Start with the system around the symptom
A missed handoff, inconsistent training result or slow workflow can look like a single problem. The cause may sit across people, process, information and technology.
- Visible symptom
- Underlying system
- Root cause
- Appropriate response
Why early solution selection fails
Choosing a tool or training package before understanding the work can preserve the conditions that created the problem. Diagnosis clarifies what is happening, who is affected and where the system breaks down.
Questions that improve the diagnosis
What happens now? Where does the work slow down or vary? What information is missing? Which decisions depend on the workflow? What evidence would show that a change helped? These questions connect the Discover and Diagnose stages to a practical next step.
The result
A grounded diagnosis gives the organization a better basis for design, implementation and measurement.