ABSTRACT
Solving problems isn't always as straightforward as some tools and techniques might lead to believe, because in reality there are unforeseen obstacles that can tend to cloud the issue. There are problem-solving traps, or pitfalls, that lie in wait that will deceive and mislead the problem-solving team. Sometimes facts and data are ignored or discounted solely because of one's desire to believe what they believe. Individual personalities, such as an inflated sense of self-worth, are usually the reasons this trap is seen. If the testing for root cause was credible, well-conceived, and executed as planned, and logic and conclusions were thought through well, then the results of the testing should clarify and illuminate the most probable, or most likely, cause of the problem. It is important to remember that sometimes problems have more than one cause, but typically a single root cause results in the problem.
