Applied Problem Solving in the Workplace: AMEY Plc Case Study Report

This report delves into the realm of applied problem-solving within the workplace, utilizing the case of AMEY Plc to illustrate key concepts. It begins by defining and identifying complex problems, exploring approaches to problem-solving and the significance of system thinking. The report then examines various models of problem-solving, particularly McWhinney's model, and their application in organizational contexts. It covers crucial aspects such as choosing and defining problems, identifying potential solutions, and evaluating constraints. Furthermore, the report addresses the practicalities of implementation, risk analysis, and the impact of the external environment, culminating in a critical evaluation. Ethical considerations and the identification of values within problem-solving processes are also discussed. The report offers an in-depth analysis of various problem-solving models and their applications, providing a comprehensive understanding of how to address complex issues in the workplace. The report is a valuable resource for students seeking to understand and apply problem-solving methodologies in a professional environment.

Subject: Applied problem solving in engineering workplace
Topic: Applied Problem solving in the workplace
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Description- AMEY Plc..................................................................................................................4
Discussions......................................................................................................................................4
Theme A- Approaches to problem solving..................................................................................4
Activity 1a: Identifying complex problems.............................................................................4
Activity 1b: Identifying complex problems in organization....................................................6
Activity 2: Summarise your understanding of systems thinking.............................................7
Activity 3: Summarise your ideas on the Model of problem solving......................................8
Activity 4: Innovative and unusual models...........................................................................10
Theme B.....................................................................................................................................12
Activity 5: Choosing your problem.......................................................................................12
Activity 6: Identifying the boundaries to the Problem..........................................................16
Activity 7: Identification of a range of potential solutions....................................................18
Activity 8: Identify the likely constraints..............................................................................20
Activity 9: Evaluation of potential solutions.........................................................................22
Theme C.....................................................................................................................................25
Activity 10: Implementation process.....................................................................................25
Activity 11: Risk Analysis and Management........................................................................27
Activity 12: An Evaluation of the External Environment.....................................................36
Activity 13: Producing a critical evaluation..........................................................................39
Theme D....................................................................................................................................42
Activity 14: Identifying values and their impact...................................................................42
Activity 15: Ethical Issues.....................................................................................................44
Activity 16: Applying ethical approaches.............................................................................46
Theme E.....................................................................................................................................47
Activity 17: Reviewing your thinking and decision-making strategies.................................47
Activity 18: Reviewing the complex problem solving models and their application............49
References......................................................................................................................................50
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Introduction
For decades, various reports have been beneficial in validating the need for problem solving in
the workplace. The problem solving have been defined as a critical thinking skills for the
employees as per the SCANS Report “What Work Requires of Schools”. Managers, engineers
and physicians are hired, rewarded and retained for their problem solving skills in the workplace.
Especially in the case of engineering workplace where the employees are presented with a
challenge of integrating their workplace real-world problems and issues with their curriculum
studies. The engineers must stay abreast with the upcoming and new challenges along with their
changing roles in the workplace. The understanding of problem solving in workplace along with
educational and instructional strategies for utilizing problems is required.
With the emergence of competitive market in the industry and various businesses, the necessity
of creative problem-solving models has emerged with a requirement for creative processes in the
workplace (Van Gundy, 1987; Rickards, 1990). Various firms and businesses are experiencing
intense pressure for enhancing their products and systems so as to remain in the marketplace
along with the competition. With the emergence of competition, strategic planning, building
larger markets, team working etc., a need for new problem solving and related strategies has
emerged. Another reason for adoption of problem-solving methods especially for complex
problems is to discover efficient methods for solving the issues and problems. There are only
limited number of tested manners for approaching the issues so as to reach the estimated
outcome and employees and workplace must deal creatively with the problems by using various
proposed problem-solving models. Various structured, formal and highly efficient approaches
are used for ensuring that the employees serving in the organization are equipped with an
aptitude towards problem-solving and implementation in an optimal manner while maintaining
the ethical aspect of the organization. 3

