Avoiding the Solution Fixation Trap: How to Make Better Decisions as a Team

Is Your Team Stuck in the Trap of Focusing Only on Solutions?

As organizations face increasingly complex challenges, teams are being relied upon more and more to solve these intricate problems and make important decisions for the organization. In order to make the most of team dynamics, leaders need to be aware of any biases that could affect the team and actively guide and adjust the team’s processes. The authors of this article highlight a specific bias called the solution fixation trap, which occurs when a team jumps into discussing possible solutions without fully understanding the problem they are trying to solve. The authors explain how they discovered this bias through a study, describe what this trap looks like, and provide suggestions for leaders to protect their teams from falling into it.

Have you ever experienced your team constantly debating without finding a satisfactory solution to a problem, resulting in no progress? Alternatively, have you ever left a meeting feeling uncertain about the chosen solution, questioning whether your team missed crucial information? In order to assist your team in making more effective and confident decisions, it is essential to tackle a decision-making bias known as the solution fixation trap.

The solution fixation trap occurs when a team quickly jumps into discussing potential solutions without fully grasping the problem they are trying to solve. For instance, a marketing team tasked with addressing a decrease in sales might hastily propose changes to their current marketing campaign without thoroughly understanding the underlying reasons for the decline. Similarly, a recruitment task force aiming to improve the diversity of job applicants may rush into suggesting new recruitment strategies without sufficiently evaluating potential obstacles. This not only makes it difficult for teams to come up with solutions they are confident in, but also puts them at risk of choosing the wrong course of action.

Previous studies conducted by researchers like Marshall Poole, Jonelle Roth, and Robert Bales propose that the actions exhibited by teams working together to solve a problem can be divided into four distinct phases: 1) gathering and processing information, 2) exploring potential solutions, 3) confirming the chosen solution, and 4) taking decisive actions. The accompanying graphic provides examples of the behaviors associated with each phase. As a team progresses in their task, they naturally transition through these phases.

The image above illustrates the sequence of interactions within a hypothetical team as they work on a problem-solving task. Each block represents a specific period of time focused on a particular type of behavior. The team begins by discussing the available information, allowing each member to share their knowledge (represented by the first orange block). Once everyone has had a chance to contribute, the team moves on to considering potential solutions (depicted by the green block). After that, the team goes back to discussing information in order to make a more informed decision (shown by the second orange block), followed by a thorough discussion and evaluation of potential solutions (illustrated by the second green block). This phase is then followed by the team seeking verbal confirmation from all members (represented by the yellow block). Finally, the team concludes the task by ensuring that the decision is properly documented and recorded (represented by the blue block).

Although we may anticipate this type of behavior to occur when a team is making a decision, in reality, most teams’ behavior follows a different pattern. This pattern includes more frequent shifts between different phases and some disorganized periods, represented by gray blocks in the graphic.

Through observing their interactions during the task, a team of researches discovered a behavioral trend that served as a significant factor in determining the success of the teams. This trend distinguished high-performing teams, who were able to find the most optimal solution, from low-performing teams, who instead opted for the least favorable solution. The provided graphic depicts the phase maps of five high-performing teams and five low-performing teams.

Based on these maps, it is clear that when it comes to low-performing teams, their discussions are mostly focused on exploring and assessing potential solutions rather than gathering and analyzing the necessary information to find a good solution. It is interesting to note that both high and low performers initially begin the task by discussing their knowledge about the problem. However, low-performing teams quickly become fixated on proposing ideas and generating different solutions. Once this fixation occurs, they fail to prioritize and dedicate enough time to analyzing the information needed for the task.

Additionally, the research uncovered that when low-performing teams focused on exploring their proposed solutions, they were less inclined to seek out information that could help answer any questions that came up. In situations where a team member would ask, “What do we know about X?”, low performers would typically ignore the question and continue discussing potential solutions without providing any evidence to support them. This fixation on debating solutions hindered the low performers’ ability to uncover and thoroughly evaluate all the available information, resulting in unfavorable decision outcomes. Interestingly, these teams that impulsively engaged in solution debates did not complete the overall task any faster than the high-performing teams.

How can managers ensure that their teams do not fall into the trap of fixating on a single solution?

Begin the meeting by examining all of the information that is accessible. Proceed around the table and motivate individuals to communicate their knowledge about the current situation or problem, focusing on facts rather than personal opinions. Once everyone has had an opportunity to share their knowledge, inquire if there is any additional information that has not been discussed. This step is crucial as numerous studies conducted over the past thirty years have shown that information that is not known by all team members is considerably less likely to be brought up during team discussions.

It is important to be cautious of suggestions that offer immature solutions. Meetings are generally disliked by most people because they are seen as a waste of time, overwhelming, and even mentally and emotionally draining. Therefore, when bringing people together for a meeting to solve a problem or make a decision, there may be individuals who consciously or unconsciously try to expedite the discussion and end the meeting quickly. They may do this by explicitly mentioning time constraints or by subtly diverting the conversation towards possible solutions. When you notice a suggestion that lacks maturity, acknowledge it by saying something like, “Thank you for your suggestion – let’s revisit that once we have gathered all the necessary information.” Then, refocus the discussion on sharing and analyzing information.

Promote decision-making that is supported by evidence at every stage of the process. When uncertainties arise, direct the team to make decisions based on the information that is accessible, rather than relying on personal opinions or rough estimations. You could suggest further investigation into the matter by saying something like, “It seems like we need to delve deeper into this issue.”

Utilize visualization tools in order to effectively arrange and categorize the information and solutions that have been discussed. Previous studies have indicated that teams dealing with intricate and extensive information can greatly benefit from using a shared display, like a dry erase board or electronic whiteboard. By recording information on a common display, it becomes easier to link the information to potential solutions as they are being discussed.

In summary, to get the most out of team dynamics, it is crucial to be aware of any biases that could affect the team and actively guide and improve team processes.