An Idea Machine
Identify, define and solve problems. Do it over and over again to become a serial problem solver, an unstoppable idea machine.
Note: originally this article was presented as 3 separate emails. Now all 3 are combined, but still sectioned. I’d recommend you to stop between the parts and do the applicable assignments before moving on.
Big problem → Small problems
As promised, we are coming to solutions!
It might seem that once you have a solid problem definition on hands, solution will just come naturally. That seems to be an implication of what Einstein said (55 minutes to think about the problem and 5 minutes — about the solution). In my experience, it is not always the case.
The main problem (no pun intended) is that design problems are complex in nature. Every problem is actually a collection of problems. However, they are so intertwined that it is hard to break them apart, lay them out and tackle them one at a time.
I encourage you to try and do this as an exercise. See if you can break the problem that you are working on into smaller (sub) problems.
This exercise works best for larger problems, so don’t be frustrated if your problem is “unbreakable”. It might already be small enough.
Feel free to email me if you get stuck.
Example
Let’s say your working problem definition goes like this: “I need to build a compelling UX portfolio where I can showcase my design skills, demonstrate the value I can provide, get noticed, and get hired”.
It is definitely a big problem that can be broken into subproblems. One way to do it is like this:
Create an About me page where I present some fact about myself
Create a collection of case studies
Present each case study in a unique and creative way
Add a way to contact me so recruiters can get in touch with me
Add links to my social media profiles so recruiters can learn more about me
As you can see there are at least 4 subproblems that you can focus on and tackle one at a time.
In fact, some of these can be broken into sub-sub-problems. For example, the first About Me problem can be broken into:
Talk about my education
Talk about my experience
Talk about my skills
Add some fun facts about myself
Link to a resume and a CV
Each case study can be a broken into a number of subproblems as well:
Present problem definition
Personas
User journey or story map
Sketch solutions
Refine solutions
Test solutions
etc.
It is a very useful exercise to go as granular and fine as you can. From here, you can take each piece of the problem and tackle it one at a time.
Become and idea machine
Jeff Patton in User Story Mapping is talking about crushing rocks, that is breaking big stories into smaller ones.
He is talking about stories from the project management point of view. The idea is similar, and actually is applicable in all areas of our lives.
We break something big into more manageable chunks all the time.
For example, cooking supper. It might start with “hey, it is about time we have something to eat. I am starving!”, but has to be a bit more specific in order to get done.
You might break the supper problem into:
I need something substantial for the main course (I am starving!)
It might be good to have a salad (at least something healthy)
Wouldn’t mind some desert after that
And drinks too…
Then you start thinking about each subproblem. “I wish there were some leftovers from last night… It will take forever to cook this thing… Those greens don’t look too fresh… There is really nothing for desert…” As you are thinking how to tackle each problem one by one you might realize that your only feasible solution for the night is to eat out.
Decisions about suppers are not always easy, so it might not be the best example.
In many cases you do the breaking automatically without even thinking about it at all. This is especially true for things that you’ve done many times before.
Now, let’s shift back to design problems.
How often do you design a fitness app, or think about how to simplify a user flow, or how to present a certain piece of information in the interface? If you are not a practicing designer probably not that often.
And this is the challenge. If you are just starting in design, thinking about design problems is hard. It is not natural, and it doesn’t come easy. Good news is, it won’t be that way all the time. The more you work on the problems the easier it will become.
To combat that you should become a serial problem solver, an idea machine!
You might be thinking, where do I find problems to solve?
It is not that hard actually. You don’t even have to look for them. Here is a simple trick.
Next time you interact with a product and your experience is not optimal (or plain broken) turn your frustration into an opportunity. First, identify the problem. Figure out what exactly is not working. Define the problem. And then think of the ways to solve it. The more ways the better. Sometimes the first solution that comes to mind is not the best no matter how obvious it is.
Try that for a while, and see if you can develop a habit of spotting problems (opportunities), and figuring out how to solve them.
Designers love talking about problems
“How are you?” This is a common way to say “Hi” in North America, and actually in many places around the world. Of course, in response we rarely want to hear anything but “Good”. After all, who likes talking about problems and difficulties?!
It turns out designers do! Not sure if it is true for all designers, but I love to talk about design problems, even at expense of being perceived as negative and nit-picky. I see every problem as an opportunity to improve the process or product.
I said before, in order to solve the problem you have to first understand it, and understand it well. And even though merely talking about a problem is not the best strategy for tackling it, talking through it certainly helps.
That is what I encourage you to do. Talk about a design problem that is on your plate with someone else. It doesn’t have to be another designer. It might be better if it is not a designer, but someone with a different perspective: a developer, sales person, or a potential user.
Your conversation doesn’t have to be formal. And it might not provide any material to add to a case study, but it should help you to clarify your thinking about the problem.
Do that also when you feel stuck.
Find someone to talk to about the problem you are working on. You can even share your sketches, and mocks with others to kickstart a discussion, and a conversation about the problem you are trying to tackle. Often, getting some feedback, and a different perspective is all you need to get supercharged and move forward.