Solutions looking for problems

Why is the world full of them?

The engineers shuffled into the conference room, carrying a device between them. They placed this machine gently on the table, and explained how it works.

It was an impressive piece of technology that had required considerable genius to develop. So, he asked his usual question.

What’s it for?

The engineers sighed, and once more explained in even greater detail how the machine worked. He stopped them before they got too deep into their topic. A misunderstanding.

He didn’t want to know how it works. He wants to know why it exists at all. He reframed his question.

What problem do we have that this device solves?

This is usually when the meeting becomes awkward, because once more the engineers have constructed a magnificent solution for which a suitably valuable problem must now be found.

Great.

Here we go again.

You might think that the proper way to devise innovative solutions to difficult new problems is to return to the source. To talk to the customer.

You might be wrong.

The customer will tell you their woes, and from this you could construct a formal…