What is the How Might We question?
The How Might We question reformulates problems into inviting questions and gives teams a starting point that enables creativity instead of encouraging people to wait.
DEFINITION
The How Might We question is a tool from Design Thinking. It turns a problem into an invitation. Instead of “Our customers don’t understand the software”, the wording becomes “How might we design the software so everyone can start using it intuitively?” That changes the energy in a room: problems sound like obstacles; How Might We questions sound like possibilities. Each of the three words has a function. “How” opens: there is no answer yet, everyone may contribute. “Might” encourages: we have the ability to find a solution. “We” connects: it is a team task, not individual responsibility. The question must be neither too broad nor too narrow. Too broad: “How might we improve the world?” Too narrow: “How might we make this button red?” Well-crafted questions open a meaningful solution space. In Design Thinking workshops, the question is often written on sticky notes and then used for brainstorming. The principle also works in daily meetings or problem conversations without a workshop setting.
CONNECTIONS
Leadership
Leaders use the How Might We question to open conversations instead of closing them. Instead of analysing mistakes, the question becomes: “How might we do this differently in future?” That invites the team to work actively on solutions.
Artificial Intelligence
Good prompts for AI systems resemble How Might We questions. They are open, solution-neutral and give the AI room to shape the answer. The principle improves the quality of prompt requests.
Project Management
In retrospectives or lessons-learned sessions, How Might We questions help shift from root-cause analysis to solution orientation. That makes meetings more productive.
KEY POINTS
- The How Might We question comes from Design Thinking.
- ‘How’ opens, ‘might’ encourages and ‘we’ connects the team.
- The question should be formulated neither too broadly nor too narrowly.
- It turns problems into invitations to find solutions together.
- The principle works in workshops, meetings and everyday conversations.
EXAMPLE
An HR team struggles with low participation in training offers. In the meeting, someone reframes the question: “How might we design learning so it feels like a privilege rather than an obligation?” Within twenty minutes, fifteen new ideas emerge: peer learning groups, learning budgets with personal responsibility, short learning formats in regular meetings. All three are tested.
MISCONCEPTIONS
Is it enough to formulate the question once?
Often not. In a workshop, many How Might We questions emerge for one problem. Then the most promising ones are selected and worked on further. A single question is the starting point, not the end.
Does the method only work in large workshops?
No. The question can be used spontaneously in any meeting. It takes effect as soon as a problem discussion turns into a solution-oriented question.