Structured Problem Solving
A structured, evidence-based way to solve organisational, operational and management problems, large or small. I deliver it personally, and it ends with a short-term plan that your team can implement.
Problems it addresses
Each example comes from work I have done. The business cases set several of them out in full.
Costs that rise faster than output
Contract terms, procurement and process losses that erode margins.
Processes that fail between departments
Procurement, billing, maintenance or approvals where hand-offs break down.
Performance data that cannot be trusted
Figures that are disputed, misreported or not used to make decisions.
Plans that stall in delivery
Strategies and improvement programmes that lack governance, owners or a routine.
Structures and roles that no longer fit
Organisation design, responsibilities and governance after growth or change.
Turnaround situations
Results that have fallen behind plan and need a structured recovery.
Three ways to work with me
Directly with your organisation, for a focused or an extended engagement, or through an advisory firm as part of its bid or project. The method is the same in every case.
Focused engagement
For one clearly defined issue, such as a failing process, a disputed set of figures or a stalled initiative.
Extended engagement
For several connected issues across functions, or a turnaround where costs, performance and growth all need attention.
Through an advisory firm
For consulting and engineering firms that need a senior project manager, workstream lead or specialist for a bid or a live project.
For advisory firms: bring me into your bid or project
If your firm is bidding for, or already delivering, organisational, operational, performance or turnaround work with an energy, utility or industrial client, I can strengthen the team in four roles.
- Project managerI run the engagement for your firm: the work plan, resources and budget, client governance and steering committees, risks and issues, and progress reporting. PRINCE2 Practitioner.
- Workstream leadI lead a workstream, such as the diagnostic, the improvement plan or the PMO, and manage the consultants assigned to it.
- Embedded specialistI lead the diagnostic and root-cause work inside your team, using the five-phase method.
- Bid supportI shape the approach and work plan, contribute my CV and relevant experience, and review the proposal before you submit it.
I work to your templates, under your client relationship and your confidentiality terms, and I can be contracted for a whole engagement or for specific phases.
The method in five phases
Each phase ends with a decision point, so that you stay in control of the direction and nothing moves forward without your agreement.
-
Collect the data
Agree the question to be answered and gather the evidence before forming a view.
- Activities
- A framing session with the sponsor; a written problem statement and scope; a data request; review of documents, reports and KPIs; a first issue tree that breaks the problem into its parts.
- What I need from you
- One framing session with the sponsor, a named contact, and access to data and documents.
- Deliverable
- A one-page problem statement, the agreed scope and an initial issue tree.
- Decision point
- The sponsor confirms the question and the scope.
-
Diagnose
Understand how the problem shows up in practice and test the first hypotheses against evidence.
- Activities
- Structured interviews with management and the front line, continued until the same themes recur; cross-functional workshops; walk-throughs of the processes concerned; analysis of performance data and benchmarks.
- What I need from you
- Time from interviewees and workshop participants, and follow-up data where gaps appear.
- Deliverable
- Diagnostic findings, each supported by evidence.
- Decision point
- The findings are reviewed and validated with the sponsor.
-
Identify the main issues
Separate root causes from symptoms and decide what matters most.
- Activities
- Root-cause analysis (5 Whys and cause-and-effect diagrams); testing of hypotheses; sizing of the impact of each issue; prioritisation by impact and urgency.
- What I need from you
- A prioritisation workshop with the management team.
- Deliverable
- A ranked list of the main issues, each with its root cause, evidence and estimated impact.
- Decision point
- The management team agrees the priorities.
-
Develop and test options
Find changes that remove the root causes and confirm that they work before committing to them.
- Activities
- Options developed with the people who will run them; assessment against agreed criteria (value, cost, risk, speed and ease); small pilots or trials of the leading options, with their effect checked against a baseline.
- What I need from you
- Teams to co-design and pilot the options, and a decision forum.
- Deliverable
- Recommended changes, with the results of the tests and the evidence for each.
- Decision point
- The management team chooses which changes to implement.
-
Plan the first 90 days
Turn the chosen changes into a short-term plan that the organisation can deliver and sustain.
- Activities
- A 30/60/90-day plan with owners, milestones and KPIs; a weekly review routine; clear governance and escalation; handover to the people who will run it.
- What I need from you
- Named owners for each action, and a sponsor for the review routine.
- Deliverable
- The implementation plan, the tracking pack and a handover note.
- Decision point
- The plan is approved, and the organisation decides whether it needs support during implementation.
The method draws on established practice: hypothesis-driven problem solving, root-cause analysis, the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and recognised turnaround stages, adapted for delivery by one senior adviser.
What I do, and what your team contributes
I do personally
- Lead every interview and facilitate every workshop.
- Carry out the data analysis and root-cause work.
- Write every deliverable and present the findings.
- Run the first weeks of the review routine with your team.
Your team contributes
- A sponsor who takes the decisions at each decision point.
- A named contact for data and logistics.
- Time for interviews, workshops and pilots.
- Owners for each action in the 90-day plan.
What you receive
- Problem statement and evidence baseThe agreed question, the scope and the data behind every finding.
- Diagnostic findingsWhat the interviews, workshops and data show, with the evidence for each point.
- Ranked main issuesRoot causes separated from symptoms, prioritised by impact and urgency.
- Tested changes and a 90-day planThe recommended changes, the results of the tests, and a plan with owners, KPIs and a review routine.
The terms
- How it starts
- A Quick Brief or a 30-minute call, followed by a one-page scope: the question, the format, what I need from you, what you will receive and when.
- How it ends
- A handover of the plan and the review routine to the people who will run them, and a closing review with the sponsor.
- What can follow
- Optional support during implementation, sold separately: running the review routine, setting up a PMO, or an interim role inside your team.
- Fee basis
Frequently asked questions
Is this only for large problems?
No. A focused engagement suits a single, well-defined issue. The method is the same; the depth and the time involved are smaller.
How are fees structured?
Three fee options are available:
In every case, the fee is set out in the one-page scope before any work starts.
Will you sign an NDA?
Yes. I will sign your NDA before you share any confidential information. A Quick Brief does not require confidential data.
Is this a cost-cutting exercise?
Not necessarily. Many problems are organisational or operational rather than financial. Where cost is part of the answer, most of the value I find is in contracts, processes and collections, and headcount is never my starting point.
Do you work outside energy and industry?
Sometimes. My experience is in energy, utility and industrial companies, and the method also applies to other organisations with complex operations, such as government entities and infrastructure. If your problem lies outside my experience, I will tell you so in my first reply.
Do you work on site, and how is travel covered?
I am based in Dubai and work on site for the interviews, workshops and pilots. Travel and accommodation outside the UAE are charged at cost and agreed in the scope.
How soon can you start?
I can usually start within two to four weeks of an agreed scope. Sending a Quick Brief now means the scope can be ready when you are.
Can you work in Portuguese?
Yes. Portuguese is my first language, and I work fully in English.