Synthèse

Seven ideas to make sure you solve the right problem

Thinking about the future and finding solutions to current concerns is like answering a math test: you have no chance of getting it right until you’ve understood all the terms of the problem. Analyzing a tricky issue means taking into account all the factors that may have contributed to its emergence, including previous events, external stakeholders and contextual information. And sometimes you need to do more than formulate a problem correctly to come up with the right answer. In fact, it’s just as important to look for inspiration elsewhere, in a situation where the problem did not occur, for example, or from others who have experienced a similar challenge.  

Frame the terms of your problem … 

“If there’s no solution, it’s because there is no problem” was a favorite saying of the Shadoks, bird-like creatures that starred in a popular animated French television series. But author Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg suggests something slightly different: if you don’t have a good solution, it may be because you don’t have the right problem.  

Before launching headlong into the search for the best possible idea for extracting yourself from a given situation, take the time to analyze it first. Start by summing up the issue in a short sentence, ideally starting with the words: “The problem is that …” At first, stick to the description of the difficulty as it was initially presented to you, without trying to interpret it. So, when faced with co-workers complaining about the time wasted waiting for the elevator in your office building, the best choice of words would be, “The problem is that people are complaining about waiting for the elevator,” rather than, “The problem is that our elevator is too slow.” Even if the second option seems more factual, it actually has a very different scope from the first. Tackling a slow elevator means trying to find a technical response; in the face of impatient colleagues, on the other hand, you’ll look for a psychological response (why not put a mirror up next to the elevator to divert the attention of visitors to something they find utterly fascinating?). 

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