Are You Working on the Wrong Problem?

Problems don’t exist as fixed objects in the outside world.

Have you ever “tripped over” a problem?

No. It’s impossible. No one has ever found a 1 kg problem in the fridge. No one has ever literally placed a problem on a table. At most, anyone who did that — maybe in anger — was pointing at a physical object: a symptom of the problem, not the problem itself.

This happens because the gap can be objective, but what we define as a “problem” is born from the interpretation of that gap against a standard or an expectation.

A defect is real. A delay is real. Machine downtime is real.

But the “problem” is the meaning we construct around that fact.

For this reason, what is a problem for one person may not be a problem at all for someone else.

Very often we start a problem-solving process by assuming that a certain problem exists. We see the symptoms, label them quickly, and begin the analysis. However, when the process is conducted rigorously, we realize that the initial problem rarely matches the real one.

At the beginning of the analysis, data is almost always incomplete. Since we don’t yet understand the mechanism by which the problem is generated — otherwise it wouldn’t be a problem — we tend to confuse symptoms with the cause.

The Kobetsu Kaizen Problem Solving process helps precisely in this critical phase: correctly defining the problem from the symptoms, avoiding work on the wrong issue.

Step 1: Anchor to the 3G (External Reality)

Before entering the interpretive dimension of the problem, we must verify the circumstances through the 3G principle.

The 3G are used to eliminate assumptions, hearsay, and premature interpretations.

Genba (Real Place): Go to the place where the gap shows up. Is it happening in production? In the office? Or only in meeting-room discussions?

Genbutsu (Real Thing): Observe the object involved. If a report is late, look at the report. If a machine is down, go and touch the machine. If there is a defect, observe the defective part.

Genjitsu (Real Facts): Remove the drama. What are the raw, measurable, verifiable data?

In this step you collect physical evidence, data, photos, and objective facts. Build a reality-based dossier. This material will be essential for the next step.

Step 2: Meta Probe 5W2H (Perception Alignment)

Once objective facts have been collected, the second level comes into play: aligning mental maps.

5W2H is not only an information-gathering tool. When used in depth, it becomes a true Meta Probe: a tool to surface how people internally construct the meaning of the problem.

Send a 5W2H form to participants before the meeting and ask them to complete each point individually. During the meeting, compare the answers.

The 5W – Qualitative Structure

What: What is the specific gap between Genjitsu (facts) and the desired state?

Why: Why is this condition labeled as a “problem”? What meaning are we assigning to it?

Who: Who perceives this as a problem? Is it a problem for the customer, for management, for the team?

Where: Where does it truly manifest? Only at the Genba, or also in the mental dimension (future fear, pressure, reputation)?

When: When does the “problem state” activate? Only when facing the data? Only during reviews?

The 2H – Process and Impact Structure

How: How does the team internally build the “movie” of this situation? What is the implicit narrative?

How Much: What is the real impact in terms of time, energy, resources? How much waste do we generate if we only solve symptoms?

This step makes it possible to distinguish between objective reality and subjective interpretation, avoiding hidden conflict and aligning the team around a shared definition of the problem.

Step 3: Define the Real Problem to Solve

By comparing the objective data gathered through the 3G with the responses that emerged from the Meta Probe 5W2H, you can draft a consolidated version of the problem.

Only at this point is the team truly ready to proceed with cause analysis and root-cause analysis.

Before this alignment, any analysis risks being technically correct but strategically wrong.

Summary

In Kobetsu Kaizen Problem Solving:

• The 3G remove the noise of the external world.
• The Meta Probe 5W2H removes the noise of the internal world.
• Integrating both levels allows you to identify the real problem.

The gap can be objective. The problem, however, must be defined precisely.

Focusing only on symptoms leads to wasted energy. Aligning reality and meaning allows you to solve the right issue, in the right way.

"If you recognise this pattern in your team (problem solving sessions that go fast but fix the wrong thing) I run a one-day on-site Kobetsu Kaizen Problem Solving workshop directly with your team, on a real problem from your floor.

Use the form below to describe your situation and I will get back to you within 24 hours."

Mario Mason
Kaizen Coach