What are some effective ways to challenge your own assumptions in problem framing?

When asking why, make sure to ask why you picked this problem in the first place. Are you really interested in this problem, and is it a problem worth solving,? Or did you fall in love with a solution, and now you're in search of a problem that it could solve? Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. As product designers, we often fall in love with solutions. This is especially true for engineers. Unfortunately, a solution is like a hammer: when you have one, everything looks like a nail. And the more in love we are with a solution, the less we listen from users who have a problem that it could solve. It's only when we fall in love with problems that we can put ourselves in a position to find the best solutions for them.

5x why isn't the only approach to reframe the problem. You can also use different types of question to frame the problem worth solving: - What if? - What might happen if x is implemented? - What's the worst case scenario? - What's the worst could happen if x is y? - What needs to happen before x?

Dig deeper by questioning the reasons behind assumptions to uncover underlying motivations and biases. Reflecting on past projects, I've learned that consistently asking "why" challenges assumptions and reveals hidden insights, leading to better problem framing.

It's easy to make assumptions based on our biases and perspectives. By asking "why," designers and developers are forced to re-examine and justify their beliefs and decisions. This critical thinking helps in identifying and eliminating unfounded assumptions.

Challenging your own assumptions in problem framing is crucial for fostering creativity, uncovering blind spots, and generating innovative solutions. Here are some effective ways that I use to challenge my assumptions: -Seek Diverse Perspectives -Practice Empathy -Ask Why -Conduct Research -Consider Contrary Evidence -Challenge Constraints -Think Creatively -Prototype and Test -Practice Reflective Thinking -Invite Critique

After mapped the business / society problem and after hearing for many stakeholders and built your own perspective, revalidate with the same whether the direction you are drawing is the one where there is a common sense of support.

If it's possible, do reframe together with the challenge owner / client. If you're framing together with client make sure it's x-functional or the leader is involved. In my 12+ years experience, this has a 100% success rate. Nothing beats: 1) Problems framed in a new light 2) Alignment of problems with x-functional teams

Seeking feedback is crucial in challenging assumptions in problem framing. Engage with diverse stakeholders to gather different perspectives and insights. Conduct pilot tests or simulations to validate assumptions in a controlled environment. Remain open to critique and actively seek out dissenting opinions to ensure a well-rounded understanding of the problem and its context.

Having an assumptions is actually a step forward, provided it is tested. One way to test your assumption is to seek feedback from the stakeholders or users. Seeking feedback on multiple junctures throughout the Design Process. The crucial part of seeking feedback on Assumptions starts when the thoughts are wandering. Seeking feedback will assist in scoping the thoughts and make it focus eventually.

Challenge assumptions with SCAMPER! This technique prompts fresh perspectives: Substitute: Can we use different materials, processes, or ideas? Combine: Can we merge existing solutions or approaches? Adapt: Can we tweak existing elements for a new context? Modify: Can we magnify, minify, or change the order of things? Put to another use: Can we repurpose existing solutions? Eliminate: Can we remove unnecessary elements? Reverse: Can we flip the problem or approach on its head? Example: Redesigning a meeting space? SCAMPER asks: Can we replace chairs with beanbags (S)? Combine physical & virtual spaces (C)? Adapt the layout for different group sizes (A)? Modify lighting for mood (M)? Turn it into a multi-purpose room (P)?

Reframing need to be done after Field research and conducting analysis of the field research. With that context, the direction of the Reframing becomes more accurate. Here are some methods I use in reframing techniques:- 1. User Perspective 2. Multiple Points Of View 3. Analogous Technique 4. Natural World Technique

This is all about finding new perspectives that make sense so that you can scope the problem/challenge. There are plenty of tools that you can use. - Ishikawa diagram - Systems map / affinity map - What ifs - What might happens in the future if this tech/idea gets implemented

Using reframing tools is essential to challenge assumptions in problem framing. Techniques like "What If?" scenarios help explore alternative perspectives. Role-playing or perspective-taking exercises simulate different viewpoints. Reverse thinking flips assumptions to uncover hidden biases. These tools promote creativity and ensure a thorough examination of the problem from multiple angles.

