At first glance we might think that our problem doesn’t involve people. But if you delve just a little, you’re likely to find it does. Think of a problem or challenge you currently have:
- What is the core issue it relates to?
- What is the product/service/experience linked to it?
- Do people deliver that product/service/experience?
- Do people receive it?
- Could others who are not directly involved be affected by it in some other way?
- Are there people who are very interested bystanders observing what’s going on?
If there are people involved, you’ll need to take a dual focus when trying to address your problem/challenge. The dual focus is so that you can:
- a) Achieve your strategic goal, and
- b) Create the best outcomes and experiences possible for the people involved.
Without this dual focus the solution will at best deliver less than satisfactory outcomes for one part of the equation and therefore negatively impact the other, and at worst fail altogether therefore negatively impacting both parts.
Using a creative problem-solving process, we aim to find the sweet spot between both. It’s like using a set of old balance scales. On one side we have the strategic goal that we’re trying to achieve. On the other side we have the people for whom we want to create great outcomes and experiences. We do the latter by understanding their unmet needs and designing a solution that meets them. We get creative until we find the sweet spot that balances the scale. And delivers a win/win outcome.
