How Might We Statements
What is it?
You can use this technique to shift the challenges you have identified into opportunities. It helps you to write an active, ambitious and bold statement
Why and when should I use this?
Once you've identified a range of challenges, you can use the 'How Might We' technique to shift from focusing on problems to exploring opportunities. A key strength of the design approach is its ability to reframe challenges as chances to do things differently. 'How Might We' statements help you focus on bold and ambitious opportunities, centring on what you want to change, rather than just the problem itself.
How much time should I spend on this?
20 minutes. Give yourself time to draft a few different versions of your statement and work with your team to refine, and adapt your ideas.
Who should I involve in this?
Involve your project team or depending on the context, anyone who has been involved in identifying key challenges. Involve your project team or depending on the context, anyone who has been involved in identifying key challenges.
How to use it...
- Dot vote on challenges: Use three dots each to vote on the challenges you want to take forward.
- Draft your How Might We statements: Use blank cards to individually draft your statements. Start with 'How Might We' to help flip the challenges you have identified into an opportunity.
- Check your statements: Strong 'How Might We's are persuasive, active, specific about what they want to achieve and who will be involved, and focus on opportunity, not solutions.
- Vote on the strongest How Might We's: As a team, use dots to vote on the strongest statements.
- Refine your final statement: Use the strongest statements to refine your final statement as a team.