To Solve a Tough Problem, Reframe It
To Solve a Tough Problem, Reframe It
Author: Harvard Business Review article Type: Management / problem-solving article
Core Premise
Teams often rush into solution mode before they have defined the problem well enough. The article argues that complex problems should first go through problem-framing: deliberately exploring multiple ways to define the issue before selecting interventions.
The E5 Problem-Framing Process
The article's framework is E5:
- Expand — generate alternative frames instead of assuming the first diagnosis is right
- Examine — dig below surface events into patterns, structures, and mental models
- Empathize — understand how key stakeholders experience the problem
- Elevate — zoom out to broader organizational frames and system interactions
- Envision — define the desired future state, then work backward into action
The core move is simple: before brainstorming answers, do frame-storming on the question itself.
Useful Tools Inside the Process
The article bundles several reusable tools:
- frame-storming — generate multiple candidate definitions of the problem
- iceberg model — move from visible events down into patterns, structures, and mental models
- empathy maps — capture what stakeholders say, think, feel, and do
- four-frame model — inspect structural, human, political, and symbolic dimensions
- backcasting — define a future target, then reverse-engineer the path back to the present
Together these tools try to prevent one of the most common managerial failures: solving the wrong problem efficiently.
Why It Matters
The article is valuable because it treats framing as a competitive advantage rather than a soft prelude to execution. It overlaps with several existing themes in the wiki:
- first-principles-thinking — do not inherit assumptions without inspection
- second-order-thinking — do not stop at first-order appearances
- epistemic-humility — generate hypotheses instead of overtrusting first impressions
Its distinctive contribution is operational: it gives a repeatable team process for slowing down long enough to see the actual problem.