Challenge

When to use it

Use it to force yourself or other people out of a thinking rut.

Use it to test out ideas for validity.

Use it to challenge the problem or situation you are considering when initially defining the problem.

How to use it

Take a part of the problem

Select all or part of the problem domain that you are going to challenge. Perhaps it is something that has been particularly difficult to be creative around.

Challenge it in some way

Find something to challenge and question it deeply. You can challenge many things, including:

Concepts – and broad ideas
Assumptions – and beliefs that are not questioned
Compromises – that you assume must happen
Boundaries – across which you do not yet cross
Operations – and processes whereby things get done
‘Impossible’ – things that are assumed cannot happen
‘Can’t be done’ – things that are assumed cannot be done
‘Essentials’ – things that you assume cannot be disposed of
Either-or thinking – replacing with ‘and’ thinking
Sacred cows – that cannot be challenged
Patterns – of behavior, visuality, etc.
Functions – the way things work
Paradigms – that guide thinking (and not thinking)
Dominant ideas – that guide thinking
Polarising tendencies – that push people to extremes

Example

I want to help get people out of a shop when there is a fire.

Challenging boundaries: break the front window and all walk out together.

Challenging sacred cows: put them in the safe with the money.

Challenging either-or: Use them to put out the fire.

How it works

One way in which we deal with the complexity of the world is to make assumptions about many things. Our pattern-matching ability is a great help in allowing us to take short-cuts but it often ends up in us not noticing many things. If we do not take deliberate and conscious action, our subconscious will let many assumptions pass by unnoticed.

Stefan Leijon