Reframing Canvas

OUTCOMES

A range of creative strategies based on your insights.

USING THE TOOL

In this approach, the Reframing Canvas uses the ‘How might we...’ sentence structure in a way that asks you to explore multiple different ways of reframing your problems and insights as opportunities. For example, if you are working on sanitation in rural India and discover that people consider toilets to be dangerous, you might reframe your insight as a ‘How might we…’ question like this: ‘How might we make toilets feel safe and inclusive in rural India’.

The ‘How might we...’ question is framed in an open, optimistic and collaborative manner that encourages you to think of solutions. A properly framed ‘How Might We…’ question, doesn’t suggest a specific solution, it should keep a broad array of options available and invite innovative thinking. To set the right scope it should not be so big it loses sight of your insights, for instance not, ‘How might we…’ redesign the toilet experience in India’ (this would be too broad), but not so narrow a solution is embedded in the question, for instance, ‘How might we redesign the lighting and signage in toilets so they seem safer?’. This may be an adequate strategy, but it doesn’t allow for a variety of ideas, which is what is needed at this stage.

In this canvas, you are encouraged to respond to the multiple insights you have developed in the previous module and challenge yourself to frame these ‘How might we’ questions in different ways. This process can help you form and agree a strategy and it can also be incorporated into idea generation.

1. Describe key insights: List the main insights or issues from your research in the left hand column.

2. Reframe: Reframe them as ‘How might me…’ sentences using the methodology described.

3. Continue Reframing: In a light-hearted manner, continue to reframe these initial insights in different ways using the prompts given, for example, by focussing on emotions, or on 'extreme users'.

good sequence

Research and Insight Synthesis > Reframing Canvas > HMW Statement

Other Names

Problem statement, Opportunity statement

Tips

• Ideally work with a group of diverse collaborators

• This tool can also work well as a prelude to ideation in the next module

• Create a safe and fun environment where participants don't fear making mistakes and creating lots of ideas

• Use the tool as a guide but feel free just to follow whichever prompts work best

• If you need ways to prioritise your statements, try voting or using the evaluation matrix