Framestorming: Reframing UX Problems for Innovative Solutions

9 min readNov 3, 2023

Framestorming is a strategic problem-solving technique focusing on reframing the problem rather than jumping straight into finding solutions. Originating from business strategy, it serves as a precursor to Brainstorming. While Brainstorming aims to generate multiple solutions for a defined problem, Framestorming takes a step back to question the problem’s framing. By altering how we perceive a problem, we can discover new angles and dimensions that lead to more innovative and effective solutions.

Framstorming Relevance in UX Design

In the field of User Experience (UX) Design, the quality of the solution is often directly proportional to the understanding of the problem. Traditional UX approaches may focus on solving problems based on existing user data and established best practices. However, this can sometimes lead to incremental improvements rather than groundbreaking innovations. Framestorming introduces a paradigm shift in this context.

User-Centricity: Framestorming empowers designers to view problems through the user’s lens, fostering solutions that resonate with user needs and pain points. For example, instead of simply making an interface more attractive, we ask, “How can we make our interface solve user problems more efficiently?”
Innovation: This approach challenges existing UX norms, paving the way for disruptive solutions that distinguish a product or service in the marketplace.
Strategic Alignment: It ensures UX goals align with broader business objectives, uncovering opportunities for cost efficiency or revenue generation.
Inclusive Design: By questioning the status quo, Framestorming leads to designs that cater to a broader user base, expanding market reach.
Data-Driven Decisions: When paired with data analytics, Framestorming can validate or challenge UX metrics, leading to more informed design choices.

Integrating Framestorming into the UX process elevates problem-solving, yielding solutions that are not only user-friendly but also innovative and strategically sound.

The Transformative Power of Framestorming in UX Problem-Solving

Staying ahead in UX Design means transcending traditional problem-solving methods. While these methods have their place, they often fail to foster true innovation. Framestorming is the game-changer that can revolutionize our approach to UX challenges.

Traditional UX Problem-Solving: The Tried and True

UX designers have long depended on a tried-and-true problem-solving process, starting with user research and progressing through wireframing prototyping, and usability testing. This systematic approach has served us well, yet it has limitations, often leading to solutions that merely refine what already exists and potentially reinforce preconceived notions.

Key Components:

User Research: Identifying user needs, pain points, and behaviors through interviews, surveys, and analytics.
Wireframing and Prototyping: Creating low-fidelity and high-fidelity mockups to visualize the solution.
Usability Testing: Conducting tests with real users to validate the design’s effectiveness in solving the identified problems.
Iteration: Making refinements based on user feedback and retesting.

Limitations:

Prescriptive Solutions: Traditional methods often lead to solutions that are incremental improvements over existing designs.
Confirmation Bias: There’s a tendency to validate preconceived notions about the problem and how to solve it.
Lack of Innovation: The focus is generally on solving known problems, which may not leave room for discovering new opportunities or questioning the status quo.

Framestorming is the game-changer that can revolutionize our approach to UX challenges.

Why Reframing is a Game-Changer

What if the real issue lies in the questions we’re asking? Framestorming compels us to consider this possibility, shifting our perspective to uncover more impactful and relevant problems. This reframing can align our efforts with long-term business goals, provide a competitive edge, and optimize resource allocation.

Shift in Perspective:

New Angles: Reframing the problem can reveal overlooked aspects or new angles that can be more effectively addressed.
Breaks Mental Models: It challenges existing mental models and assumptions, opening the door for innovative solutions.

Strategic Benefits:

Alignment with Business Goals: A reframed problem may align more closely with long-term business objectives rather than just immediate user needs.
Competitive Advantage: Innovative solutions can provide a significant edge over competitors who solve the problem traditionally.

Tactical Advantages:

Resource Optimization: By focusing on the “right” problem, you can allocate resources more efficiently.
Risk Mitigation: Reframing can reveal hidden risks in the initial problem statement, allowing for proactive solutions.

By adopting a Framestorming approach, UX professionals can challenge conventional wisdom and pave the way for groundbreaking solutions that are user-centric and strategically aligned with business goals. Framestorming is more than just a buzzword; it’s a transformative approach to problem-solving in UX design. By challenging the status quo and asking better questions, we can pave the way for innovative solutions that are both user-centric and strategically aligned with business goals. So the next time you find yourself stuck in a problem-solving rut, remember: sometimes the question is the problem.

Defining Framestorming and Its Origins

Framestorming, a term coined by Tina Seelig, is rooted in the concept of “framing” — the perspective from which we view problems. It’s a technique that encourages us to live in the problem space, challenging the initial assumptions and perspectives that shape our understanding.

“Before you fall in love with the solution, you need to fall in love with the problem … live in the problem space much longer than you think you should.” — Tina Seelig

Distinguishing Framestorming from Brainstorming

Brainstorming focuses on generating solutions for a defined problem. Framestorming, on the other hand, takes a step back to ensure we’re solving the right problem. This section explores the differences between the two methods, emphasizing the depth of understanding and outcomes they produce.

Visual from ModelThinkers

Brainstorming in UX

In the realm of user experience, Brainstorming is a dynamic and collaborative technique aimed at fostering many solutions to a pre-identified problem. It’s a stage where UX professionals gather, casting a wide net of ideas with the intent to prioritize quantity, thereby sparking creativity and uncovering potential avenues that might not emerge through a more constrained thought process. These Brainstorming sessions are characterized by their inclusive nature, where every team member is encouraged to voice their thoughts, building a collective pool of ideas. This rapid ideation phase is crucial, laying the groundwork for the subsequent refinement and evaluation stages, ensuring that the generated concepts are innovative but also practical and user-centric. Typically, Brainstorming is most effective during the ideation phases of the UX design process, mainly when the team is Brainstorming features, functions, or interface designs that aim to enhance the overall user experience.

