When you evaluate creative ideas, you want to make sure they are relevant, original, and effective. But sometimes, you may encounter problems that prevent you from achieving your goals. How can you identify the root cause of these problems and find solutions? Here are some tips to help you.
The 5 Whys technique is a simple but powerful method to get to the core of a problem. It requires you to ask "why" five times, or until you reach a logical and actionable answer. For instance, if your creative idea is not generating enough engagement, you can ask why your target audience is not interested in your idea, why it is not aligned with their needs, preferences, or values, and why you did not research or test it with your audience. By doing this, you can uncover the root cause of your problem - lack of a clear and structured creative process - and then work on improving it.
I find the 7 why's to be very good at teasing out the emotional reason or "problem" Marketers have used it for a long time. An example: 1. Attribute: Mattress has __________. ( better coils, new technology, etc.) 2. Functional Benefit: The first why. Why is this important? " I get a good night's sleep." 3. Deeper Functional Benefit. Second why. Why is this important? " I am better at my job." 4. Deeper yet. Third why. Why is this important? " I make more money". 5. Deeper still; getting into emotional territory. Why is making money important? " I can better take care of my family." 6. Then move even deeper. Try to create an emotional decision tree. Why is taking are of my family important? Love, personal pride, and others. Go for it.
Identifying the root cause demands a strategic approach. First, scrutinize the brief and objectives to ensure clarity. Next, engage in open dialogue with the creative team to comprehend their interpretation and rationale. Assess audience feedback and analytics to discern if the creative aligns with customer expectations. If results are subpar, pinpoint specific elements triggering disconnect. Evaluate market trends and competitor successes to contextualize shortcomings.Streamline workflows for efficiency. Lastly, consider external factors such as socio-cultural shifts impacting audience preferences. A holistic investigation mostly unveils the root cause, facilitating targeted solutions. #CreativeProblemSolving #MarketingLeadership
Throughout my 20+ years of evaluating creative ideas,a problem lies in one or more of these five contributors: The Brief: A clear + comprehensive creative brief is crucial. Bad briefs lead to misaligned creative ideas. Time Allocation: Sufficient time must be given for brainstorming + idea refinement to prevent rushed decisions from hindering creativity. Team Communication: Effective collaboration + clear feedback are essential to ensure all stakeholders are aligned on project objectives. The Talent: Assess the skills + expertise of the creative team to determine their ability to generate innovative ideas. Scope: Strike a balance between creative freedom & practical constraints within the project's scope to avoid creativity limitations.
Good creative is an easily understood idea that answers a consumer need. If the need doesn't exist or if the concept is too complicated or hard to explain it's not likely to move the needle with consumers.
Pay attention to team discussions and client feedback. Establish open communication channels. Identify patterns in project challenges. Consider the end user's experience. Engage diverse perspectives for insights. Examine relevant data for insights. Refine ideas based on learnings. Experiment and gather real-world feedback.
A fishbone diagram, also known as a cause and effect diagram, is a visual tool that helps you identify and organize the possible causes of a problem. It looks like a fish skeleton, with the problem as the head and the causes as the bones. To use it effectively, you must first define your problem clearly and write it on the right side of the diagram. Then, identify the main categories of causes, such as people, process, environment, or resources, and write them on the left side of the diagram, connected to the problem by a spine. After that, brainstorm the specific causes for each category and write them as sub-branches of the main branches. Afterwards, analyze the diagram and prioritize the most likely and impactful causes. By using this method, you can get a comprehensive and systematic view of the factors that contribute to your problem, allowing you to focus on addressing them.
To maximize the effectiveness of a fishbone diagram, start with a clear and specific definition of the problem. Involve a diverse team to bring in varied perspectives, and support each identified cause with data or evidence. Prioritize the causes based on their impact and solvability. Regularly review and update the diagram as new information emerges. Enhance the fishbone diagram's utility by integrating it with other tools like the 5 Whys or SWOT analysis. Ensure visual clarity in the diagram for easy comprehension, and translate the analysis into actionable steps. Lastly, establish a feedback loop to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented solutions and update the diagram accordingly.
A problem tree is a visual tool that helps you understand the cause and effect relationships of a problem. It looks like a tree, with the problem as the trunk and the causes as the roots. To use a problem tree, you need to define your problem clearly and write it in the center of the diagram. Then, identify the direct and indirect causes of your problem and write them below the problem, connected by arrows. Additionally, identify the consequences of your problem and write them above the problem, connected by arrows. By using a problem tree, you can see how your problem is influenced by different levels of causes, and how it affects different outcomes.
In my oppinon, using a problem tree can be a good tool if you know the exact face of the problem. But if your problem is not clearly defined and is still abstract, I would choose another tool
Identificar o problema é apenas o primeiro passo. O verdadeiro poder está em reimaginar esse problema como um trampolim para solu??es criativas. Lembre-se: na adversidade muitas vezes encontramos as maiores oportunidades para a criatividade. A chave para desbloquear essas solu??es muitas vezes reside em uma abordagem pouco convencional: pensar o contrário. Este método envolve redefinir a maneira como vemos os problemas, transformando-os em oportunidades para inova??o. O contrário de um problema é sempre um benefício. Essa abordagem requer uma mentalidade aberta e a disposi??o para questionar as normas estabelecidas. Ao fazer isso, transformamos os problemas em plataformas para a criatividade e a inova??o.
