Why Ask Why? The Power of Questioning Solutions
Product thinking isn't about dodging action 🙈.
It's about tackling the right problem head-on 🚀.
To do this, we need to really understand the problem we are solving
Especially if it is concealed or implicit…
We have to trust a process that gradually clarifies our path
Below are two examples from professionals in
1️⃣ product management and
2️⃣ personal development
At first glance, they may seem like oil and water, but I will show you
3️⃣ how similar they can be
Then I will share
4️⃣ my belief that it is all about the absence of a genuine why
5️⃣ a personal story of how this concept plays out in reality
6️⃣ how I am connecting the dots
1️⃣ Meet Teresa Torres who introduced Continuous Discovery Habits
I took her Opportunity Solution Tree webinar; and her discovery approach inspired me way beyond product management.
What are Opportunity Solution Trees?
⚙️A logical tree structure to help focus on identifying problems we want to solve to achieve a specific outcome, rather than rushing straight into solutions.
👥 A process to engage in the right conversations: Don't start with what you think the solution is. Park it and have in-depth conversations with users to surface opportunities that may not be immediately apparent.
📐A structure to better organise opportunities (defined as needs, pain points and desires) along an experience map with higher level containers that are MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) so that there is no overlapping further down the tree
How to use them
🔂Choose one single business outcome (like reducing churn) and then focus on finding opportunities that impact this outcome at different stages of the 'customer experience'. 🌅Among the sea of options, identify the single or few opportunities worth concentrating on.
2️⃣ Meet Isabelle CERF who introduces a more grounded/anchored spirituality
Isabel Cerf describes two types of spirituality
🍭 "Artificial": 🌈 Promises enlightenment, yet risky 👎 , often misleading, creates dependency, ignores inner solutions, and traps you in external beliefs.
⚓️ “Anchored”: 🙏 The solution lies within you, promotes autonomy and aligns with personal experiences.
3️⃣ Like Teresa Torres she recommends understanding the 'Why' before the 'How'.
If we immediately jump to solutions or actions, we risk overlooking the true problem that needs to be addressed.
The parallel between these two methodologies works beautifully, and can be applied to personal growth just as effectively as product development.
It's about understanding our 'why' to properly identify the problems we need to solve.
4️⃣ My Belief
I need to zoom in on the 'why' to prevent any confusion. This is not about comprehending or controlling the triggers of an experience.
🔄 Instead, it's about sidelining a rational analysis and diving deeper into a sense and understanding of why it's crucial to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.
5️⃣ My Story
I once took a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) course, lured by the promise of quick-fix solutions. One technique, called the 'swish', promised to cure phobias in a flash - like magic! 🎩✨ It was fun, creative, and the idea of resolving years of therapy in minutes was appealing. There were other tools too, all promising quick fixes and attractive outcomes.
Yet, as I dove in, I realized these 'breakthrough' techniques weren't working for me. Instead of relief, they opened a Pandora's box 📦💥, increasing my anxiety.
Similarly when I tried spiritual meditation, instead of feeling elevated, I felt the opposite. The problem was, I was viewing these techniques as solutions to my problems without acknowledging or confronting the problems head-on.
In both NLP and some meditation protocols, practitioners jumped straight into solutions, defining the problem from their perspective and not considering mine. I felt like an object, used to illustrate some universal rule.
6️⃣ Connecting the Dots
Teresa Torres' product discovery approach and Isabelle CERF's anchored spirituality both underscore the importance of understanding the 'why' before the 'how'. When these 'miracle' solutions didn't work, I thought I was the problem. But in reality, I was just responsible for trying methods that weren't suited to me.
This personal journey taught me the importance of framing the problem before jumping into solutions – a lesson that applies to both personal and product development.
By focusing on the 'why', we ensure that our efforts are grounded in a deep understanding of the real issues at hand. This approach not only leads to more effective solutions but also fosters a more authentic and fulfilling journey in business and in life.
#ProductManagement #PersonalDevelopment #ContinuousDiscovery
