Very broadly, the skills to:
1. Understand
2. Imagine
3. Execute
1. Understand
First, you need to understand the process or problem that you're trying to solve. It can be very tempting to jump towards a solution that you have in mind, but it's really important to understand the terrain before charging forward. That there is a problem may be obvious, but understanding what the problem is may be harder.
Is a deep understanding of the problem really necessary, you might ask? For example, you might have a friend who is showing many signs of sickness. You might not know exactly what's wrong with him, but there's plenty of things you can still do for him that can help him can get better. Chicken noodle soup, dress warm, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water.
That's a good point, there definitely are things that are good to do even if we might not personally understand why they're good, but the better you understand what's happening the better you can implement a solution that fits. My wife once had rashes, and the doctor didn't know what it was so he prescribed her a few different medicines to apply. We diligently applied those medicines, things got worse, so she went to a dermatologist. Turns out that because of what she had, the medicine the first doctor had given actually made things worse.
2. Imagine
As you begin to understand all the different moving pieces of the puzzle and all the various factors involved, then you can start imagining how they could be put back together differently. Depending on the solution you're trying to solve, this creative element could take on various forms, such as mindmapping or drawing a visual map of the process you're trying to improve.
3. Execute
Implement the solution! Get it done. If we're talking about an inefficient process that needs a program to automate tasks, this means coding. If we're talking about a lack of teamwork that needs be addressed through better communication, this means setting up that framework for your team.
I really like this simple framework because it's applicable to so many different problem types. I also really like it because it helps people see that while it'd be great if they could do all stages on their own, that's doesn't have to be the case. You can bring together people who understand, the people who can problem-solve solutions, and the people who can execute your solution. Together, the innovative solution can be conceived and implemented.
1. Understand
2. Imagine
3. Execute
1. Understand
First, you need to understand the process or problem that you're trying to solve. It can be very tempting to jump towards a solution that you have in mind, but it's really important to understand the terrain before charging forward. That there is a problem may be obvious, but understanding what the problem is may be harder.
Is a deep understanding of the problem really necessary, you might ask? For example, you might have a friend who is showing many signs of sickness. You might not know exactly what's wrong with him, but there's plenty of things you can still do for him that can help him can get better. Chicken noodle soup, dress warm, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water.
That's a good point, there definitely are things that are good to do even if we might not personally understand why they're good, but the better you understand what's happening the better you can implement a solution that fits. My wife once had rashes, and the doctor didn't know what it was so he prescribed her a few different medicines to apply. We diligently applied those medicines, things got worse, so she went to a dermatologist. Turns out that because of what she had, the medicine the first doctor had given actually made things worse.
2. Imagine
As you begin to understand all the different moving pieces of the puzzle and all the various factors involved, then you can start imagining how they could be put back together differently. Depending on the solution you're trying to solve, this creative element could take on various forms, such as mindmapping or drawing a visual map of the process you're trying to improve.
3. Execute
Implement the solution! Get it done. If we're talking about an inefficient process that needs a program to automate tasks, this means coding. If we're talking about a lack of teamwork that needs be addressed through better communication, this means setting up that framework for your team.
I really like this simple framework because it's applicable to so many different problem types. I also really like it because it helps people see that while it'd be great if they could do all stages on their own, that's doesn't have to be the case. You can bring together people who understand, the people who can problem-solve solutions, and the people who can execute your solution. Together, the innovative solution can be conceived and implemented.
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