Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The greatest lesson I ever learned was this: I am a Problem Solver. Problem solvers look for (and often find) problems even when they don't exist. The real problem is that most "problems" are not, in fact, problems. Without a simple framework to help us categorize different kinds of problems, what tends to happen is that people try to "solve" problems or "fix" things they think are broken when they would be better served by first understanding the problem's true nature. Rather than framing everything as a problem which, by definition, can be solved, it's essential to sort problems into the right bucket because some problems don't need to be solved, some get worse when we try to solve them, and others are simply too big to treat them as solvable. http://schedule.sxsw.com/2014/events/event_IAP24159
Citation preview
The Problem is Not the Problem
Harry Max, VP Product & Design!Jim Meyer, VP Product & Development!!Rackspace Hosting
#sxrackspace
There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.
John von Neumann
#sxrackspace
I’m a problem solver.
#sxrackspace
You’re a problem solver.
#sxrackspace
It’s what we do.
http
://w
ww
.ano
nym
ousa
rtof
revo
lutio
n.co
m/2
012/
10/t
he-p
robl
em-is
-not
-pro
blem
-pro
blem
-is.h
tml
#sxrackspace
Let’s unpack that.
#sxrackspace
“The problem is …” is problematic.
#sxrackspace
We go looking for problems.
#sxrackspace
Sometimes we make the problem.
#sxrackspace
Most of the time, we don’t realize what the problem really is.
#sxrackspace
Repairing vs. Creating Value
#sxrackspace
Repairing vs. Creating Value
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
By definition, problems can be solved
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Dilemmas require you to choose
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Issues may need to be addressed
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Predicaments are problems that!can’t be solved, by definition
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Quagmires are predicaments that!get worse as you try to solve them!
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Potential disasters are scary
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Extinction level events, if they !come to pass, end it all.
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Solve
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Solve Manage
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Solve Manage Mind
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Solve Manage Mind Plan
#sxrackspace
So, where should you focus?
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Solve Manage Mind Plan
START HERELess effort, !more impact
#sxrackspace
The Problem is Not the Problem
Difficulty to solve
Scop
e of
impa
ct
Trivial Brutal
Smal
lEp
ic
Issue
Problem
Predicament
Quagmire
Potential!Disaster
ELE
Dilemma
Solve Manage Mind Plan
WORK ABOVE THE LINE
Things down here are lower impact
#sxrackspace
There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.
John von Neumann
#sxrackspace
The problem is not the problem.
