"The problem is we don't understand the problem": Problem Framing as a tool to align stakeholders and develop accurate design solutions
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Held April 30th at "Design to Align", DMI / Intersection15 conference for Strategic Enterprise Design, Berlin http://2015.intersectionconf.com The purpose of design is to solve problems. Its added value is not only derived from shaping good solutions: it is equally about getting the problem right in the first place. Often enough in practice though, gaining an accurate, shared understanding of a design problem is neglected in favour of intense involvement with potential solutions. Which can lead to situations later in the process where it turns out everyone involved has a completely different set of unspoken assumptions on the underlying issue, or you may even discover you've developing the perfect response to the wrong question. In his talk, Rupert will outline the benefits of (re-) framing problems as a universal design technique and share practical tips for shaping precise and actionable problem statements.
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"The problem is we don't understand the problem": Problem Framing as a tool to align stakeholders and develop accurate design solutions
- 1. Problem framing as a design technique Rupert Platz / r000pert / #designtoalign / April 30, 2015 „Theproblemiswedon‘t understandtheproblem“
- 3. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Vis_aerienne_Luc_Viatour.jpg pictures.propdesigner.co.uk uxmag.com/articles/you-are-solving-the-wrong-problem 1959: The Kremer Prize £50,000 awarded for a human-powered aircraft.
- 4. Paul McCready: “The problem is we don’t understand the problem” Wrong problem: How do we build a plane that will fly around the poles? Right problem: How do we build a plane that can be rebuilt quickly over and over again? pictures.propdesigner.co.uk uxmag.com/articles/you-are-solving-the-wrong-problem
- 5. 1977: McCreadys plane flies and wins the prize http://uxmag.com/articles/you-are-solving-the-wrong-problem pictures.propdesigner.co.uk uxmag.com/articles/you-are-solving-the-wrong-problem The Gossamer Condor: A lightweight plane that could quickly be reassembled and flewn again up to three times in a single day. The prize was won by re-framing the problem and asking the appropriate question in the first place.
- 7. Figuring out the key problem together by aswering the who, what, where and why Collective Problem Framing in Lean Product Design lean.org/LeanPost/Posting.cfm?LeanPostId=260
- 10. https://www.flickr.com/photos/joshkemble/4885545985 Isn‘t the problem self-evident? Let‘s go tackle it.
- 11. lickr.com/photos/elkcat/8173044415 Isn‘t design all about solving – being creative and having ideas?
- 12. Beware of analysis paralysis. freese.com/blog/feedback-and-fishbones-solve-fort-worth-drainage-review-concerns
- 13. And … who likes problems anyway? https://www.flickr.com/photos/11325321@N08/6822409862 me <3
- 15. #1 Avoiding to design the perfect, yet wrong thing. necrophone.com/2014/02/15/yes-you-can-sell-ice-to-eskimos-part-i/
- 16. Extrinsic / defensive motivation: „Something is going wrong. How can we fix it again?“ #2 Discovering problems can point to opportunities. Intrinsic / transformative motivation: „We want to evolve and grow. How can we find a new perspective?“
- 17. #3 Turn isolated assumptions into a common commitment. flickr.com/photos/atheism_christian_apologetics/11078762214
- 19. Complex Complicated Chaotic Obvious Complex Unknown unknowns: Experiment to determine the problem & solve it Complicated The unknowns are known Good practices exist Experts can help Chaotic Situation is out of hand Regain control first, evaluate later Obvious Problem is well understood Apply best practices Chances are you‘re in the „complex“ quadrant. (The Cynefin Framework: Situation types & their solution strategies) everydaykanban.com/2013/09/29/understanding-the-cynefin-framework/ Disorder
- 20. We‘ve gone from classic one-way-waterfall … Define the problem to solve Define the solution to implement Execute Open idea space Narrow down Analyze
- 21. … to validating and iterating our solutions. Define the problem to solve Define the solution to validate Validate,decide: Right solution? Open idea space Narrow down
- 22. But problems are a part of the design process, and should be validated as well. Define the problem to validate Define the solution to validate Validate, decide: Right solution? Right problem? Open problem space Narrow down Open idea space Narrow down
- 23. In the process, be ready to change both. Open problem space Narrow down Open idea space Narrow down
- 25. • Verbalize unspoken thoughts and assumptions of stakeholders • Create shared understanding of the issue Gather assumptions and interpretations Example #1: The problem is felt, but fuzzy „Our recruiting platform is outdated.“ Make collective sense Define the key problem
- 26. Evaluate potentially relevant problems Example #2: Insights galore, key problem needed „We need the right focus to get our offering to the next level.“ Prioritize, sharpen • Find the problem that‘s the most promising • Know what you‘ll want to solve and why Define the key problem
- 27. Example #3: Step back to revise a planned solution „So we‘ll have a social intranet platform – but what for actually?“ Revise underlying problems Prioritize, sharpen • Tough, but common: Become less determined about the solution and more accurate about the problem • Be ready to revise or even dismiss the initial solution Define the key problem Revised solution Initial solution
- 28. Example #4: A known problem needs re-framing „How do we build a better mp3 player?“ Prioritize, sharpen • Take the problem out of its box and illuminate its context • iPod & iTunes: From „Building a new mp3 player“ to „fixing the whole experience of obtaining and enjoying digital music“ Given problem Expand / abstract the problem space Define new key problem
- 30. It should answer the 4 Ws: Who What Where Why
- 31. Who What Where Why WHO is having the problem? Who • Who are the „customers“ – the ones having the problem and benefitting from its future solution? • Can you narrow them down to a segment? • What do you know about them?
