Here's how you can utilize problem solving skills to tackle technical issues in Financial Technology systems.
Navigating the complex world of Financial Technology (FinTech) can be daunting, especially when technical issues arise. However, with the right problem-solving skills, you can effectively address and overcome these challenges. Whether you're dealing with software bugs, security vulnerabilities, or system inefficiencies, a methodical approach can help you identify the root cause and implement a solution. This article will guide you through the steps to tackle technical problems in FinTech systems, empowering you to maintain the reliability and security that users expect.
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Dr Reji Kurien ThomasI Empower Sectors as a Global Tech & Business Transformation Leader| Stephen Hawking Award| Harvard Leader| UK House of…
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Yulia BiryukovaProduct Manager in FinTech | Payments | Cards | I create financial solutions that address customer needs | 8+ years of…
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Saurabh UnadkatFinance Manager | Corporate Finance, Managerial Finance
Before diving into any problem, it's crucial to understand it thoroughly. In FinTech systems, this means gathering all relevant information about the technical issue at hand. Start by reproducing the problem to confirm its existence and scope. Document the error messages, user complaints, and any unusual system behavior. This step is akin to a doctor taking a patient's history before making a diagnosis; it sets the stage for effective troubleshooting and ensures you are addressing the right problem.
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When dealing with technical issues in Financial Technology systems, problem-solving skills come in handy. I start by digging deep to understand what's causing the problem. Then, I brainstorm with my team to find creative solutions. We prioritize issues based on how they affect our business and work together to fix them quickly. It's also important to keep learning and stay updated on new technologies. By working together and thinking critically, we ensure our systems run smoothly and serve our customers well.
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In Financial Technology systems, tackling technical issues involves a methodical approach. Assess the problem thoroughly, collaborating with experts for insights. Brainstorm feasible solutions, prioritize based on impact, and implement the chosen solution carefully. Test rigorously to ensure effectiveness and document the entire process for future reference and improvement. This systematic method enables efficient problem-solving, minimizing downtime and enhancing system reliability.
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Utilizing problem-solving skills to tackle technical issues in Financial Technology (FinTech) systems involves a structured approach to identify, analyze, and resolve issues efficiently. Here’s some steps on how to do this: 1- Identify problem, break it down, identify root causes. 2- Involve team members and evaluate options. 3- Plan, execute, test, validate solution. 4- Ensure problem doesn't recur and solution remains effective. 5- Identify improvement areas.
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When dealing with a problem in financial technology systems, it's essential first to fully grasp what's going wrong. This involves checking the issue yourself to make sure it's real and understanding how widespread it is. You should also take note of any error messages, complaints from users, and anything else out of the ordinary. This process is similar to how a doctor gathers information from a patient before figuring out what the illness is. By doing this, you make sure you're fixing the actual problem effectively.
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Assessing the issue requires understanding the context and impact of the problem. For instance, once we had some users facing registration issues the first step was to understand the type of users their location and the errors they were facing. Once we had the problem we could quickly identify the patterns and it seemed to be delays in registration emails to certain domains of institutions. We had to extend the timeout duration to fix this.
Once the issue is assessed, setting clear objectives is your next move. What do you aim to achieve by resolving this problem? Your goals might include restoring system functionality, safeguarding user data, or improving transaction processing speed. These objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). By defining your goals early on, you can ensure that your solution aligns with the overall strategy and objectives of your FinTech platform.
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What do you aim to achieve in this transition period? Restore system functionality Safeguard user data Improve transaction processing speed Remember to set SMART goals: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-bound By defining your goals early on, you can ensure that your solution aligns with the overall strategy and objectives of your FinTech platform.
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Defining goals is crucial for clarity and direction. Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, and aligned with stakeholders' expectations. Clear goals enhance focus, motivation, and accountability, driving successful outcomes.
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It's important to set clear goals for fixing it. You might want to fix the system so it works properly again, protect users' information, or make transactions faster. Your goals should be clear, possible to measure, realistic, related to what you want to achieve, and set within a specific timeframe—this is often summarized as SMART goals. Setting these goals early helps make sure that the solution you come up with fits well with the broader aims of your FinTech platform.
With a clear understanding of the problem and your goals set, brainstorm potential solutions. Engage with your team to leverage diverse perspectives and expertise. Don't dismiss any idea at this stage; sometimes, the most unconventional suggestion could lead to an innovative solution. Consider all angles, from software updates to hardware changes, and think about both short-term fixes and long-term improvements. This collaborative ideation can be the breeding ground for creative and effective problem-solving in FinTech.
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When brainstorming solutions, consider incorporating Design Thinking principles. This human-centred approach involves empathising with users potentially affected by the technical issue. By understanding their pain points and workflow, you can generate creative solutions that address the root cause, not just the symptoms. This user-centric approach can lead to FinTech solutions that are not only effective but also user-friendly and promote long-term user satisfaction.
