it's easy to jump to quick fixes without digging deep into the real issues at hand. This guide will walk you through the steps of identifying, reframing, and solving problems while making sure your ideas turn into strategic actions that truly make an impact.
Where to Start Off?Understand the problem
Start with the problem, not the solution. Too often, we rush to fix something without actually understanding what we’re dealing with. It's like putting a band-aid on a broken leg, you did something, but it’s definitely not the right fix. Instead, take the time to explore the root of the problem. Reframing or looking at the issue from a new perspective helps you understand what's really going on.
Don’t just look for one root cause. Problems usually have a lot of reasons behind them, like an onion with multiple layers. And yes, you might need to revisit this stage again and again. Visualization can help, too. Draw out the problem, map it, and then tweak things if needed. Better to avoid getting stuck thinking there's only one right problem. That mindset is not healthy. It Blinds you to all the other possible causes and opportunities.
2. What's Next? Gather insight
The next step is to gather insights both from outside and inside your organization. This means learning more about your customers, users, market, and competitors. To do this, use different methods like market research, interviews, surveys, and competitor analysis. It helps you understand what’s happening from various perspectives. Why do this? Well, if you understand what people really want or need, you can create better, more targeted solutions that actually matter to them. Also, if you understand the competitors and try to define your positioning in the market, you’ll find clues that make the big picture clearer. This insight can help in making strategic decisions.
3. Then What?Share insights with stakeholders
After you collect all this data, take it back to the stakeholders (anyone who has an interest in the project). Share your findings, ask questions, and let them absorb the information. This isn’t a one-way presentation; it’s more like showing your work to a friend to see if they have a different take on it. Give them time—people need space to process information, and their feedback might surprise you with new angles to explore.
Now it’s time to rethink and reshape. Step back, reflect, and make sure you really understand the problem. This isn’t a waste of time, it’s making sure you’re on the right track before diving into solutions. Ask yourself: "Does this still make sense?" Sometimes, fresh data or insights mean you need to reframe the original problem. Adjusting your perspective now can save a lot of pain later.
4. Which Problem Do We Solve?different ones
Instead of testing one possible solution, experiment with multiple different ideas. Why? Because problems are usually messy, and betting everything on one fix can backfire. Testing different angles gives you a better chance at finding what works, kind of like throwing multiple darts at a target. If you try several approaches, one is bound to stick. Start small, get feedback, and adjust as you go. It’s all about learning quickly without committing to something that might fail.
5. Now what? start Strategic Planning
Now that you have a creative solution, it’s time to plan how to bring it to life. Strategic planning is all about defining the steps, resources, and timelines needed to implement the solution effectively. Think of this as creating a roadmap that turns your innovative ideas into actionable plans. Involve stakeholders again, assign responsibilities, and set clear milestones so everyone knows what needs to be done and by when. This ensures that all the great ideas you’ve come up with don’t just stay ideas, they become real (business speaking, executed).
Finally? Measure the impact
it's essential to measure the impact of your actions. This means setting up metrics to track whether the solution is delivering the intended results. Are customer satisfaction levels improving? Are you meeting your key performance indicators (KPIs)? Gathering data and feedback will help you understand what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve going forward. Measuring the impact allows you to ensure that the strategic changes are adding real value and helps in refining the approach for future initiatives.
Sources:
From My own working experience
Harvard Business Review - Do we understand the problem you're trying to solve?
ChatGPT - Used only for rephrasing
Canva AI tool for the image
Comments