Ideation
How might we template
Turn problems into how-might-we questions, then pick the ones worth solving.
What it is
How might we is a way to turn problems into questions that invite ideas. "Patients forget appointments" becomes "How might we remind patients the way they prefer?" How assumes there is an answer, might leaves room for ideas that fail, and we makes it the team's question.
When to use it
- After research, to turn findings into design questions
- Before a brainstorm, to choose a good question to start from
- When a problem is so broad that nobody knows where to begin
How to run it
- 01
Collect the problems
Write the problems you heard in research or from support in the first frame, one per note.
- 02
Rewrite each as a question
Start each one with "How might we". Keep it wide enough for many answers and narrow enough that it names one problem.
- 03
Pick the best questions
Vote with pen dots and move the winners into Top questions.
- 04
Brainstorm on one
Copy the winning question to the top of a brainstorming board and start collecting ideas.
Opens a new board from this prompt:
"How might we questions from complaints about a city's online parking permit process"
Related templates
All templatesIdeation
Brainstorming board
A how-might-we question, a wall for ideas and a shortlist to vote into.
Research
Affinity map
Group research notes into themes so patterns across interviews become visible.
- Try the AI whiteboard
Or describe your own board
Type one sentence and the AI drafts frames and notes for any format.