Not Solving, the Problem T he real added-value in busi- as a pain point can be converted ness today is in problem- into a gain point. These examples framing; not in problem- also reiterate what Henry Ford solving. Knowing how to ask the said almost 100 years ago: If I right question from the outset is had asked my customer what they critical. Problem solving has, in wanted, they would have said a many ways, become a commodity faster horse- not a hunk of metal activity. Problem framing is at the that is mechanized, motorized root of the more creative insight Problem framing is at and propels through space on four which leads to innovation. wheels. Sometimes your user cant Daniel Pink made this similar the root of the more articulate the need. Thus, weve Natalie W. Nixon, got to find ways to get beyond the Ph.D., is director of the point when he spoke last month creative insight which at an Arts and Business Council SWOT analysis, and beyond the Strategic Design MBA at event at World Caf Live, while leads to innovation. focus group, to get to the next big Philadelphia University. explaining the salient messages idea- and to gain insight on whats Learn more at philau.edu/ from his newest book To Sell Is already been developed. More strategicdesignmba. Human. So many businesses user centered, qualitative research plunge ahead, merrily continuing methods as found in design think- to sell products and services that ing have to be used in tandem with they assume still resonate with more linear, analytical processes. their end user in a meaningful Design thinking applies the problem way. In fact, often the end user solving process that designers use- has adapted the product or ser- variations of observation, ideation, vice to better align with their real MRGREEN prototyping, testing the prototype, needs- not the perceived needs and then reiterating- and applies it that are part of the companys to marketing strategies, financial early stage product or services operations, service delivery and Hambrose, CEO of Electronic Ink here in launch. management. Philly. Harold recently was on the Phila- Ill give you two examples, the first Design thinking, a user centered problem delphia University campus speaking to shared by a Proctor & Gamble associ- framing and problem solving methodology, students about what he calls the human ate. Proctor and Gamble conducted a is scalable (it can be applied in a weeks truth- that which lies between the abstract focus group asking customers around the time and in a years time) and it can be business process and the technology table about a laundry detergent. Everyone expanded in terms of scope (to products solution. Highlights from his talk only around the table sang the detergents and to services). reinforced this notion that framing the praises, and said that the detergent was So how do you ask the better questions, problem is just as, if not more, important great, that they loved it, and there were no and frame the better problem, to begin than the problem solving process. He problems with it. One P&G associate asked to hone in on interesting opportunities? gave an example of working with a client, if someone in the group would be willing In other words, how do you turn pain a call center in India, where the outcome to let her observe them at home doing their points into gain points? An integrative of deep and systematic observation was laundry. When the P&G associate visited approach is key. In the Strategic Design a technological solution that helped to the customer in their home, in the intimacy MBA at Philadelphia University, we like to redesign how employees worked. The of their laundry space, what they discov- say that we teach you how to integrate the call center employees were redirected to ered was a bit astonishing. The customer analytical intelligence of business with the engage in open-sourcing, by posting and had tied a piece of string with a paper clip creative intelligence of design to get to the commenting on one anothers ideas to attached to the end, and used the contrap- innovative insight. This isnt an MBA for troubleshoot kinks in the system. Elec- tion to nudge open the metal tab on the designers although design is in the name, tronic Ink redirected work flow processes, box of detergent. The user had adapted our first cohort has people from a range so that employees essentially showed up CONTRIBUTE the design of the box to suit her needs. of backgrounds and sectors including to a gaming environment every day. The Now although this example is about a product management, textile marketing, Send comments, letters lesson here is that your internal front line product, the lessons from it can be applied industrial design, insurance, social work and essays to feedback@ team, often has the solution to your service to services, experiences and processes. The and engineering. Short of enrolling in our regionsbusiness.com. delivery problems and there are ways to main lesson is that your customer does not program, start with having empathy for Opinions expressed by get their buy-in to ask new questions, and always know how to articulate the latent your user! Begin to simply ask, and not guest writers do not therefore frame new problems. need. assume, if what you are making & selling is necessarily reflect those The Electronic Ink and Proctor & Gamble The second example comes from Harold solving the problem you think it is solving. of Regions Business. stories both point out that what starts out
(Evolutionary Psychology) Virgil Zeigler-Hill, Lisa L. M. Welling, Todd K. Shackelford - Evolutionary Perspectives On Social Psychology (2015, Springer) PDF