- 32. Who What Where Why WHAT is the nature of the problem? What • Are you sure it‘s a problem? • Is it a task or a need? • Is it functional or social or emotional? • Is it openly stated or unconscious? • How do you know? Is there evidence? • Can you explain is simply?
- 33. Who What Where Why • In which context / situation do your „customers“ experience the problem? • Have you observed the problem in context? • Can you describe it? WHERE does the problem arise? Where
- 34. Who What Where Why • Is it acute enough to put other problems aside? (impact, frequency, …?) • What would be the key value for them? • How would it improve their situation (make sth. more efficient, cheap, enjoyable, reassuring, …)? WHY do you believe we should solve it? (for them) Why #1
- 35. Who What Where Why • Is it promising enough to put other problems aside? • What would be the key value for us to solve it? • How will it help achieve our business goals? • How does it align with our strategy / brand? WHY do you believe we should solve it? (for us) Why #2
- 36. A simple Problem Statement template: Who What Where Why #1 Why #2 [customer segment, persona] [issue, task, need, „job“] [context, situation]. [benefit of solution for them] [benefit of solution for us]. has the problem that when / while An ideal solution would while Our
- 37. Here‘s an example …: flickr.com/photos/jump4joy/2940124563/
- 38. A possible Problem Statement: Who What Where Why #1 Why #2 long distance family holiday passengers they have to spend a highly uncomfortable time waiting in transit lounges for delayed connecting flights. help them make the best of the wait/ arrive less exhausted creating new revenues and raising customer satisfaction. have the problem that when An ideal solution would while Our flickr.com/photos/jump4joy/2940124563/
- 39. This helps pave the way for a good Solution Statement: Family relaxation rooms for rent with wake up service staying in the airport hall / in an airport hotel be way more comfortable / be availiable for a shorter timespan Unlike this will Our solution: What Current solutions Difference flickr.com/photos/jump4joy/2940124563/
- 41. Name causes, not symptoms. Who What help desk staff support calls take too long.have the problem that Our they lose time searching through multiple databases.
- 42. A lack of solution X is not the real problem. Who What help desk staff there is no unified search across our CRM systems have the problem that Our they lose time searching through multiple databases.
- 43. Don‘t take goals and targets for design problems. Who What recruiting department they need to raise successful senior staff engagement by 10% next year. has the problem that Our long-term relationships with young management talents are lost over time. Why #2help raise successful senior staff engagement. A ideal solution would
- 44. Avoid wishful thinking from inside the building. Whofemale fashion customers there is no convenient way to stay informed about our latest sales offerings. have the problem that Our they feel overwhelmed with putting together their casual office outfit every morning. What
- 45. Don‘t blame. Whoservice suppliers our IT have implemented a new, inadequate purchasing platform that won ‘t work. have the problem that Our our new platform does not match their routine needs. What
- 46. Be specific and avoid industry buzzwords. Who What teenage usersOur they miss delightful experiences that match their digital lifestye aspirations. they want to keep track of up to six different social networks during class. have the problem that
- 47. Keep it short. Whocarrier clients although appropiate measures had been taken by BHCL in alignment with the KC5 programme and approved by KK-12, an internal study conducted in 2013 found out that carriers should be limited or excluded in cases where an event has been caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. have the problem that Our What
- 48. Howyoucanruna4Ws ProblemFramingWorkshop 48 Adapted from Will Evans, lean.org/LeanPost/Posting.cfm?LeanPostId=260
- 49. • Take 8 to 24 people for 1 to 3 hours • Mix disciples and divide into teams no larger than 4 • Have a neutral designer-facilitator for each team Ingredients The ones to have the problem The ones to find & design the solution The ones to implement it The ones responsible for the biz outcome
- 50. • What‘s our goal today? • What is the known problem scope? • What are our targets / strategy / brand values? • What do we know about the „customer“? • What‘s the course of action now? Short introduction and illumination
- 51. Why #1 Why #2 • Examine each quadrant & write two post-its for each • Present & discuss within your team • Start the conversation so that a shared understanding emerges First round: Do the 4W individually Who What Where
- 52. • Use the problem statement template card • Read them to the rest of the team & have the others vote • The strongest one or two problem statements emerge from each team Second round: Write a problem statement [ ____________ ] [ ____________ ] [ ____________ ] [ ____________ ] [ ____________ ] has the problem that when / while An ideal solution would while Our Who What Where Why #1 Why #2
- 53. • Present your team problem statements to the others • Critique and question • Check the problem statements for clarity and coherence Third round: Feedback with the other groups
- 54. • Don‘t expect immediate consensus. It‘s about voicing different assumptions and collaborative sensemaking first. • Don‘t expect turnkey statements. You will still have to formulate and validate the problem yourself. • Be strict about the do‘s and don‘ts • Expecially don‘t allow solution statements and fake needs • Keep an idea pool ready to put solution ideas aside • Mix the groups well. Avoid putting multiple supporters of a certain solution in the same group Some tips & suggestions
