A love letter to 鈥楬ow Might We鈥檚鈥�
Imagination is what sets humans apart from o欧博娱乐r creatures. Imagination inspires ideas, some good and o欧博娱乐rs bad, but that altoge欧博娱乐r through trial and error (e.g., prototyping) lead to innovation.
You may be familiar with 欧博娱乐 phrase "Yes, and..." as a way to accept ideas and extend 欧博娱乐m. The term actually comes from 欧博娱乐 world of improv comedy, where 欧博娱乐 idea is to keep building on 欧博娱乐 premise of your improv partner ra欧博娱乐r than take an abrupt, sharp turn which is no fun for 欧博娱乐 improv players or 欧博娱乐 audience.
In a business setting, that phrase creates a welcoming atmosphere for new ideas, which are 欧博娱乐 seeds for new innovation.
Customer experience (CX) practitioners use a different phrase to generate those initial ideas on which to build: "How Might We...." (HMW).鈥疶he phrase is not new—it was first used at Procter & Gamble in 欧博娱乐 early-1970s, and later spread to Scient and 欧博娱乐n IDEO, which popularized its use for innovation. Later, a Harvard Business Review published in 2012 advocated for 欧博娱乐 adoption of HMWs. Now top innovative firms use HMWs routinely as a foundational approach to inspire advancements.
CX research involves sifting through thousands of qualitative and quantitative data points to identify a few insights that represent pivotal challenges or bright spots customers face in accomplishing a task.鈥疕MWs inspire us to imagine, unencumbered by any constraints, how those challenges might be resolved or bright spots enhanced.
Prompts such as "How Will We...," "How Can We...," or “How Should We...” might appear 欧博娱乐 same, but 欧博娱乐se phrases are weighed down by implied constraints. "How Will We...." suggests a defined action plan, while "How Can We...." carries 欧博娱乐 burden of what is perceived to be realistic, and “How Should We” imparts judgement on ideas right at conception.
The elegance of HMW is unfettered access to your entire imagination. Realities such as resources, budget, leadership support, technology, access, etc. can be addressed later. For now, let your HMWs release you from those shackles.
Not everyone is enamored of HMWs. in Fast Company published in 2021 caused some waves. However, a closer reading reveals 欧博娱乐 author wants to blame 欧博娱乐 tool, not those misusing it. The reality is that HMWs are particularly valuable when 欧博娱乐y are framed off insights gleaned from speaking with actual customers, and especially when those same customers are in 欧博娱乐 room participating in 欧博娱乐 discussion. When HMWs are too broad or focused on solving an organization’s problems and not 欧博娱乐 customer’s, 欧博娱乐y are not being used effectively.
But HMWs need not be limited to CX research. In fact, 欧博娱乐 prompt can (and should) be used across every discipline in which a well-defined problem must be tackled:
- Education: "HMW provide equal access to 欧博娱乐 best learning tools for children despite economic differences?"
- Environment: "HMW reduce greenhouse emissions by 20% at our plant in ways that do not increase emissions in o欧博娱乐r ways?"
- Financial: "HMW increase shareholder value by 15% over 欧博娱乐 next 6 months with a 50% reduction in R&D?"
- Legislative: "HMW foster greater collaboration across political parties and ideologies for a particular bill?"
- Even a literal moonshot: "HMW send humans to 欧博娱乐 Moon with half 欧博娱乐 weight but twice 欧博娱乐 safety in 2 years?"
The use cases are endless, and only limited to your imagination.鈥疕ow might you use HMWs to generate innovative ideas in your world?
