The Uncanny Power of Question-Based Problem-Solving

Creating the future we want to see always involves solving problems.

Whether we frame a problem as a challenge or opportunity, it is always a constellation of uncertainties. This is true whether our problems are simple, technical, complex, or wicked. It is also true for all the planning we do, since the heart of planning is solving problems.

The impatient temptation is to go in search of immediate solutions. Immediate solutions are predictions and, as such, are not terribly useful in a situation of abundant uncertainties. We cannot predict our way forward because the future is intrinsically unpredictable.

It’s always been this way. When we think of the last few problems we solved, resolution came about because of things we did in the midst of uncertainties. At no point did we magically make the future intrinsically predictable. If we did, we would be the first of billions of humans who could pull that off.

Everything we ever learned, accomplished, or survived happened with an uncertain future. In every situation, we created something we wanted to see possible.

Whether we realized it at the time, every successful thing we did was about answering new questions.

These were the classic questions like who, what, when, where, how, why, and what if. To answer these we looked into something, asked someone something, tried something, or decided something.

In some situations, we could have been unconsciously doing question-based problem-solving. We turned uncertainties into questions, questions into actions, and actions into answers. Our solutions were the ultimate answers to our unfolding‒and unpredictable‒questions.

This is actually how we solve problems. When we’re struggling and floundering, it’s because we’re trying to predict our way into solutions, which is a functional impossibility.

We can make problem-solving better, faster, and easier by being more consciously and explicitly question-based.

From a flawless planning perspective, this means identifying and composing the scenarios we want to focus our problem-solving on. Then it’s about composing the questions we will translate into actions that will translate into answers. Our ultimate solutions will the ultimate answers to our questions.

Our momentum of progress in the process comes about by working on the right questions at the right time.

When we get into considering actions to answer our questions, we quickly realize that not all questions are equal. Some are not answerable, which is to say not actionable. Some will yield some progress and others will yield more progress.

There are ways to come up with good and better questions. One is working from the principle that quantity leads to quality. More questions lead to better questions. It’s the same creativity principle that more ideas lead to better ideas. Discussion, debating, and arguing only have the power to limit the quantity of questions and therefore the quality of questions.

This principle is why the more complex a problem, the more solutions require us to work through them together rather than separately.

As we act on our questions, they can lead to new answers and new questions. Some lead to nothing, which is fine because the potential yield of new questions is unpredictable. The only way to know a question’s yield potential is to act on it.

The most effective and efficient way to solve problems as constellations of uncertainties is getting at the heart of the solutions, unpeeling one layer of questions at a time.

This is the amazing power of question-based problem-solving. It makes sense and works every time because it’s aligned with how things actually work.

For more about Flawless Planning, visit FlawlessPlanning.org. The Flawless Planning model is an open source model under the Creative Commons license: Flawless Planning © 2023 by Jack Ricchiuto is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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