The FinLab Toolkit

HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN | IDEATION

Design Challenge

30 Min

A Design Challenge provides necessary direction and constraints for meaningful solutions to emerge. Framed in the form of 'How Might We…?’ statements, Design Challenges help problem solvers think from a solution oriented lens. The quality of challenge statements framed reflects a team's understanding of problems and opportunities that are worth solving.

USE CASES

  • Translate a complex problem or opportunity into a clear solution oriented brief for solutioning.
  • Define constraints for brainstorming.

LIMITATIONS

It is crucial that challenges reflect insights and learnings from research. Challenges that fail to do so risk derailing the solutioning process. Also, it is important to first list multiple challenges before focusing on a final set that seems relevant and exciting.

Beginners Guide to How Might We

UNDERSTANDING THE TOOL

  • The ‘Solution Goal’ captures the intended impact of the solution and who it will benefit. For example, improve experience by making interactions simpler for users who are not experts in technology use.
  • The ‘Opportunities’ are to be framed as How Might We (HMW) challenge statements. To frame HMWs, a team should look back at insights, learnings, and principles. Each HMW needs to be specific in scope. For example, HMW onboard to enhance the experience for users who may not be experts? Or HMW provide voice based guidance to users as a way to enhance experience?
  • The final ‘Design Challenge’ is a HMW statement that a team chooses to proceed with.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Define the solution goal: Before defining specific challenges, outline a guiding goal for the solutioning exercise.
  2. Define challenges: Translate the goal into a series of challenge statements, follow the general guidance provided in the template while defining HMWs.
  3. Prioritise challenge: Build consensus on a relevant and exciting challenge that the team can rally around.

HOW TO FOR FACILITATORS

  1. At the start: Make sure teams understands the template. Ask them to keep their insights, learnings, and principles handy.
  2. During the exercise: Help participants draw from their previous insights and learnings to frame the right Solution Goal and HMW statements.
  3. At the close: Have teams walk you through their HMWs and final challenge, and discuss how they arrived at them.

FACILITATORS QUESTION BANK

  • Does the team have a clear idea of what they are trying to achieve?
  • What problem are you solving and for whom?
  • What HMWs are you gravitating towards? Why?
  • Do any other HMWs come to mind?
  • Are the HMWs actionable? Should they be made more specific or perhaps be broader?
  • Which HMW do you feel is the strongest?

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