A problem tree approach is similar to the 5 Why technique where you are probing the problem further to find the roots of the problem. Since the effects/consequences are also mapped in a problem tree approach it helps to visually connect the effects making the process of probing the problem more effective.
Gap analysis is a useful technique for comparing your current situation with your desired situation and pinpointing the gaps that need to be filled. To use a gap analysis, you must first define your current situation and desired situation, writing each on either side of the diagram. Once you have identified the gaps between the two, you can determine the necessary actions to close them. Through gap analysis, you can gain clarity on where you are currently, where you want to be, and how to get there.
Gap analysis is all about pinpointing where your current strategy stands and where you aim to take it. Imagine you're on a journey: you know your starting point and your destination. The 'gap' is the route you need to plot. This could involve enhancing customer engagement, optimizing digital channels, or adapting to new market trends. By identifying these gaps, the analysis offers a clear action plan. It's not just about fixing what's lacking; it's about seizing opportunities to stand out in a crowded market. This tool guides us in making strategic moves to elevate our marketing efforts from effective to exceptional.
Gap analysis is a very effective technique; once you understand the distance and what it takes to cover that distance, you can move in your direction. The gap may be around -understanding your audience, their motives and desires -understanding the competitive landscape and overall market -your internal operations on how you service a customer -If the positioning is well-defined -The price point for the product in the marketplace and more Identify what's lacking and plan how that distance can be closed.
A SWOT analysis is a technique that helps you assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to your problem. To use this tool, create a four-quadrant matrix and label it with the appropriate categories. Then, identify your internal and external factors and write them in the corresponding quadrants. Finally, analyze the matrix and formulate strategies to leverage your strengths, overcome your weaknesses, exploit opportunities, and mitigate threats. By using a SWOT analysis, you can gain an understanding of how your problem is affected by internal and external factors and how to use them to your benefit.
SWOT's a good map, but WH's the key! Peel past symptoms, brick by brick, with relentless. ask "Whys?" Trace connections build chains and find the flaw's origin. Focus on systems, not faces, for true, lasting improvement.
Ofcourse while identifying the root cause of problem during evaluating idea's ?? SWOT Analysis helps Specially In sales and marketing perspective, a SWOT analysis helps assess where your business stands in the market. You can gain insights on how it compares with your competitors and how to leverage your unique selling points to get more market shares. ???
Keep in mind Pareto tool to find the 20% that explains the 80% of your issue. This is more common in economic but is clear in business and marketing as well
It helps to make sure the mission of the organization is well understood as you evaluate the right course of action. SWOT will reveal the situation, but to apply it strategically, it needs to be viewed through the lens of what you are ultimately trying to accomplish.
Most people function "operationally" and ask if you can do "x" to solve their problem, but actually have not looked more strategically to identify what the root cause of the problem actually is...I have dealt with many pharma companies and failed clinical trials and found that a very simple question was never asked at the start..of the drug discovery and development process..."how confident are you in your diagnosis and the potential heterogeneity of patients with this diagnosis, i.e. need to stratify the disease"
Really the first place to start is the business challenge and objectives and identifying any blockages that are hindering progress towards achieving these objectives. This is the real problem to solve. Then it’s a matter of identifying a creative strategy that will cut through to address the problem. Too often we get caught up in creative strategy for creative sake without first identifying the business challenge and linking this all the way through.
The core problem are almost always identified but only a few leaders have the courage to recognise them, take them head-on and then attempt to solve them. Most leaders manage the symptoms to avoid upsetting the apple cart. Hence, I’ve always attempted to spend time to identify the core problem only if there is a real management intent to solve the problem.
1x Entrepreneur | Data Analysis | Data Analyst | ex-AD Executive | Long Distance Runner
Trust your gut feeling. At the end of the day, all of us are consumers in some capacity. Moat's good ideas die because there is paralysis by analysis. When Steve Jobs came up with the iPod, we all knew it was a fantastic idea, even though we didn't know what it was at first. Great ideas tend to have a gravitational pull that resonates with our “consumer” side. We feel it. We know it. Trust your gut feeling.
Another technique I like to have in my arsenal is the 80/20 rule. Think of it this way: usually, 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. Surprising, right? For instance, you might notice that a small chunk of your content is bringing in most of your engagement, or a few of your products are making up the bulk of your sales. Once you spot these hotspots, you can focus more on what's working and less on what isn't. It's all about working smarter, not harder. By zeroing in on these key areas, you're making sure every bit of your effort counts. So next time you're planning a campaign or looking at your sales figures, keep the 80/20 rule in mind. It might just be your secret weapon to boost efficiency and impact