An 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.

Part #1

As promised, we are coming to solutions!

It might seem that once you have a solid problem definition at hand, solution will just come naturally. That seems to be an implication of what Einstein said (“…5 minutes to think about the solution). In my experience, it is not always the case.

I think 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. It is hard, but it is doable.

I encourage you to try and do this as an exercise. See if you can break the problem that you are working on into sub-problems. It will work better for bigger problems, so don’t be frustrated if your problem is “unbreakable”. Feel free to email me if you get stuck.

Let’s say your working problem definition is as follows: “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 my work 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 sub-problems 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

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.

I will show you how to do it in the next section.


Part #2

How is the problem breakdown working for you? 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. You 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 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

Then you start thinking about each sub-problem. “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 solution for that 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 the 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.

You really should become a serial problem solver. 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.


Part #3

“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 certainly love to talk about design problems, even at expense of being perceived as negative and nitpicky. I see every problem as an opportunity to improve the process or product. But like 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 the design problem that is on your plate with someone else. It doesn’t have to be another designer. It might actually be better if it is not a designer, but someone with a different perspective: a developer, business person, or even a potential user.

Your conversation doesn’t have to be formal, and might not make it to case study directly, 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.

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