The How might we…? question is a specific phrase, which is used for framing the challenge that the students want to develop solutions for. By asking the simple yet constructive question: How might we…? it is emphasized that there are many different ways to solve a challenge (with “How might”) and that it is something that “we” do together.
Formulating How might we …? questions can be done to follow-up on a research phase just before brainstorming on ideas for solutions – e.g. by letting the students transform their insights from e.g. field work and other research into How might we …? questions.
When developing How might we …? questions divergent thinking is applied in order to brainstorm on the possibilities that are within the student projects. You can either choose to develop many different How might we …? questions or decide on an overall How might we …? question.
A good How might we …? question uses a clear, understandable language and inspires to research new and alternate facets of a problem area as well as specific ideas for solutions. Please be aware that the students develop appropriate questions that are neither too broad, overly constrained or solution-oriented:
- An example of a question that is too abstract and ambitious: How might we perfect the user experience?
- An example of a question that is too narrow and solution-oriented: How might we improve the user experience by placing a table football game in the common room?
- An example of a appropriate question: How might we help patients maintain their social identity while being users at ‘the Patient’s House’?