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Description- AMEY Plc
Amey Plc was found in 1921 and is considered to be the leading public services providers,
supporting and managing vital public services and infrastructure across the United Kingdom.
The company employs over 11,000 employees and works with private and public sector clients
in defence, aviation, education, central government, rail, local government, strategic highway
and helps these sectors to deliver services in an efficient and effective manner. Amey works with
local authorities and aims to deliver highway infrastructure services to their clients which
includes the Highways Agency, local authorities, Transport Scotland and Transport for London.
Whole country is kept in track by Amey through whole-life asset and custom engineering
management of the underground and over ground rail networks. Also a plethora of facilities
management services to the private sector, agencies, government departments and estate and
non-departmental bodies.
Discussions
Theme A- Approaches to problem solving
Activity 1a: Identifying complex problems
The value of a structurally controlled and efficient problem-solving is beneficial in organization
for promoting discipline and increasing the success percentage for the organization. The complex
problems can easily be characterized when a single team or expert does not have the expertise
and knowledge regarding its solution. The individuals have limited access to the information and
require different area of expertise (Andreas Fischer, Samuel Greiff, and Joachim Funke, 2011).
The various problems being faced by most of the organizations are listed below along with their
characteristics:
1. Surviving in a changing economy and marketplace: This issue leads to continuous
change in organization with repeated changing of tasks and missions so as to exist in the 4

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competitive environment. The information takes time to be shared widely and for
formulating the decisional alternatives. On deciding upon the change, implementation is
seen to proceed at high speed.
2. Emerging demands of the customers: With globalisation at its peak, the high demands
of customers are emerging. Therefore, the companies are in a pressure of designing new
services and products. There is a need to analyse the international cultures and markets
along with better gathering and analysis of the information.
3. Change in organizational culture: With the change in organizational structure or
culture the internal and external environment are impacted as it influences the effort
level, working hours, uniform, religious observance, and discipline acceptance. The
problem is seen to be at its highest level when the organization is located to other country
as it changes the concept of on group loyalty, employment security, intergroup
competition, emphasis on seniority, and group decision making.
The listed problems are complex in nature and can easily be characterised from the simple
problems due to existence of multiple perspective from the employees and stakeholders, multiple
actors for analysing the situation, accompanied by important intangibles and key uncertainties
and also include people with conflicting interests as opposed to simple problems which do not
require technical or expert support (Rosenhead and Mingers, 2001).
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Activity 1b: Identifying complex problems in organization
1. Implementation of new technology for increasing potential efficiency: The
organization shifted to the paperless technology due to issues of various inefficiencies in
the paper-based approaches like duplicative site visits, reporting inaccuracies,
inflexibility in the allocation of the job etc. Therefore, Amey deployed a mobile working
system for automating job allocation, standardising the process, safety checks, pre-work
assessments and reporting to the government based highway contracts which led to
confusion among the employees. Even in a simple technical issues, a familiarity with the
technical difficulties was seen to yield dividends.
2. Lack of staff morale in a large organisation: Amey has, in past, conducted various
engagement initiatives for their employees which included self-nomination talent process,
efforts towards retaining their people which led to reduction in loss of productivity hours,
low training costs. However, the company has been facing these issues lately and agrees
to the scope of improvement in employee engagement.
3. Lack of communication among management: Communication has been posing an
intense threat to Amey as more than 13,000 employees do not have any access to Amey
email address or internet limiting the communication process of the company. This might
lead to ignoring of a large number of employees while decision-making process and
discouragement amongst employee.
These problems are highly complex as they require multiple frame of reference and an abstract
reasoning. These are recurrent in nature and are well-structures with their resolutions being
subjected to the stable rules (McWhinney).
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Activity 2: Summarise your understanding of systems thinking.
System thinking has been defined as “a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than
things, for seeing patterns rather than static snapshots. It is a set of general principles spanning
fields as diverse as physical and social sciences, engineering and management“. (Fifth
Principles, 68-69). With the emergence of system thinking, various industries have adopted
system engineering methods but the construction industry precisely has been facing difficulties
to deal with various complex infrastructure projects involving system of systems and innovative
technologies. In the construction industry, the engineers are considered as a functional expert and
are provided with greater leadership responsibility for considering all the implications of the
designs and are recognizing the need for system thinking. It has been seen that when the
functional design is produced without any consideration, it leads to inferior results. Therefore,
the construction industry and its engineer leaders need to build shared vision with personal
mastery and mental models for realising the potential. In order to develop the company and to
sustain the increasing competitiveness among the complex world, there is a need for Amey to
leverage the engineering capabilities of their engineers and adopt to the following principles as
an application towards system thinking:
1. Revising, debating and defining the purpose;
2. Thinking in a holistic manner;
3. Following a systematic procedure;
4. Being highly creative;
5. Taking people into account
6. Managing relationships and construction projects
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A shared vision in construction projects will help in fostering commitment for long-term
purpose. And system thinking will help in integrating all the factors for the success of the project
and make the subtle aspects to be understandable by the learning organization. This will help the
employees and the companies to perceive themselves along with the competitive world. The
problems being present in the company will be identified with the integration of shared vision,
mind model, personal mastery and separate the industry from others.
The conventional style of construction projects are complemented by the systems thinking in
various manner. Initially it helps in analysis and synthesising for various issues being
encountered in the while handling the construction projects. It will complement the reductionism
by reducing the amount of work into individual sections, effect thinking, analysing and breaking
down complex construction projects into simpler part, circular casual effects by explaining the
environmental factors and their influence on the construction project and indeterminism where
probabilistic thinking for the work is required. Finally systems thinking will be beneficial in
setting up a framework for utilisation of various construction theories, techniques and tools in
order to employ contingent perspectives and holistic construction practices.
Activity 3: Summarise your ideas on the Model of problem solving
This problem solving process, looks into account the McWhinney model of problem solving
which refers to the identification and solving of problem by taking into account different views
and perspective and how to react on various techniques, problem solving and practices. The
model takes into account four phases namely, unitary, mythic, sensory and social. Unitary phase
in any organisation mainly defines the framework, policies, principles, theories, design,
assumptions, clarification etc. Mythic means the organisation vision, ideas, opportunities,
dreams, metaphors etc. Sensory refers to action, behaviours, resource, experience etc of the
employees and employers and social phase refers to values, feelings, purpose etc.
Figure 1 Model of McWhinney 8

