proportionality.

The worst job in the world?

This reminds me of a cartoon that I discovered many years ago. In the first picture you can see a toothbrush saying: “I have the worst job ever Welt.” In the second picture you can see a toilet paper roll that only gives a laconic "Oh no".

It sounds a little bit sarcastic, but it's not meant to remind you that there is always someone who has got it even worse than you do. All you have to do is look in the news or take a look at the paper.

Keep the relationship

Compared to really far-reaching and negative events such as a serious traffic accident or a serious illness, most of our daily problems are absolute nullities.

Therefore, always try to understand the proportionality of your situation and react accordingly.

The one-year question

The simple question: "Will I think about this event in a year, will it still burden me?" miraculously helps to recognize the importance of problems.

You don't believe me that it works? Then do the “counter test”: Please give specific details of what excited you exactly a year ago! Can't you think of that? Then it couldn't have been so tragic ...

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