# Kepner-Tregoe Method Worksheet

## Overview
The Kepner-Tregoe Method is a structured approach to problem solving, decision making, and risk analysis. It provides four distinct processes: Situation Appraisal, Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, and Potential Problem Analysis.

## Situation Appraisal

### Current Situation Overview
**Date:** _____________
**Participants:** _________________________

### Issues Identification
List all concerns, problems, or opportunities:
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________

### Issue Prioritization Matrix
| Issue | Urgency (1-5) | Impact (1-5) | Growth Trend | Resources Needed | Priority Score |
|-------|---------------|--------------|--------------|------------------|----------------|
| | | | Rising/Stable/Falling | High/Med/Low | |
| | | | Rising/Stable/Falling | High/Med/Low | |
| | | | Rising/Stable/Falling | High/Med/Low | |
| | | | Rising/Stable/Falling | High/Med/Low | |
| | | | Rising/Stable/Falling | High/Med/Low | |

*Priority Score = Urgency × Impact × (Growth Factor: Rising=2, Stable=1, Falling=0.5)

### Action Assignment
| Priority Issue | Process to Use | Owner | Next Step | Due Date |
|----------------|----------------|-------|-----------|----------|
| #1: | Problem/Decision/Risk Analysis | | | |
| #2: | Problem/Decision/Risk Analysis | | | |
| #3: | Problem/Decision/Risk Analysis | | | |

## Problem Analysis

### Problem Statement
**Selected Problem:** _________________________

**Problem Description:**
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

### IS / IS NOT Analysis
| Dimension | IS (Problem occurs) | IS NOT (Problem doesn't occur) | Distinctions | Changes |
|-----------|--------------------|-----------------------------|--------------|---------|
| **WHAT** | | | | |
| Object | | | | |
| Defect | | | | |
| **WHERE** | | | | |
| Location | | | | |
| On object | | | | |
| **WHEN** | | | | |
| First observed | | | | |
| Pattern | | | | |
| **EXTENT** | | | | |
| How many | | | | |
| How much | | | | |

### Possible Causes
Based on distinctions and changes:
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________

### Cause Testing
| Possible Cause | Explains IS Data? | Explains IS NOT Data? | Assumptions Needed | Probability |
|----------------|-------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------|
| | Yes/Partially/No | Yes/Partially/No | | High/Med/Low |
| | Yes/Partially/No | Yes/Partially/No | | High/Med/Low |
| | Yes/Partially/No | Yes/Partially/No | | High/Med/Low |
| | Yes/Partially/No | Yes/Partially/No | | High/Med/Low |

**Most Probable Cause:** _________________________

### Verification Plan
**How to verify the true cause:**
1. Test: _________________________
   Expected Result: _________________________
2. Test: _________________________
   Expected Result: _________________________

## Decision Analysis

### Decision Statement
**Decision to be made:** _________________________
**Decision deadline:** _________________________

### Objectives Classification
**MUSTS (Mandatory Requirements):**
| Must Have | Measurable Limit |
|-----------|------------------|
| | |
| | |
| | |

**WANTS (Desirable Objectives):**
| Want | Weight (1-10) | How Measured |
|------|---------------|--------------|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |

Total Weight = 100 (adjust weights to sum to 100)

### Alternative Generation
**Possible Alternatives:**
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
4. _________________________
5. _________________________

### Alternative Evaluation
**MUST Screening:**
| Alternative | Must 1 | Must 2 | Must 3 | Pass/Fail |
|-------------|--------|--------|--------|-----------|
| Alt 1 | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | |
| Alt 2 | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | |
| Alt 3 | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | |
| Alt 4 | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | ✓/✗ | |

**WANT Scoring:** (Only for alternatives that pass MUST screening)
| Alternative | Want 1 (W=__) | Want 2 (W=__) | Want 3 (W=__) | Want 4 (W=__) | Total Score |
|-------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------|
| | Score × W = | Score × W = | Score × W = | Score × W = | |
| | Score × W = | Score × W = | Score × W = | Score × W = | |
| | Score × W = | Score × W = | Score × W = | Score × W = | |

