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How to write an issue and proposed solution

Put the problem, your contribution, and a proposed solution in writing. Give the decision-maker something concrete to respond to.

· 2 min read · Decisions

Before asking the team to discuss a problem, write it down and propose a solution. Name who should make the decision. That gives everyone a shared starting point.

The Mochary Method's Issue / Proposed Solution template adds an important question: What did you do to help create the situation? Answer it honestly. It can reveal a change you can make yourself.

Describe the problem

State what is happening and why it needs a decision. Keep the description specific enough that someone outside the immediate conversation can follow it.

An illustrative example: two teams have scheduled launches for the same week, but both need the same designer. The decision is which work gets that person's time first.

Name your contribution

Ask what you did, or failed to do, that helped create the situation.

In the example, you might have promised a launch date without checking the other team's schedule. That does not make you responsible for everything. It identifies one part of the situation you can help unwind.

Propose a solution

Don't stop at explaining the problem. Describe what you think should happen. Where the proposal needs action, name an owner and a date.

For the launch example, propose an order, identify the tradeoff, and say who will confirm the revised schedule. Label assumptions so the decision-maker can challenge them.

Invite the team's response

Share the proposal before discussion. Ask people who disagree to explain their alternative. The decision-maker should hear the responses before steering the group toward a preferred answer.

The original template also asks for a recorded explanation. Writing gives people a reference; a recording can add tone and nuance. Keep the written proposal even when you add video.

Record the decision

Once the decision-maker has enough information, write down the decision and turn it into clear actions with owners and dates.

If they need more information, record the questions, who will answer each one, and when the group will return to the decision. That leaves the issue with a next step instead of another open-ended discussion.

Questions that come up

Do I need a solution before raising an issue?

Bring your best current proposal. It gives the group something concrete to improve. Make uncertainty and unanswered questions visible.

Why write it if I can explain it in a meeting?

Writing lets people prepare and gives absent teammates a reference. A recording or live explanation can add nuance without replacing the written proposal.

From the curriculum

Adapted from these sources. The examples in this guide are illustrative unless attributed.