Are You Solving the Right Problem?

Why reframing is your team's secret weapon

We are all, or at least most of us, wired to solve problems. That is especially true for engineering-led companies (not only us, though), where our default mode is to roll up our sleeves, dive into the details, and get things fixed. It is in our DNA. We don't just build products, we solve complex, technical problems every day.

But here's a question worth asking: Are we solving the right problems?

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The Classic Trap: Fixing What's in Front of You

Let me share an example you might find familiar. A manufacturing plant might have frequent bottlenecks in one of its assembly lines. The initial conclusion? The line speed was too slow. Naturally, the first solutions explored were to upgrade the machinery, increase conveyor speeds, or optimise the control systems. All solid, logical ideas. Very engineering.

But here's the catch: none of those options addressed the root issue.

After stepping back and reframing the problem, the team realised the issue wasn't line speed. It was variability in part delivery to the line, causing unpredictable pauses. The solution wasn't a faster line, it was better coordination and real-time data sharing with the suppliers. Simple, cost-effective, and most importantly, it worked.

This experience echoed Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg's well-known elevator example: tenants complain the elevator is too slow. You can spend millions upgrading the lift or put up a mirror and make the wait feel shorter. Same problem, reframed. Radically different solutions.

Please follow the link below for a deeper dive into Thomas' work https://wedellsblog.com/research/reframing-a-key-problem-solving-tool/

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Reframing Is Not a Luxury, It is Survival

In engineering-led companies, it is easy to focus on technical challenges because they are tangible and measurable. But sometimes, the real problem sits outside the obvious technical domain.

Take product development, for example. If customer complaints centre around "complex interfaces," the reflex might be to rewrite the UI code or add a new feature set. But what if the real issue is poor onboarding? Or that users don't understand how your product fits into their application? In that case, the solution is not in code, it is in customer education or user research.

In fast-moving sectors, whether it's automotive, aerospace, or industrial automation, reframing problems can be the difference between incremental improvement and industry-leading innovation.

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The Cost of Skipping Reframing

If we jump too quickly into solution mode without questioning whether we are solving the right problem, the risk is twofold:

1. We waste time and resources on solutions that don't move the needle.
2. We frustrate our teams because they are working hard but not seeing real impact.

Reframing helps ensure our effort delivers meaningful results.

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Practical Ways to Reframe in Engineering Teams

You don't need a lengthy workshop to start reframing. Here are a few simple techniques that can work well in most engineering businesses:

1. Challenge the First Problem Statement

When a problem is presented, ask: "What is another way to look at this? A leisure marine boatbuilder might struggle with a recurring customer complaint: "Our boats do not track straight at low speeds." The initial response from the engineering team could be to look at the rudder design, propeller alignment, and even reworking the hull shape. All solid, technical avenues, but expensive and time-consuming.

Let's say the team took a step back and reframed the problem. Instead of asking, "How do we make the boat track straighter?" they asked, "When and where are these tracking issues happening?" After digging deeper, they realised the problem wasn't with the boats at all.

It turned out that many of these complaints were coming from marinas and coastal areas with high cross-currents and uneven wind exposure, particularly when the boat was moving slowly or docking. The boat wasn't underperforming, it was reacting exactly as any vessel would in those conditions.

Once they reframed the issue as "How can we make low-speed handling easier in challenging environments?", the solution shifted. Instead of a costly redesign, they focused on offering an optional bow thruster upgrade on smaller models and better customer education on using trim and thrust to counteract conditions. They also enhanced the helm control ergonomics to make fine adjustments simpler.

End result? A better user experience, fewer complaints, and a solution that was quicker and cheaper to implement than going back to the drawing board.

2. Bring in Non-Engineers

Engineers tend to see technical problems. Bring in customer service teams, suppliers, or even the marketing department. You will be amazed how often a fresh perspective highlights something engineers miss. A financial director once gave me an excellent idea for a challenge my engineering team was trying to address; honestly, it was a great idea!

3. Look at the User's Experience, Not Just the Specs

For example, you could think of an engineering team developing an industrial sensor system focused on achieving sub-micron precision. After reframing, they might realise their users value ease of installation more than raw precision. The winning solution? A plug-and-play calibration system.

4. Ask What's Annoying, Not Just What's Broken

Just like the "slow elevator" example, sometimes the problem isn't the technical failure, it's the user experience around it. In manufacturing, a machine's 2-minute warm-up time might be fine on paper but infuriating in practice. Add a pre-heat mode, and suddenly, complaints vanish.

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Engineering Is Problem Solving. Reframing Is Problem Finding.

Engineers are trained to be problem solvers. But in today's competitive landscape, the winners are often those who excel at problem finding, those who ask the better question before proposing the solution.

Reframing isn't just a theoretical exercise. It's a practical tool that can boost your team's creativity, align your projects with customer needs, and unlock solutions that are cheaper, faster, and smarter.

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One Last Thought

In engineering, we obsess over root cause analysis, Six Sigma, and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). But how often do we question whether we are even looking at the right problem to begin with?

Maybe it's time to pause, step back, and reframe.

?? Question for you: What's the last problem your team solved where a simple reframing made all the difference? I would love to hear about it.

See below for more material from Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg.

https://wedellsblog.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BaFeDOa-zs

https://wedellsblog.com/books/