Why we don’t start with solving the problem?
Because solutions become meaningful only after people have understood the problem together.
In many workshops and collaborative projects, the first instinct is to jump straight into “What should we do?” and begin generating solutions. Ideas come quickly, but the actual problem behind them is often still unclear or differently understood by each person.
When we skip the step of aligning on what the problem really is, everyone ends up responding to their own interpretation of the situation. As a result, solutions feel fragmented rather than shared, and implementation becomes difficult. Over time, motivation tends to fade because the group was never grounded in a common understanding of the challenge they were trying to solve.
What we observed
- Teams generated ideas before agreeing on the problem.
- Different participants were trying to solve different challenges.
- Early enthusiasm disappeared when the first obstacle appeared.
- Failed tests were often interpreted as proof that the idea was bad.
- Groups became discouraged more quickly when they lacked a shared problem definition.
What we learned
- Shared understanding creates stronger ownership than shared ideas.
- Better understanding changes the quality of the ideas that emerge.
- Inquiry is not a delay of action; it is part of the work.
- The most important shift often happens before the idea appears.
What we are trying next
We want to spend more time on observation, listening, and collective problem framing before any brainstorming begins.
About this Lab
The Collaborative Problem Solving Lab explores how diverse people can come together to understand complex challenges, ask better questions, co-create ideas, and test human-centred solutions.
Have an idea to explore together?
We are alwasy looking for new questions,
partners and collaborators.