A common reason for being part of a small group is to solve a problem. But even with such a direct task, groups still need leaders to provide structure to the process. To lead a group in problem solving, you need to fully understand the problem and thoughtfully consider all possible solutions.

If you’ve ever had a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI), you know how disturbing it can be to lie perfectly still in a dark tunnel while a very large and loud machine scans images of your body. Now imagine the procedure from a child’s point of view. Although parents go to great lengths to reduce the child’s fears (“It won’t hurt,” “I’ll be here the whole time with you”), it can still be a terrifying experience for a young patient. Doctors often calm children by sedating them, which increases the risk of medical complications. General Electric (GE)—a producer of MRI equipment—tackled the problem of how to make the procedure less frightening and reduce the need for medical sedation.

With that goal in mind, a GE team met with child development experts, music therapists, and even child museum curators to redesign the MRI experience (Kapsin & Hess, 2013; Kelley & Kelley, 2012). Out of dozens of meetings spanning several months, the team created story-themed imaging rooms. Instead of a cold and scary medical procedure, pediatric patients are invited into fully scripted deep-sea dive or pirate ship adventures. The MRI technicians assume roles as adventure guides, following carefully crafted scripts (“We need your help in trying to find the treasure chest”).

Known as the GE Adventure Series, the redesign of the MRI experience for children has substantially reduced the need for sedation and has led to higher parent satisfaction ratings (Kapsin & Hess, 2013). Encouraged by this success, GE has begun to implement the design in hospitals around the nation.

Small groups organize for lots of different purposes, including sharing information, providing support or services to others, and—like the General Electric team—solving a specific problem. A problem is a gap between a current situation (children fear MRI procedures, and often need to be sedated) and a desired condition (reduce the need to sedate MRI pediatric patients). Some problems require only an individual with the right expertise working alone—like a qualified mechanic fixing a car. Other problems are more complex—like how to make the MRI experience less scary for children. Addressing these complex problems requires the collective thought and input of a team. Problem-solving teams generally use two approaches when searching for a solution: structured problem solving and group brainstorming.

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