Phases of Issue Management

      Major problems/opportunity issue management cycles develop through the following
      phases:

Phase 1: AWARENESS

v     Inception: Development of the unrecognized issue.

v     Recognition: Awareness & the perception of the issue

Phase 2: EXPLORATION

v     Concern: Increasing urgency that the issue is important

v     Focus: Attention is directed and responsibility is assumed or assigned

v     Information gathering: finding and analyzing relevant information

Phase 3: DECISION MAKING

v     Action option development: creation, analysis and evaluation of choices and alternatives for solution.

v     Decision Making: choice of the best or least worst solution.

Phase 4: IMPLEMENTATION

v     Action: Taking the steps necessary to make the decision work.

Phase 5: FINE-TUNING

v     Feedback: Evaluation and measurement of results

v     Follow-up: Adjustment and improvement

Phase 6: COMPLETION

v     Harvesting: Capture, accumulation and use of returns from action implementation

v     Wind-down: Reduction of management concern and focus, redeployment of resources and time.