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10 Module 3 – Problem Assessment
Learning Objectives
– Generate questions to address assumptions
– Identify the larger context of the problem
This is the scum river bridge in Astoria neighborhood (Queens, NYC). A leaky pipe submerged a heavily trafficked sidewalk with a cesspool of water. Not only is this unhygienic but it can also prove to be dangerous during the winter when the water freezes over the sidewalk. To solve the issue, citizens built this bridge with recycled wood to create a safe passageway for folks in the community. Did it solve the problem? No this is not an acceptable solution. Take a moment to think about the user experience in using this bridge.
Yes, it created a passageway. But how might a person who is visually impaired use it? How will it survive for a long time with constant exposure to moisture and other weather? The solution is not viable or sustainable. Furthermore, we haven’t solved the actual problem yet.
You might be thinking that all we need to do is plug the pipe and stop the leak. That’s still not the real issue at hand. If we re-phrase the problem from “How might we fix the leaky pipe” to the real problem at hand, the question becomes, “How might we create a space where people can cross the street safely and cleanly?” A solution needs to be able to target that.
Let’s zoom out then and understand the context of this issue to see where we can start tackling the issue. This leaky pipe is a symptom of a much larger problem. The street where the leak is situated is beneath Hell Gate Bridge. Portions of the bridge structure are falling apart leading to leaking. If this leak is fixed, it is likely another leak will spring shortly after. In that case, would plugging this leak be the most ideal solution? Probably not! Changing all the infrastructure is the most ideal solution – but it is expensive and improbable. That might not be feasible given time constraints to solution generation.
Assessing the problem allows us to challenge our assumptions and dig deep into why the problem exists. Furthermore, understanding the problem allows us to redefine it in a human-centric way and produce more tailored and feasible solutions.
We will use this sample problem for the rest of this module to demonstrate how we are going to zoom out of a given problem: “How might we help reduce litter due to negligent bus riders on King Street West and Macklin Street North in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada?”
How do we zoom out of the problem? You can start by asking questions about the context of the problem. Questions can range from small to large. For instance, you need to know where Macklin street is located! Other questions might be much larger, such as inquiring about the history of litter problems in the city of Hamilton or asking about assumptions embedded in the question. Are the bus riders negligent or could their behavior be explained for a different reason? You could also ask about the current infrastructure and how effective are existing solutions if there are any. You will also find how one question can lead to another, allowing you to identify where you need to go next. Generating questions, ranging from who, what, where, when about what you need to know in order to understand the problem is crucial.
Next, clump the questions you generated into themes. This will give you an idea of what major areas you and your team have to focus on to get the context of the question.
In your own group session, you will be generating follow-up questions to your chosen challenge(s)
By the end of your work period, you should have a list of questions that seek to understand the context of your chosen challenge(s), organized by sub-theme
References
dschool. Getting started with design thinking. (2022). https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/getting-started-with-design-thinking