In my experience in consulting in the area of Design Thinking and problem solving, assumptions are a common thing we use as a strategy in getting ahead into a project. Once assumptions are made, we switch on the hat of testing the assumptions. On our personal capacity, we have an open mind to learn and seek for the truth. So setting that mindset allows us to communicate in a way to seek to test the assumptions. At times, the biasness will bring us towards collecting data leading to wrongly qualify our assumptions . So we stop and conduct Structured Critical Reasoning Analysis with a team in order to seek if there are fallacies in our assumptions.

As innovation facilitator of 100+ projects, I advise you to EXPERIMENT BY PRETOTYPING, like TESLA… FAKE IT BEFORE YOU MAKE IT ???. Pretotyping is a technique for testing - and validating ideas quickly and cheap, founded by Savoia. It involves creating a simplified version of a product or service to collect user feedback and understand market demand. It’s a non-working prototype. Pretotyping reduces the risk of failure by assessing market response early in the development process. A famous pretotyping story is how Tesla ‘faked’ their first electrical car, the Roadster, using a so-called ‘glider’ of a Lotus Elise to confront their potential customers with a ‘real car’, leading to 250+ launching customers who paid $ 5000,- in advance.

Testing assumptions is critical in problem framing. Conduct experiments or prototypes to validate assumptions in a practical context. Gather data through surveys, interviews, or observations to verify assumptions against real-world insights. Involve diverse stakeholders to provide feedback and challenge assumptions from different perspectives. Iteratively refine your framing based on the findings to ensure it accurately reflects the problem and potential solutions.

Validate assumptions through experiments, surveys, or user testing to confirm or refute initial beliefs. I've found that testing assumptions through small-scale experiments or user feedback reduces reliance on unverified assumptions in problem framing.

The Sprint method is a game-changer, especially if you're looking to test MVPs super quickly. If you dive into the "Sprint" book by Jake Knapp from Google Ventures, you'll find it's a goldmine of insights on this. Basically, you're taking what would normally be months of development and compressing it into a single week. It's a fantastic approach for startups or any team that needs to move fast and validate ideas.

It’s amazing how effectively we can challenge our assumptions in problem framing by embracing diversity. Here are some ways: 1. Listen Actively - Open your ears to different viewpoints to uncover ideas and solutions you might never have considered on your own. 2. Seek Out Diverse Opinions - Diverse backgrounds bring fresh, innovative approaches to problem framing, enriching the pool of ideas. 3. Question Everything - Do others from a diverse background also consider this a problem? 4. Embrace the 'What Ifs' - Encourage wild ideas and out-of-the-box thinking to challenge tour own assumptions. Working on project across the globe has given me an opportunity to see the advantage of embracing diverse perspectives.

Embracing diversity is key in challenging assumptions. Include team members with varied backgrounds and experiences. Encourage open dialogue where differing viewpoints are valued. Seek feedback from diverse stakeholders to uncover blind spots. This approach enriches problem framing with broader perspectives, leading to more robust solutions.

Engage with diverse teams, incorporating various backgrounds and perspectives to challenge homogeneous thinking. Embracing diversity in teams encourages unique viewpoints, fostering a culture where assumptions are continuously challenged and broadened.

You got to be mindful about 3 things when framing the problems. 1. The POV of problem: Which stakeholder are you going to solve for. If you're solving for A, you got to empathize the world from their shoes, and serve their needs, not segment B 2. The level of problem: The higher it is the more strategic the problem becomes. The lower it is the more technical it becomes. So choosing your starting point is important. The higher it is the more strategic it is and the more projects you can get to execute. 3. The validation of problem: You got to find out whether the problems scoped are validated or not. Even if it's validated you have to find concrete evidence that its validated. These 3 will inform the activities you will spend on to work.

Pause and reflect. What is your choice of words? How are those words being interpreted? What bias hides behind the choice of words? Ensuring you are aware of your feelings coming up and your response to it is the best way to ensure you can challenge your own assumptions.

Finding problem starts with reframing the problem. You always have to question the challenge owner whether the level of problem they scoped for you. Too high and it gets too fuzzy. Too low and you might miss the mark. Eg. If you are given the project to redesign the voting ballot box, question that. It makes sense if you're an industrial designer and you just accept the brief and design the ballot box. But if you're a design thinking practitioner, you want to reframe the right challenge appropriate for you which could be - redesigning the voting experience.

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