Enhancing Problem Solving

When left to their own devices, groups are often illogical and disorderly, jump­ing from one idea to another. In fact, studies have shown that the average atten­tion span of a group – the time it stays on a single topic – is approximately fifty ­eight seconds. One of the reasons group problem solving is so difficult is that groups have trouble staying on track.

To facilitate more orderly thinking, group members sometimes turn to the use of logical plans, or agendas, to guide their discussion. Agendas are often very useful when time is limited and task pressures are strong, because they focus on the task dimension. Their major disadvantage is that they may neglect maintenance issues. Following a task agenda too closely or using agendas at every meeting may increase productivity at the cost of cohesiveness. Nevertheless, there are times when agendas can be extremely useful.