CFI Launches Strategic Problem Solving Course to Help Leaders Navigate Complexity with Confidence

Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) has launched a new course, Strategic Problem Solving, designed to help business leaders and professionals tackle complex challenges with greater clarity, structure, and confidence. The course is available now to CFI members as part of the platform’s growing curriculum in strategic thinking and leadership.

The Problem Behind the Problem

In a business environment shaped by rapid change, competing priorities, and mounting uncertainty, the ability to solve complex problems has become one of the most critical skills a leader can develop. Yet most professionals have never been trained to do it systematically.

The most common failure is often not due to poor execution but problem definition. Leaders and teams often move too quickly to solutions, responding to symptoms rather than causes, and committing resources to the wrong problem entirely. CFI’s Strategic Problem Solving course is built to close that gap.

Through this course, learners develop the skills to look at problems beyond surface symptoms, challenge assumptions, frame problems effectively, generate and evaluate solutions, and make informed decisions under uncertainty.

What You’ll Learn

The course introduces a structured, four-phase approach based on the Double Diamond model. This framework guides learners through both the problem space and the solution space in four structured phases:

• Problem Discovery — Explore the problem to understand what is really happening. Examine underlying drivers, challenge assumptions, and consider multiple stakeholder perspectives.
• Problem Definition — Synthesize insights from the problem discovery phase. Frame the real problem with precision before moving toward solutions.
• Solution Development — Generate a range of potential solutions using creative and structured ideation techniques, including brainstorming, backcasting, and reframing.
• Solution Decision — Evaluate and compare alternative solutions using tools like the Impact-Effort Matrix, RICE scoring, and scenario stress testing to select the clearest way forward.

Beyond the Double Diamond framework, the course addresses how to think differently about complex challenges and develop a strategic problem-solving mindset. Learners also practice these skills through interactive exercises and a comprehensive case study example using a real-world scenario.

Built by Practitioners, for Practitioners

Strategic Problem Solving was developed in collaboration with two leading experts in strategy and organizational decision-making: Timothy Tiryaki and Jeroen Kraaijenbrink. Together, they are the co-founders of Strategy.Inc and co-creators of the Big 5 of Strategy, a research-based framework for developing strategic capability across all levels of an organization.

Tim Vipond, CEO and Co-Founder of CFI, said the course addresses one of the most common and costly mistakes professionals make: moving to solutions before fully understanding the problem.

“Whether you’re in finance, strategy, operations, or leadership, the quality of your decisions depends on one critical capability: defining the right problem before moving to solutions. Too often, smart teams jump straight into action without stepping back to ask what they’re actually trying to solve,” Tim says. 

He continues, “This course is designed to build the discipline to think clearly when the stakes are high and the path forward is uncertain.”

Jeroen, a strategy educator, author, and consultant with more than twenty years of experience in academia and practice, sees structured problem solving as essential in the current environment.

“The issue is rarely a lack of intelligence,” says Jeroen. “It is that people move too quickly to solutions without fully understanding the problem. In this environment, structured strategic problem solving is not a luxury. It is a survival capability. If you misdefine the problem, no amount of effort or execution will compensate for it.”

Timothy, author of Leading with Strategy and Leading with Culture, draws on 25 years of experience across Fortune 500 organizations, government, and consulting, including work with Procter & Gamble, Intel, the U.S. Army, and Special Operations forces.

“Organizations today don’t struggle because they lack intelligence,” says Tiryaki. “They struggle because they converge too early and react to KPI shifts, market noise, or competitive moves without stepping back to define what is actually happening. This course teaches leaders how to slow down before speeding up, and to define the right problem before committing resources to solutions.”

Who This Course Is For

Strategic Problem Solving is designed for professionals who regularly face high-stakes decisions where straightforward answers don’t exist. It is especially relevant for:

• Leaders and managers making strategic decisions under uncertainty. 
• Finance and strategy professionals involved in analysis and planning. 
• Transformation and change leaders working across teams and functions.
• High-potential professionals looking to build stronger strategic thinking skills.

Anyone who wants to move beyond quick fixes and develop a strategic approach to solving complex problems.

Your Next Step Toward Strategy

Strategic problem solving is one of the most important leadership competencies you can build right now. Leaders who invest in it make better decisions, lead more effective teams, and position their organizations to compete in an increasingly complex environment. If you’re a leader navigating complex, high-stakes decisions, this course gives you the framework, tools, and expert guidance to solve problems with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.

Explore Strategic Problem Solving

About CFI

Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) is the number one rated online provider of finance and banking training, certifications, and productivity tools. With the industry’s leading training library, CFI empowers professionals and teams with job-ready skills and practical resources to succeed in diverse roles within finance and banking. Established in 2016, CFI is trusted by over 3 million individuals and thousands of organizations worldwide.