EOS IDS: Identify, Discuss, Solve issues at the root

Executive overview

Most issue lists are full of symptoms that mask the real problem. The IDS discipline — Identify, Discuss, Solve — gives teams a three-step process to reach the root cause rather than recycling the same symptoms in every meeting. Applied consistently, it eliminates recurring issues for good.

Surface the real issue, not the symptom, and it stays solved.

The three steps

• Identify — the team clearly names the real issue, not just the surface symptom; this often requires deliberate digging.
• Discuss — everyone contributes background, questions, and potential solutions before a decision is made.
• Solve — the group agrees on a path forward, usually assigned as a concrete action item to one person post-meeting.
• Solving at the root means the same issue never returns to the list.