How to stop solving the wrong problems
12 min readJul 5, 2022
In my conference talk “Why we’re solving the wrong problems”, I shared many reasons designers (engineers, and product folks) can find themselves either focusing on the wrong problem or the wrong solution.
In the simplest possible terms, one of the reasons we solve the wrong problems is because we’re not thinking big enough. We are throwing bandaids at broken limbs.
How do we stop solving the wrong problems (and start solving the right ones)?
I introduce two kinds of bigger thinking that can help us assess where the real problem lies.
The first way to think bigger about a problem is by zooming out and in.
It’s crucial to look beyond the thing/ interface/ piece and look at the system it exists within.
Sometimes that means considering how a product is delivered as a part of a service. You see, the distinction between a product and a service is increasingly blurred.
