Re-Framing

How might we do things differently?

Overview

Public sector projects often begin with a predefined “problem” that may reflect institutional assumptions rather than user needs. The real challenge is not just a restatement of the problem. It captures what you really need to solve to make a meaningful difference for your users – often one or two levels deeper than the issues you first described. This tool enables teams to pause, reflect, and reframe the challenge based on real-world insights.

Open in Google Slides

⏱️ Time: 45–60 minutes

👫 Participants: Project team (3–8 people)

🛠️ Materials: Printed canvas, sticky notes, pens

Input

Before completing this canvas, ensure you have completed the following steps:

Service ChallengePersonaToday's User JourneyToday's Business Process

Context

Use this tool after you have completed your user research and synthesised your findings. It’s particularly helpful in team sessions aimed at shifting from insights to action, and when aligning different stakeholders around a shared, user-centred understanding of the challenge.

Recipe

1

Revisit original challenge

Note the initial version of the challenge statement. This serves as a comparison point.

2

List key insights

These should come directly from your research (interview and observation) and synthesis work (persona, journey map, and process map). Include personas’ needs, context, motivations.

Good insights often come with an "Aha!"—a mix of surprise and recognition. They reveal something that wasn’t obvious before, but once stated, feels undeniably true. They help you see the challenge in a new light, and point towards new possibilities.

3

Introduce personas

Bring in the relevant personas that relate to the insights. Consider their context, needs, motivations, and barriers.

4

Draft “How might we…” questions

Based on the insights and personas, write multiple versions of your challenge in the form of “How might we…” questions. Remember:

• Focus on user benefits.

• Avoid baked-in solutions.

• Keep it short and clear.

5

Select and refine

Choose the version that feels focused, actionable, and inspiring. If needed, test it by imagining multiple ideas that could respond to it.

Results

A single, user-centred “How might we…” question guiding ideation. It reflects user needs and organisational purpose, and is aligned across the project team.

Tips

• A good “How might we…” question provides clarity of purpose without prescribing the answer. It narrows the field of exploration just enough to give direction – while still leaving room for creativity. A well-balanced question should feel specific enough to be actionable, but open enough to inspire a range of ideas. If no or limited ideas come to mind, it may be too narrow; if anything goes, it may be too vague.

• Avoid formulations like “How might we make users do X” – this shifts responsibility in the wrong direction.

• Keep the tone open and generative – this is a springboard, not a specification. A good question should make your team feel both challenged and energised.

• If stuck, revisit the quotes or journey maps that brought the insight to life.

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Share Your Experience

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