Inventor Charles F. Kettering famously said that “a problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” We can spend a lot of time spinning our wheels if we’re not clear about what we’re really trying to do. There’s a difference between having a sense of where the project is headed and truly understanding the objectives, and this is where many of us go off the rails. We may know enough about a project to get moving on it, but we never really stop to think deeply about what we’re trying to accomplish and how we’ll know when we’re done. So we set off in a vague direction fueled by vague objectives. This often means that we waste valuable time and energy trying to gain clarity later in the project or course correcting when it’s much more expensive and stressful to do so.
In any project, there is the main problem we’re trying to solve, but there are also many subproblems. One effective way to gain traction quickly is by positioning project objectives in the form of questions designed to surround the problem. We call this establishing “Challenges.”
One of a leader’s most critical roles is to identify the Challenges for each project. Setting out four to six Challenge questions for each project will help the team surround the problem and ensure that all critical aspects are given adequate attention. The more quickly you can focus your mind on what you’re really trying to do, the faster you gain creative traction.
Make a habit of blocking off about thirty minutes at the beginning of a project to clarify your objectives and establish Challenges. List each project that you are currently working on. Under each project’s name, list four or six questions identifying problems to solve in order to complete the project successfully. For example, you’re charged with developing and releasing a product called “X”:
PROJECT: “X”
CHALLENGES:
- What is the unique functionality of “X”?
- What would make “X” appealing to twentysomethings?
- How can our messaging differentiate “X” in the marketplace?
- How can we keep production costs for “X” low?
This practice is also effective for personal projects and career and life planning. You can use the practice of establishing Challenges to identify opportunities in your life and to help you work more effectively on personal creative projects.
* Source: The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry