Before taking any action in problem solving, carefully assess the problem's emergency or crisis status and, if needed, take appropriate immediate or reactive action.
Immediate or reactive action (Reaction Plan)
Immediate or reactive actions are rapid, temporary measures to control and reduce the effects of an issue, incident, problem or deficiency in processes or products. Their main purpose is to prevent the problem from spreading and preserve product and service quality.
In other words, some immediate actions contain the problem. They precede investigation, root cause analysis and fundamental resolution.
Example 1: a factory fire
- Immediate or reactive action: put out the fire.
- Fundamental action: investigate and identify the causes, then eliminate them to prevent recurrence.
Example 2: identifying and reporting severe, unintended drug side effects
- Immediate action: recall the drug and collect it from all pharmacies and distribution locations.
- Fundamental action: investigate and eliminate the root causes to prevent recurrence.
Example 3: identifying an epidemic / contagious disease
- Immediate action: quarantine patients and begin treatment.
- Fundamental action: investigate fundamental responses such as vaccination and prepare hygiene guidelines.
Defining temporary actions
After identifying the problem, design reactive actions that can be implemented quickly and reduce its negative effects.
Implementing actions
Temporary actions must be implemented quickly. This includes allocating necessary resources and assigning responsibilities. Internal communication is also crucial to keep everyone informed.
Evaluation and monitoring
After implementation, continuously monitor the situation and evaluate the actions' effects. This helps the organization ensure temporary actions are efficient and make necessary changes.
Immediate or reactive action exercises (Reaction Plan)
Exercise 1:
Simulate an emergency and design a reaction plan for it.
Exercise 2:
In a team project, develop a reaction plan for possible risks.
Exercise 3:
Analyze the conditions in which a reaction plan is more effective than long-term planning.