Problem-solving meetings fail when they spend all their time describing the problem and run out of time before reaching solutions. This template allocates explicit time to root cause analysis and corrective action so the group does not leave with only a shared understanding of the pain.
State the problem in specific, measurable terms. “Response times increased 40% since Tuesday” is actionable. “Things feel slow” is not.
Present the facts: data, logs, observations, timeline. Separate what is confirmed from what is suspected.
Work backward from symptoms to causes. Use structured approaches (5 Whys, fishbone) if needed. The facilitator prevents the group from jumping to solutions before understanding the cause.
Propose solutions that address the root cause. Pick the one with the best effort-to-impact ratio. Assign an owner, a deadline, and a success metric.
Restate the problem, the root cause, and the corrective action. Confirm the follow-up check-in.
Pre-meeting checklist
- Problem described with data in the invite
- Relevant people (those with context on the issue) are attending
- Any initial investigation results shared in advance
When to use 50 minutes instead
For incidents affecting production systems, postmortems with multiple contributing factors, or problems that span multiple teams and require coordinated response.