/ on the How might we method…

If you’re facilitating an HMW session, you might need a tool to get the team started. Typically this involves an ice-breaker activity. Here’s one for you.  Happy Facilitating!

“How might we” HMWs is a design thinking method that reframes known challenges as opportunities. When combined with an insight statement, HMWs can be a powerful tool to spark innovation and divergent thinking. When reading an insight statement, it is natural to have *ideas* that solve for this insight. The HMW method suggests that you take three steps back from that idea. 

These three steps are - Action, Stakeholder, Outcome (ASO)

By reframing your idea into an HMW, you spark innovation for yourself and your teammates. Let’s practice this with a quick exercise - 

How many of y’all have watched a superhero movie? Everyone! Great! So we can all empathize with a superhero! That’s perfect!

Superheroes have difficulty finding missions and teammates because they can’t reveal their identities to the public.

E.g.s 

HMW get the right superheroes involved in different situations?

HMW connect the community to superheroes without revealing their identities?

HMW help superheroes with their makeup so they do not attract attention in public? 

How might we collaborate with OpenTable so that it’s easier for superheroes to meet without causing a commotion? 

How might we enable superheroes to collaborate with each other remotely and asynchronously so that they can be less distracting to the public?

Now go write 5 of your own. Remember to have fun.

What next?: Now that the team has practiced writing HMWs, point them to their Squad’s insight statements and let’s start writing HMWs.