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Every individual has their own perspective and preferences and the preferences and views are not
changed mostly. Distinction in the reality preference can be identified when any preference is
looked beneath the surface. Some individual preferred the unitary reality to be in comfort with
tools and techniques while some may prefer the social or other reality for their comfort.
McWhinney”s model offers that complex problem solving is based on the different perspectives
(McWhinney, 1997).
McWhinney describes six modes of change that depend on the problem solving of the individual.
Each mode has complete path of change, capable of making and executing the solution. In each
mode the solution is made using the tools and techniques of one phase to impact the situation in
second phase. Problems are defined in single mode, two mode or more mode depending upon the
inter parts. The summarise form of McWhinney’s mode of change:
Figure 2 Modes of change
McWhinney also finds and explain the directional method associated with each mode of change.
In easy cases, problems may be solved by using two directional method of one mode of change
to create a simple solution. The different mode of change is analytic, assertive, influential,
evaluative, inventive and emergent. This mode helps the organisation in problem solution. The
combination of taking the two models give a mode of change. In analytic mode the directional
method would be unitary to sensory that includes design and from sensory to unitary includes
test of the model. In this way the two models combines and give the mode with the directional
method (McWhinney.et.al, 1997). Some of the directional method are: in assertive mode,
directional method is to establish and inspire the problem, in influential mode the directional
method would be to persuade and convert the problem, in evaluative mode the directional
method would be value and allocate the problem, in inventive mode the directional method
would be induce and realise the problem and last in emergent mode directional method would 9