*Score each WANT on scale of 1-10

### Adverse Consequences
**For top alternatives:**
| Alternative | Potential Adverse Consequences | Probability | Seriousness | Can Mitigate? |
|-------------|-------------------------------|-------------|-------------|---------------|
| | | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low | Yes/No |
| | | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low | Yes/No |

**Recommended Decision:** _________________________
**Rationale:** _________________________

## Potential Problem Analysis

### Implementation Plan
**Selected Action/Decision:** _________________________

### Critical Steps
List key implementation steps:
1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
4. _________________________
5. _________________________

### Potential Problem Identification
| Step | What Could Go Wrong? | Probability | Impact | Risk Score |
|------|---------------------|-------------|--------|------------|
| | | H/M/L | H/M/L | |
| | | H/M/L | H/M/L | |
| | | H/M/L | H/M/L | |
| | | H/M/L | H/M/L | |
| | | H/M/L | H/M/L | |

*Risk Score: HH=9, HM=6, HL=3, MH=6, MM=4, ML=2, LH=3, LM=2, LL=1

### Preventive and Contingent Actions
**For High-Risk Problems:**
| Potential Problem | Likely Causes | Preventive Actions | Contingent Actions | Trigger |
|-------------------|---------------|-------------------|-------------------|---------|
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |

### Implementation Control Plan
**Monitoring Schedule:**
| Milestone | Check Date | Success Criteria | Responsible Person |
|-----------|------------|------------------|-------------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |

## Integration and Action Plan

### Summary of Analyses
**Problem Analysis Result:** _________________________
**Decision Analysis Result:** _________________________
**Risk Mitigation Plan:** _________________________

### Immediate Actions (Next 48 hours)
1. [ ] _________________________________________________________________
2. [ ] _________________________________________________________________
3. [ ] _________________________________________________________________

### Short-term Actions (Next 2 weeks)
1. [ ] _________________________________________________________________
2. [ ] _________________________________________________________________
3. [ ] _________________________________________________________________

### Long-term Actions (Next 3 months)
1. [ ] _________________________________________________________________
2. [ ] _________________________________________________________________
3. [ ] _________________________________________________________________

## Communication Plan

### Stakeholder Communication
| Stakeholder | Key Message | Method | Timing | Responsible |
|-------------|-------------|--------|--------|-------------|
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |

### Documentation Requirements
- [ ] Problem analysis report
- [ ] Decision rationale document
- [ ] Risk register
- [ ] Implementation plan
- [ ] Lessons learned log

## Review and Learning

### Effectiveness Measures
**How will we know if the solution worked?**
1. Metric: _____________ Target: _____________ Current: _____________
2. Metric: _____________ Target: _____________ Current: _____________
3. Metric: _____________ Target: _____________ Current: _____________

### Lessons Learned
**What worked well:**
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________

**What could be improved:**
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________

### Process Improvements
**Recommendations for future use of K-T Method:**
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

## Example Application

**Situation:** Manufacturing plant experiencing quality issues

**Problem Analysis:**
- IS: Defects on Product A, Line 3, Night shift, 15% defect rate
- IS NOT: Products B&C, Lines 1&2, Day shift, Normal 2% rate
- Distinction: New operator on night shift
- Cause: Insufficient training on quality standards

**Decision Analysis:**
- Options: Retrain, Reassign, Hire experienced operator
- Winner: Intensive retraining program (highest score, lowest risk)

**Risk Analysis:**
- Risk: Training might not be effective
- Preventive: Use certified trainer, hands-on practice
- Contingent: Buddy system with experienced operator

**Result:** Defect rate reduced to 2.5% within 2 weeks

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*Date Completed:* _____________
*Completed By:* _____________
*Next Review Date:* _____________