CTL Decision Making & Problem Solving 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A team leader uses a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram during a problem-solving session. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this tool?
- Rank solutions by cost
- Identify and categorize root causes of a problem (Correct answer)
- Track implementation milestones
- Assign accountability for decisions
Correct answer: Identify and categorize root causes of a problem
A fishbone diagram visually maps potential root causes across categories such as people, process, equipment, and environment.
Question 2: When a team must decide under severe time pressure with incomplete information, the BEST approach is to:
- Delay the decision until full data is available
- Use satisficing — choose the first option that meets minimum criteria (Correct answer)
- Conduct a full cost-benefit analysis
- Escalate the decision to senior management
Correct answer: Use satisficing — choose the first option that meets minimum criteria
Satisficing allows a leader to make a workable decision quickly when optimal analysis is not feasible under time constraints.
Question 3: Which technique involves generating a large number of ideas without criticism before evaluating them?
- Force field analysis
- Nominal group technique
- Brainstorming (Correct answer)
- Decision matrix analysis
Correct answer: Brainstorming
Brainstorming encourages free idea generation by deferring judgment until the creative phase is complete.
Question 4: A team leader notices two employees persistently disagree on how to approach a project problem. The MOST effective first step is to:
- Make the decision for them
- Ask each party to present their reasoning separately to you
- Facilitate a joint discussion to surface underlying assumptions (Correct answer)
- Assign the problem to the most senior employee
Correct answer: Facilitate a joint discussion to surface underlying assumptions
Facilitating a joint discussion reveals hidden assumptions and encourages collaborative problem resolution.
Question 5: In a decision matrix, weights are assigned to criteria PRIMARILY to:
- Make the matrix easier to complete
- Reduce the number of options considered
- Reflect the relative importance of each criterion (Correct answer)
- Ensure all team members agree on one option
Correct answer: Reflect the relative importance of each criterion
Weighting criteria ensures that more important factors have greater influence on the final score and decision.
Question 6: A team leader applies the 'Five Whys' technique. After asking 'Why?' five times, they have most likely identified the:
- Best solution
- Root cause of the problem (Correct answer)
- Stakeholder responsible for the issue
- Total cost of the problem
Correct answer: Root cause of the problem
The Five Whys technique iteratively digs deeper into cause-and-effect chains to uncover the root cause rather than surface symptoms.
Question 7: Which cognitive bias causes team members to give disproportionate weight to the first piece of information they receive about a problem?
- Confirmation bias
- Sunk cost fallacy
- Anchoring bias (Correct answer)
- Groupthink
Correct answer: Anchoring bias
Anchoring bias occurs when an initial data point disproportionately influences subsequent judgments and decisions.
CTL Decision Making & Problem Solving 2
A team leader uses a fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram during a problem-solving session.
What is the PRIMARY purpose of this tool?