A Problem Understood is a Problem Half Solved

In a Q&A over at Functioning Form, Tom Chi gave us this nugget:

Usually when a group of smart people is at an impasse for a long time, it is because the problem is poorly framed, not because their solutions are not good. Unfortunately, it is par for the course in the tech industry to try to bowl headlong into solving things even before we know what the problem is, or the criteria for success. Defining a problem is also an extremely creative activity. If you are falling back to the same lame problem statements and measures of success, then you aren’t really trying. And there are a ton of reasons to try. The most important is that a well defined-and exciting problem (and its associated constraints) is the catalyst that makes design go. By not drawing a clear and compelling problem, you are cheating your team out of an incredible unifying and driving energy.

Comments

Craig said…

Hi Roger

This blog post put me in mind of Mike Ramm's Blog title; Stop and Think!

Tue Dec 18, 06:39:00 PM 2007

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