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Generating ideas involves diverse techniques like brainstorming, mind mapping, reverse thinking, SCAMPER, SWOT analysis, random stimuli, role playing, storyboarding, prototype testing, and collaboration. These methods foster creativity, encourage exploration, and uncover innovative solutions for challenges and opportunities.
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Once you know the problem and what you want to achieve in fixing it, start brainstorming solutions with your team. Bring everyone's different skills and ideas to the table and keep an open mind—sometimes the most unique idea can turn out to be the best one. Look at all options, whether they involve updating software, changing hardware, or both quick fixes and bigger, long-term changes. This group brainstorming session is a great way to come up with creative and successful ways to solve issues in financial technology.
After generating a list of potential solutions, evaluate their feasibility, costs, and impact. In the FinTech world, it's essential to weigh the security implications of each option, as well as compliance with regulatory standards. Consider the resources required for implementation and the potential disruption to services. This evaluation will help you prioritize which solutions to implement first, based on their effectiveness and alignment with your defined goals.
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Utilizing problem-solving skills to tackle technical issues involves more than just applying standard frameworks. It requires a deep dive into the system's architecture, platform specifics, and integrations: - gain a thorough understanding of the system's architecture to identify potential bottlenecks and limitations. -regularly review and update the documentation to stay informed about changes. - engage experts such as developers, architects, analysts, and methodologists .For instance, you might discover that a system is approaching legacy status, which could limit future enhancements. This proactive approach ensures that technical issues are addressed effectively, minimizing disruptions to your plans.
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Consider conducting a cost-benefit analysis that factors in not just immediate financial costs, but also potential long-term savings. For instance, a seemingly expensive solution that streamlines processes and reduces errors could lead to significant cost reductions down the line. Evaluating solutions based on total cost of ownership, including long-term benefits, helps make informed decisions that optimise both immediate needs and future financial health.
Choose the most viable solution from your evaluation and develop a detailed action plan for its implementation. This should include a step-by-step process, resource allocation, and a timeline. In the context of FinTech, ensure that you have a rollback plan in case the solution doesn't work as expected. Communication is key during this phase; keep all stakeholders informed about the plan and its progress. A well-executed plan will not only solve the problem but also minimize any negative impact on users.
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It takes careful planning before hand to effectively execute a plan. Your team should all be briefed on the goals of this plan and you should provide them with actionable steps to reach that goal. Things don't always go as planned so its important to be able to readjust on the fly. Make sure you reflect after successfully executing a plan, ask yourself and your team what went well and what you can improve on.
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After selecting the best solution, craft a detailed action plan. This roadmap should outline a step-by-step process with assigned resources and a timeline. Remember, FinTech implementations require a rollback plan in case of issues. Throughout the process, keep stakeholders informed for a smooth transition and minimal user impact.
After implementing your solution, monitor the system closely to ensure the issue is resolved and that no new problems have arisen. Collect feedback from users and analyze system performance to confirm that your objectives have been met. This review process is an opportunity to learn from the experience and refine your problem-solving approach for future challenges in FinTech systems. It also helps in building a knowledge base that can accelerate problem resolution in the future.
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It's important to know once a decision is made you must review. One of the ways I review results is to track data on any quantitative measures. In this industry data is your biggest asset. It can identify bottlenecks in your system and operations and it can identify trends that you can capitalize on. Make sure you have a rigorous review system to refine and streamline you and your teams workflow.
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Use advanced root cause analysis tools such as Pareto charts & Fishbone diagrams to systematically explore potential causes of technical issues. Prioritise addressing the most significant causes to resolve the issue effectively. When our loan processing system faced frequent downtimes, we used a Fishbone diagram to identify contributing factors. This analysis pinpointed software conflicts as primary cause & improved system stability. Conduct load & stress testing to understand system behaviour under high usage & identify potential performance bottlenecks.Use tools like JMeter or LoadRunner to simulate different load conditions. Performing load testing on our payment processing system with JMeter revealed system struggle under peak loads.
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It's important to augment your problem solving skills with knowledge of up to date tech trends and organisations in the space.If a solution is already available with another fintech provider and is available for integration at a cost that justifies, it should be explored. For eg., one of our clients was facing an issue of not being able to offer withdrawals from the wallet other than the home Cn(CAD).Now, there was an option to allow conversion from other wallets to home currency followed by a withdrawal, which was not an ideal Customer exp. The other option was to look out for a fintech that offers APIs to integrate customer wallets to virtual IBANs, that could solve the problem. Here our knowledge of the participants in the space helped.
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Continuous learning is an important part of problem solving of technical issues. It is this important to conduct a RCA and lessons learned to improve the problem solving process over time. Equally if the problem repeats this can serve as knowledge based.
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