Organising Solutions Phase

Overview

In this phase solutions are generated to meet the problems and opportunities identified in the last phase. The aim of this phase is to review and prioritise the needs and problems identified and to use creative techniques (problem-solving procedures) to propose a set of solutions which are then prioritised and developed into a diversity management (DM) programme plan. The project team is responsible for proposing solutions and they make the final decision on which solutions will be included in the DM programme plan, which will act as the blueprint for the DM activities which will be implemented in the organisation.

In keeping with the philosophy of diversity management, a participative approach is used in generating and organising solutions. Group sessions are proposed as a means of generating possible solutions. The advantages of group sessions are that they are very productive, generate a lot of creative solutions and they involve people with different perspectives. In general, members of the project team make up the problem solving group, however in situations where expertise in a specific area is required, it may be desirable to include employees or external experts who are familiar with the problem. Organisations which identify a large number of problems or opportunities, or which identify a number of complex problems may find it more efficient to have problem-solving groups made up mainly of employees under the direction of a project team member (acting as group manager).

Simple group techniques (like brainstorming) can be used to outline the problems, generate solutions, discuss them and prioritise them. It is suggested that the group techniques presented here are used in a flexible way, since the focus is not on mastering the procedure, but on using them to obtain results.

Once the solutions have been prioritised, a diversity management programme plan needs to be drawn up. The purpose of this plan is to schedule when each activity will take place and to determine the proposed time scale of the whole project. This plan is necessary to ensure that the DM project is carried out in a structured way and it should be developed according to the needs expressed, available resources, responsibilities and organisational culture. The DM programme plan can be used to gain approval for the project from management and to seek time and resources for the project. Based on management comments and budget allocated, it may be necessary to revise the diversity management programme plan.

Objectives

To review the problems and opportunities identified in the last phase and prioritise them
To generate a list of solutions and to prioritise the solutions according to agreed criteria
To draw up a detailed plan of DM actions including a schedule of activities which will be implemented in the next phase

Map and Overview

Click on the diagram for more information.

What Needs to be Done and How to Do It

There are five main activities which take place during the Organising Solutions phase. These activities generate, define and prioritise a set of solutions to meet the needs and problems identified in the last phase and are as follows:

1. Reviewing and Prioritising Needs and Problems

2. Organising and Creating Problem Solving Groups

3. Generating and Prioritising Solutions

4. Draw-up Diversity Management Programme Plan and Timetable

5. Feedback Solutions

It is recommended that these activities are followed consecutively. The duration of this phase can be quite short and the number of problem solving sessions run is determined by the number of problems and their complexity.