Reframing a Problem Statement

Note: A longer version of this article with more content and insights is published at Medium.com/@antzFx.

Interpretation of ‘improving’ something is not always about efficiency or saving time; it can be about creating a memorable experience as well! We all start with a problem statement or a client brief in a Design Thinking Workshop. In the Double Diamond Design Process, ‘How Might We (HMW) questions’ or the ‘Final Brief’ sits exactly at the middle, separating the two diamonds of ‘doing the right things’ and ‘doing things right.’ A good HMW question is a ‘reframed’ problem statement that will open up the boundaries of ideation resulting in better solutions.

Let me illustrate this by narrating the story of Laila and her friend.

Laila's Shopping

Laila and her friend decide to go for shopping at M. G. Road, the commercial high street of Kochi, where there are many shopping malls and eateries. They drive to the place in Laila’s car. Only one problem: there is no ample car parking space in that stretch of road.

After hunting for a parking space in vain, Laila decides to stop the car at the kerbside near a ‘No Parking’ sign. Her friend gets out of the car, darts across the street and goes into a shopping mall while Laila patiently sits in the car alone. After half an hour, her friend reappears with some shopping bags and they start the return journey together.

If we are trying to define a problem statement from the above story, it might look like this.

If we are proceeding to ideation, this problem statement might trigger the following solutions.

• A mobile app that shows nearby parking slot availability
• A mobile app based valet parking service
• …

“Why?”

On second thoughts, if we start to ask “why?” to the above problem statement, a new problem statement will reveal itself. If we ask “why” again and again (some say, five times!), we will arrive at the core — the real, reframed problem statement.

1. “How might we help Laila to find a parking space?”
2. “Why Laila needs to find a parking space?”
3. …

It turns out that the core of the problem statement is not about parking; it is about the experience of shopping together.

Now the ideation on the reframed problem statement might yield…

• Ditch the car and use public transport instead— metro rail or feeder bus service to M. G. Road
• A virtual reality tour and online shopping experience of M. G. Road
• …

Double Diamond: No two diamonds are alike!

A ‘reframed’ problem statement will open up the boundaries of ideation resulting in better solutions.

Always spend time making sure that we are trying to solve the right problem. Arrive at a ‘How Might We’ question — a distilled, reframed problem statement. Because asking the right question is as important as answering them.

A longer version of this article with more content and insights is published at Medium.com/@antzFx.