There is no innovation without a problem. What is the problem?
We all know that having ideas is usually a good thing — but genuinely great ideas need to grow out of problems. Talking about issues is uncomfortable. Often, employees and colleagues that point out problems are often labeled as “the unpopular ones”.
None the less, society is built on problem solvers, namely, people that know what to do when a concern arises. Even though companies receive innovation awards, there are no “problem awards”. Innovations are known to move things forward, but they need to be spawned from something — yup, problems!
Problems are mostly perceived as being negative, but in fact, they help to identify customer and user needs. So, in order to kickstart innovation, a problem is needed. Identifying the problem is the first step to create value for your customers and your company. But sometimes, this is not as easy as it might seem. Why is it so hard to identify problems?
A good problem is a rare gift.
Over the last year, my design team and I shared insights with many different colleagues working for manufacturers worldwide. Together, we ran Bootcamps and Co-Creation workshops in search of new ideas.
Before starting a design sprint or a collaboration workshop, we kicked off every process with a discovery session. We wanted to understand the current problems the industry is facing. In the factory, on the shop floors and from the end customers and their team’s perspective. Even though the teams were highly motivated with diverse backgrounds and positions, we still discovered common patterns that prevented the participants from identifying problems.
Problems that are symptoms
People tend to talk in symptoms, e.g., “We need to sell more, “We need to be faster”, “We don’t have enough time”. These are not problems but symptoms of underlying issues. As UX designers, we are trained to sense that and try to dig deeper to understand the real issue better. It is crucial to differentiate if you are talking about a problem or a symptom.
Solution-focused thinking
Employees, engineers and managers are used to putting out “daily fires”. The pace that the industry is moving is increasing, and with it, the urge to quickly solve issues. This tendency can be easily expressed as — quick solutions get rewarded.
Internal and external blockers
Blockers, such as the common hierarchy struggle or new tech adoption, are something that we take as a given. Of course, we can assume how the grey matter’s synapses will condition people’s thoughts or reactions, even though we are always playing the guessing game. Only when we monitor and study people’s behavior ‘in action’ can we gain empirical knowledge.
The big picture
Subjugated by our routine tasks while incarnating our inner firefighter putting out daily fires and pulling metaphoric kitten out of tall metaphorical trees, we often lose sight of the big picture. Of course, we want to reach our goals, but what about the customers’ and users’ needs that will eventually hold our products in their hands? Do we know what our competitors are doing or what their future plans are? What will my job look like in 2035? It is easy to lose ourselves with the randomness of thoughts that invade our minds every day.
The guide to problem awareness
Here is a little guide to sharpen your “spidey sense” for problem awareness. A 4-step program that aims to increase problem visibility, put them on the center stage and shine a spotlight on them like they were Audrey Hepburn. Let’s do this!
1. Change the perspective
For a comprehensive synopsis of the problem/gift at hand, we need to change the point of view. To get an outside perspective, you need to step outside your bubble and look at your workday, factory, or shop floor. Taiichi Ohno, the inventor of the Toyota production system, once drew a chalk circle on the shop floor and demanded that one of his workers stayed within those lines to observe the factory all day. Change your view by putting yourself in your customer/employee shoes and start walking. You will quickly realize many blockers, problems, or even symptoms that haunt your organization.
2. Talk, talk, talk & listen
Use every chance to engage in conversations. For example, in our workshops, we always encourage users or customers to give us an interview. This is of the utmost importance for us and all participants — most often, this feedback births an eye-opening AHA-moment. There are no assumptions. It all comes down to facts.
Start talking to your users, operators, stakeholders and customers, now! Ask questions and be curious. Listen carefully and thoughtfully. Discuss your learning and always share your experiences with the team.
3. Be bold
Invite and mostly listen to people you disagree with, even if those opinions make you a tad uncomfortable. Become in peace with your inner self and admit that you do not know everything. This is a vital step. Record problems in your workplace, take pictures, notes, leave stickies for others to reply. You can even draw if you feel like unleashing your Picasso. Collect feedback from your customer, do not try to solve everything your customers want, and focus on what they need.
4. Identify and phrase the problem
After you have successfully captured a problem, dissect it and make sure that anyone can understand it. Different techniques within design thinking might help to phrase a problem. The first step is to ask the “four W’s” — Who, What, Where and Why. Who is experiencing the issue? What is the problem? Where does it manifest itself? Why does it matter? Collect your finding and talk to the stakeholders that are being impacted by this issue. The important thing here is to get confirmation and validation that your conclusions are correct.
This is the way.
Starting with a well-defined problem validated by user research is the way to innovate. Always try to change perspective, look at your problems, big or small, with an enquiring mind and listen carefully to people who have to deal with these issues daily.
Photo by Andrew “Donovan” Valdivia on Unsplash
