Reframe the Problem
When This Activates
User describes being stuck like:
- •"I've tried everything"
- •"Nothing feels right"
- •"The constraints are impossible"
- •"Stakeholders keep rejecting solutions"
- •"We're going in circles"
- •"This feels like the wrong approach"
Instructions
Step 1: State the Current Problem
First, get clarity on the trap the user is in:
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CURRENT FRAMING: Problem: [What are they trying to solve?] Constraints: [What limitations are they working within?] Failed attempts: [What has already not worked?]
Step 2: Reframe by Changing WHO
Consider alternative users:
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REFRAME PROMPTS: - What if this was for a complete beginner vs expert? - Someone in a rush vs unlimited time? - A group vs individual? - Someone who HATES this task vs loves it? - Internal user vs external customer?
Design the solution for the alternate user. Identify revealed insights.
Step 3: Reframe by Changing WHERE
Explore different contexts:
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REFRAME PROMPTS: - On a phone while walking? - On a massive monitor with full attention? - In a loud, distracting environment? - With no internet connection? - While doing something else simultaneously? - In public where others can see their screen?
Identify what simplifications the constraint forces.
Step 4: Reframe by Changing WHAT
Consider if it wasn't a [current solution type] at all:
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REFRAME PROMPTS: - What if it was a daily email instead? - A conversation with a person? - A physical object? - An automated system needing no UI? - A single button? - Something someone else prepares for them?
Identify which reframe makes the core job easier.
Step 5: Try Inversion
Flip the question entirely:
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INVERSIONS: Instead of: "How do we get users to [do thing]?" Ask: "How do we make [thing] unnecessary?" Instead of: "How do we make this easier?" Ask: "What would make users WANT to do this?" Instead of: "How do we add this feature?" Ask: "What problem are we avoiding by adding features?"
Output Format
IMPORTANT: Always use this exact format:
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REFRAME ANALYSIS ORIGINAL FRAMING: Problem: [statement] Constraints: [list] Failed approaches: [list] REFRAMES EXPLORED: WHO shift: [insight from changing the user] WHERE shift: [insight from changing context] WHAT shift: [insight from changing solution type] INVERSION: [insight from flipping the question] REFRAMED PROBLEM: [New way of seeing the problem] NEW DIRECTIONS: 1. [Concrete direction to explore] 2. [Concrete direction to explore] 3. [Concrete direction to explore]
The "Reframe Analysis" with WHO/WHERE/WHAT shifts is the signature of this methodology.
When to Use
- •Early in a project when the problem isn't well-defined
- •When you've hit a wall with conventional approaches
- •When constraints feel too tight
- •When stakeholder feedback keeps killing solutions
When to Skip
- •The solution is obvious and you just need to execute
- •You're optimizing something that already works
- •The problem is purely technical, not conceptual