A quick google search about "Best Books - Problem Solving" will come with 10s if not 100s of recommendations and best sellers list such as: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Decision-Making-Problem-Solving/zgbs/books/2679
Now if you search for "Best Books - Problem Framing", you with either see the problem under the category of problem solving, maybe in few cases the books on "Systems Thinking" will appear in the search.
So while 99.99% books will teach you "problem solving", there are just handful and not well known books out there on "problem framing". You will likely come across recommendations in that category from your friends in consulting circle.
If you are ever go to one of those popular consulting schools, they taught me that brilliant people fail when they answer the wrong question.
Don’t just answer questions. Frame them.
Because a brilliant answer to the wrong question is still wrong.
Ask, “How do we make customer support more efficient?” and everyone races to cut headcount or automate.
You might save dollars and bleed trust.
Try this instead: “What service approach builds loyalty while balancing cost?” Now you are designing for humans, not just a spreadsheet.
How you frame a question shapes what you notice, what you measure and what you ship.
Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky called this the framing effect. It’s one of the most underrated leadership skills.
I learnt the value of spending time on framing the question during my time at consulting schools.
At first it felt forced. But projects (case studies) where we invested serious time up front to define the question led to sharper insights, faster decisions and happier teams & clients.
When we didn’t take the time, chaos reigned.
Put it into practice this week:
1. Question the question.
↳ What assumptions are baked in? What if you flipped it on its head?
2. Start at the finish line.
↳ Define outcome or experience you want, then trace back the decisions and actions that create it.
3. Make space for the devil’s advocate.
↳ Assign someone to challenge whether you’re even solving the right problem.
If you work with data or roll out new tech, your analysis is already shaping outcomes. Make sure you’re shaping the right ones.
Have you ever felt like you’ve missed the mark on the question you’re answering?
What's one question your team has been wrestling with that might need a reframe?
Further Readings:
HTH...
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