A tool to help you formulate the problem you are trying to solve in an open and creative way. A design challenge is a question that starts with “How might we…”.
A Design Challenge allows you to explore many different facets of your problem. Your design challenge is open ended with no right answer which allows for creativity and innovation but it also helps to set the stage for your project by being very clear on the problem and context.
Design phase:
Materials:
Time:
1. Write down the challenge you are trying to solve in a short sentence.
2. Formulate this problem into a “How Might We…? (HMW)” statement. For example: "How might we support Kenyan youth in living an healthier life?" or "How might we increase the digital readiness of our target group?"
3. Describe the ultimate impact you would like to achieve. For example: "Kenyan youth are motivated to live and eat more healthy" or "Our target group is digital ready enough to find and maintain employment"
4. Check if your HMW question allows you to come up with multiple answers quickly. If not, reformulate it.
5. Describe the context of the problem. This can be linked to geography, technology, time frame etc.
6. Reformulate your Design Challenge based on the answers under step 3 and 5. Discuss with your team or colleagues: Does this challenge align with your business vision? Does it need to be reviewed?
Your Design Challenge is the starting point for the design process. It helps to map key actors and perspectives you need to explore before finding a solution. It does not constrain you to one solution to solve yet it helps your team to keep focus throughout your design process.
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