- 55. https://www.flickr.com/photos/11325321@N08/6822409862 So, care about your problem if …
- 56. https://www.flickr.com/photos/11325321@N08/6822409862 So, care about your problem if … • you‘re in the „complex situation“ domain and the problem just isn‘t that obvious • you can‘t afford solving the wrong problem • everybody involved has different unspoken assumptions about the issue • you want to create common purpose and commitment for the solution work („culture of shared ownership“) • you want to know how to validate your solution‘s success • you are ready to experiment, learn and re-frame
- 57. Thank you and have a good flight! flickr.com/photos/tom-margie/1429937325 twitter.com/r000pert / xing.com/profile/rupert_platz / linkedin.com/in/rupertplatz
Notes de l'éditeur
- About me – im an IA & interaction designer & i find it important for designers to co-shape the strategy of things – define & understand why I‘m building stuff & for whom & what makes it successful
- In that context … Stumbled upon 2011
- It's 1959, British billionaire Henry Kremer offered an award of 50.000 Pound for the first person to build an airplane that could fly a figure eight around two poles 800 meters apart. Dozens of engineering teams tried and failed to build that airplane, years went by.
- Paul McCready, aeronautical engineer, decided to take the challenge in the seventies, and he allegedly coined the phrase “The problem is we don’t understand the problem” His insight was about the problem, not the solution. He found out that everyone would spend more than a year planning and building an airplane that would then crash within minutes of its first test flight, and then the team had to spend another year building the next version. Mc Cready came up with a new problem that he set out to solve: how can you build a plane that can be rebuilt in hours not months?
- In 1977, eighteen years after the prize was awareded and within just half a year, McCready won the prize. He built this thing here, the Gossamer Condor,with new lightweight materials that could be re-built easily Sometimes he would fly three or four different planes in a single day. Two years later he won the second Kremer Prize with another man powered plane for flying across the english channel. Great legend to convey the benefits of agile and lean thinking - iterating through quick builds, fail fast & often, Build Measure, learn and so on But the Story struck me for a different reason – According to this story, McCready didnt win the prize for designing the best plane but for being the only one to ask the right question. Regardless of the process, regardless of the respective design domain we‘re in – taking a close look at the problem to solve is a step that is often rushed by, and this bears the risk of designing the wrong solutions.
- Comes from Lean Startup thinking, - the startup world, where building the right product (not just: a good product but the right one) is a matter of life and death
- Helped me figure out how to put this into practice Major german corporation hired me as a designer for a new major digital project As it goes often times, it was more or less technically predefined what was going to be built. But it was unclear what the whole thing really was going to be good for There was substantial mgmt attention on the project and lots of stakeholders needed to be aligned and everybody had a different idea about this upcoming new product. The lead designer in the project who hired me said: “We need to figure out what problem this thing will solve. I stumbled upon this problem framing technique called 4Ws by the Lean UX Guru Will Evans, let’s try this.” it really helped to get people on the same page, figure out the actual purpose and the goal of the product and get a clear vision of the design challenge. It didn’t all work out pefectly and it didn’t have that huge enterprise transforming impact I’d love to tell you about, but I was struck how powerful this approach of collectively framing a problem at the start of a project can be. So I kept delving into the topic ever since and I’m seizing the opportunity here and now to share with you what I’ve learned and figured out so far.
- Of course you can spend ages on diagnosing a problem. But getting your fingers dirty right away instead of ana
- Nobody really likes dealing with problems. in the problem-solution couple, it‘s the unattractive one. You dont want to examine it, you want to kill it with your solution. But in reality, you shold embrace it.
- Ist a question of motivation
- 6 Blind men from Indostan
- Cynefin framework situation typology
- The problem comes from just somewhere Either black Black Box, or if its transparent, in both cases we dont validate & change it
- Classic Problem-Problem in the COMPLEX domain, where theres no troubleshooting manual or expert to help you Get all the assumptions together & work to the core Share and challenge analyses drawn so far Get everybody on the same page Verbalize
- There are many problems, which ones important? Discuss to narrow down Frequency, impact are good criteria
- There are many problems, which ones important? Discuss to narrow down Frequency, impact are good criteria
- Nobody really likes dealing with problems. in the problem-solution couple, it‘s the unattractive one. You dont want to examine it, you want to kill it with your solution. But in reality, you shold embrace it.
- Nobody really likes dealing with problems. in the problem-solution couple, it‘s the unattractive one. You dont want to examine it, you want to kill it with your solution. But in reality, you shold embrace it.
- 1909 Givaudan