How Might We Questions (d.school)
Stanford d.school method for reframing problems into innovation questions.
PURPOSE
The transition from problem understanding to idea generation is one of the most critical phases in the design thinking process, and poorly framed questions lead to unimaginative solutions. The How Might We Questions from Stanford d.school offer a proven method for transforming insights from the empathy phase into inspiring, solution-open questions. They open up the creative space and steer ideation in productive directions.
HOW TO USE
From the findings of user research, insights are distilled and formulated as Point-of-View statements. Each statement is then reformulated into one or more How-Might-We questions beginning with 'How might we...'. The best HMW questions are broad enough for many solutions, narrow enough for focus, and contain no implicit solution. The team selects the most promising questions for ideation.
WHAT IT IS
The How Might We Questions are a design thinking method from Stanford d.school for reframing problems and insights into open-ended innovation questions. The 'How Might We' format creates an optimistic, collaborative, and possibility-oriented framework. The method is a key tool in the transition from the Empathize and Define phases to the Ideate phase of the design thinking process.
EXAMPLE
Example: In a design thinking workshop at university, you discovered through interviews that students feel lost when it comes to financing their studies. Following the d.school method, you formulate 'How Might We' questions like 'How might we help first-semester students get an overview of all financing options within the first week?'