Ideation/Creativity

How Might We

Turn problems into opportunities using optimistic questions. Reframe problem statements and insights into actionable "How might we..." questions. This opens up solution possibilities while staying focused on user needs.

Duration

20 mins

Group Size

4-12

Category

Ideation/Creativity

Difficulty

Easy

You will reframe problems for innovation. You will generate multiple angles for approaching challenges. You will create optimistic and actionable starting points. You will connect research insights to ideation.

"How Might We" questions

Reframed challenges

Foundation for ideation

Keep questions open-ended and optimistic. Avoid "should we" or "can we" questions. Good HMWs are neither too broad (e.g., "How might we make life better?") nor too narrow (e.g., "How might we make the button blue?"). If questions become solutions, reframe them. Instead of "How might we use AI to...", try "How might we help users accomplish X more intelligently?" Watch for negative framing and redirect to opportunities. Generating multiple HMWs from one problem is useful. This shows different angles. This exercise works best after user research or problem definition. Selected HMWs become input for brainstorming.

Problem Review (3 minutes): Review the problem statement or user insight. Make sure everyone understands the challenge. Identify key pain points or needs. Look for different aspects of the problem.

HMW Generation (12 minutes): Transform problems into "How might we..." questions. Write one HMW per sticky note. Aim to generate 15-20+ questions as a group. Keep questions optimistic and open-ended. Ensure they aren't too broad or too narrow. Focus on opportunities, not solutions. No critiquing during generation. Build on others' ideas.

HMW Format Examples:

"How might we make X easier for Y?"

"How might we reduce/increase/improve X?"

"How might we help users accomplish Y without X?"

Voting & Selection (5 minutes): Post all HMW questions on the wall. Each person gets 2-3 votes. Vote for the most promising questions. Select the top 3-5 HMWs to pursue. Use these questions as brainstorming prompts.