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be to evoke and facilitate the problem. The tools that are applied in problem solving are: action
plans, causes and effect, SWOT, visioning, simple modelling, value synergizing, dialogue,
storytelling, brain storming, resource allocation, mind mapping, search conference etc are some
of the tools and technique that the organisation could applied in getting the solution to the
problems
Activity 4: Innovative and unusual models
Identify three approaches to problem solving that are generally used within your
organisation or sector.
Cause and effect analysis is been considered to be the most common approach and is generally
used in organizations for solving their workplace issues. The approach helps in identifying the
problems occurred in the organization; identifying the aspect being involved, what is the
problem, and when and where it occurred. Another activity is to find out the factors which are
being involved in the problems. It may be equipments, materials, people, and external forces and
so on. Along with this SWOT analysis is also an important tool which is been used to direct the
strategy at the highest level. It is a business analytical technique that organization performs for
each of its products, services and markets to achieve future growth. It involves identifying the
strength and weakness of the organization (Russ & Wallace, 2013). Another techniques being
used by the organisation is interviews and questionnaire approach which provides with an
opportunity to learn an individual’s career choices, preferences and reactions to different kinds of
work.
Explore and critically evaluate at least three of the approaches not commonly used in your
organisation
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It has been found that the Brainstorming is not been used by the organization. It enables to
associate metadata such as information category, search and recovery of information. It enables
to insert the brainstorming elements in the organization and connect them to data directly for
better efficiency. Mind mapping is another approach which should be used in organization for
better efficiency. This is a diagram which is used to represent concepts, ideas, tasks or other
items linked to a central theme. This approach is easy to create, easy to expand, easy to filter.
The techniques even help in bringing visualization, creativity, collaborative methods which
could be used in organization (Proctor, 2014). Force field analysis is also important for
organization. Force field analysis is a very useful decision making techniques which should be
used by the organization. It is very useful to make a decision and communicate to the
organization.
Write up your findings in a summary report
With the help of the evaluation it has been seen that, organization makes use of the cause and
effect analysis, swot analysis, interviews and questionnaires techniques to solve various
problems in organization. Organization identifies the problems and provides the solution to solve
the problems. If organization also use brainstorming activities, mind mapping activities, force
field analysis to solve the problems, then organization efficiency can be increased and this a very
effective approach to solve the problems. Without effective decisions action cannot be done
properly and resources can’t use properly. All that approaches are very helpful in planning,
organizing, staffing, coordinating and communicating. If organization takes correct decision, it
provides opportunities of growth and success. It also increases the commitment of the people
towards the setting goals (Russ & Wallace, 2013).
Reflect critically on all this work and check your report against the assessment criteria for
Theme A. 11

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In my opinion, organization should use the above mentioned all approaches for improving
overall productivity and efficiency by creating a helpful atmosphere for employees. An
organization can easily identify the problems and solve them very effectively. Swot analysis
highlights the opportunity according to organization strength. This is also used in developing a
strategy objective. It is also helpful in brainstorming; there is opportunity to verify statements. It
helps in examining the internal and external factors to achieve the objectives. It helps in enabling
unusual and non-conformist issues for discussion.
Theme B
Activity 5: Choosing your problem
PROBLEM
Meeting the organisation objectives requires enhancing the operational efficiency of an
organisation which is been considered as a critical task. The major issues being identified at the
workplace is to improve the operational efficiency of the organisation. It has been commonly
found that the higher authorities face various issues in enhancing the efficiencies due to the
diversified working environment which needs to be modified as per the requirements. Therefore
Amey Plc has implemented a new technology in order to improve the operational efficiency.
Issues
1. Unitary: With respect to this approach, the operational efficiency is been hampered due to
the various aspects such as policies, rules, principles being levied within the
organisational framework. These factors limit the work force which also impacts the
performances of the employees along with the efficiencies.
2. Sensory: This approach is concerned with behaviours, actions, resources, facts, etc. which
influences the employees to either work dedicatedly or compete their task just as a job. 12