Perspective is Everything

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how infrastructure shapes our perspective (and then our decisions). 
• Determine the relationship between root causes of a problem.
• Practice using stories to get people to listen to their ideas

Agenda

1. Slides - Can infrastructure influences behavior?
2. Activity - 5 Whys
3. Communication - SUCCESs Framework

Does infrastructure influence behavior?

slides Links to an external site.

5 Whys

• Rory Sutherland's train solution was not typical, but likely more sustainable, or at least more elegant.
• We are going to use the 5 Whys method to solve a current infrastructure challenge. This will take some creativity to come up with a challenge. You can think about our first day discussing the worlds biggest problems, or your infrastructure hacks.
• Pair into groups of two.

Here is how to Complete the 5 Whys

1. Write down the specific infrastructure problem you would like to solve. Writing the issue helps you formalize the problem and describe it completely. It also helps a team focus on the same problem.
2. Ask Why the problem happens and write the answer down below the problem.
3. If the answer you just provided doesn’t identify the root cause of the problem that you wrote down in Step 1, ask Why again and write that answer down.
4. Loop back to step 3 until the team is in agreement that the problem’s root cause is identified. Again, this may take fewer or more times than five Whys.

Examples

Here is an example from Taiichi Ohno, pioneer of the Toyota Production System. He used the example of a welding robot stopping in the middle of its operation to demonstrate the usefulness of his method, finally arriving at the root cause of the problem through persistent enquiry:

1. "Why did the robot stop?"

   The circuit has overloaded, causing a fuse to blow.

2. "Why is the circuit overloaded?"

   There was insufficient lubrication on the bearings, so they locked up.

3. "Why was there insufficient lubrication on the bearings?"

   The oil pump on the robot is not circulating sufficient oil.

4. "Why is the pump not circulating sufficient oil?"

   The pump intake is clogged with metal shavings.

5. "Why is the intake clogged with metal shavings?"

   Because there is no filter on the pump.

Another example 

Problem Statement: You are on your way home from work and your car stops in the middle of the road.

1. Why did your car stop?
– Because it ran out of gas.

2. Why did it run out of gas?
– Because I didn’t buy any gas on my way to work.

3. Why didn’t you buy any gas this morning?
– Because I didn’t have any money.

4. Why didn’t you have any money?
– Because I lost it all last night in a poker game.

5. Why did you lose your money in last night’s poker game?
– Because I’m not very good at “bluffing” when I don’t have a good hand.

In both examples the final Why leads to a root cause very different than the original problem. Teaching someone how to bluff in poker or replacing a filter pump would not have surfaced with out the 5 five approach. 

Communication 

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

“If you are a popularizer, you are not seen as serious scientist, and if you are a serious scientist, you don’t talk to the public.” - Joseph Romm 

SUCCESs Framework

slides Links to an external site.