The typical framework for Brainstorming in UX design often follows a structured process to maximize creativity and productivity. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Preparation

Define the scope and objectives of the Brainstorming session.
Choose a diverse group of participants, including UX designers, developers, stakeholders, and even users.
Gather all necessary materials, such as whiteboards, sticky notes, markers, and relevant user research or data.

2. Setting the Stage

Clearly articulate the problem or challenge to be addressed.
Establish ground rules, such as withholding criticism and encouraging wild ideas.
Warm the group with a quick, unrelated creative exercise to stimulate thinking.

3. Idea Generation

Use techniques like mind mapping or sketching to organize thoughts visually.
Encourage rapid-fire contributions, allowing for free-flowing ideas without immediate judgment.
Build on others’ ideas, using them as springboards for further creativity.

4. Divergent Thinking

Aim for quantity over quality at this stage to explore the breadth of possibilities.
Encourage participants to think outside the box and challenge existing assumptions.
Record all ideas visibly so everyone can see and be inspired by them.

5. Convergence

Begin to cluster similar ideas and identify patterns or themes that emerge.
Use voting, dotmocracy, or ranking methods to prioritize the most promising ideas.
Discuss the feasibility, impact, and alignment with user needs for top ideas.

6. Refinement

Take the shortlisted ideas and develop them further into more polished concepts.
Consider creating quick sketches or wireframes to visualize the ideas better.
Engage in constructive critique sessions to refine and improve the concepts.

7. Action Plan

Assign action items for further research, prototyping, and user testing of the selected ideas.
Set deadlines and responsible parties for each action item.
Schedule follow-up meetings to review progress and continue development.

8. Documentation

Document the session thoroughly, including all ideas generated and the rationale behind selected concepts.
Share the outcomes with all participants and relevant stakeholders.
Use the documentation as a reference for future Brainstorming sessions and project development.

This framework ensures that Brainstorming in UX is a structured yet creative process that generates a wide range of ideas and paves the way for innovative solutions grounded in user needs and project goals.

Framestorming: A Step-by-Step Framework in UX

Framestorming in UX follows a structured approach, beginning with identifying the initial problem and progressing through gathering diverse perspectives, challenging assumptions, reframing the problem, and, ultimately, ideating solutions validated through prototyping and testing.

Identify the Initial Problem

Start with the problem as it is currently understood.
Clearly state the problem to ensure everyone has the same starting point.

2. Gather Diverse Perspectives

Assemble a cross-functional team that includes UX designers, developers, stakeholders, and users.
Encourage each participant to share their understanding and perspective of the problem.

3. Challenge Assumptions

Identify and list all the assumptions that are currently held about the problem.
Critically analyze each assumption to determine its validity and impact on the problem framing.

4. Reframe the Problem

Use techniques like the “5 Whys” to drill down to the root of the problem.
Encourage lateral thinking to explore different angles and contexts of the problem.

5. Develop Multiple Problem Statements

Rewrite the problem from different perspectives based on the insights gained.
Create multiple problem statements that reflect various aspects or root causes of the issue.

6. Evaluate and Select

Review the reframed problem statements and evaluate their potential to lead to innovative solutions.
Select the most promising problem statement(s) that offer the best opportunity for breakthrough thinking.

7. Ideate Solutions

With the newly framed problem, transition into a Brainstorming phase to generate solutions.
Ensure that the ideas align with the new understanding of the problem.

8. Prototype and Test

Develop prototypes for the solutions derived from the reframed problem.
Test these prototypes with users to validate the new problem framing and the effectiveness of the solutions.

9. Iterate and Refine

Use feedback from testing to refine the problem statement and solutions further.
Continue iterating until the problem framing and solutions are validated by user feedback and data.

10. Document and Communicate

Document the Framestorming process, including how the problem was reframed and its rationale.
Communicate the findings and the new problem framing to all stakeholders.

This Framestorming framework ensures that UX problems are viewed fresh, leading to innovative solutions deeply rooted in a thorough understanding of the user’s needs and challenges.

Concluding Thoughts and a Prompt for Further Reflection

For UX professionals, the practical application of Framestorming transcends the traditional boundaries of problem-solving by advocating for a more profound interrogation of the user experience challenges they face. This systematic approach begins with a shift in perspective, urging designers to move beyond asking how to enhance engagement with an app, for example, to probe the underlying barriers that inhibit user engagement in the first place. By reframing the issue, UX teams are propelled to dissect user behaviors and motivations at a granular level, often revealing insights that contradict prevailing assumptions. Such a strategic pivot can lead to a renaissance of innovation within the design process, where the quest for solutions becomes intrinsically linked to a more empathetic and accurate understanding of user needs. Framestorming, therefore, is not just a technique but a transformative process that aligns the creative and strategic facets of UX design, ensuring that solutions are not merely superficial fixes but are meaningful responses to the users’ actual challenges.

The strategic integration of Brainstorming and Framestorming within the UX design process marks a significant evolution in how professionals approach problem-solving:

Brainstorming remains a vital tool for generating a breadth of ideas fostering a creative and collaborative environment where quantity can lead to quality.
Framestorming complements this by ensuring that the problem being solved is the right one, challenging assumptions, and reframing the issue to unlock innovative solutions.
Together, these methodologies empower UX teams to not only create numerous potential solutions but also to ensure that these solutions are targeted, user-centric, and aligned with broader business goals.

By embracing both Brainstorming and Framestorming, UX professionals can:

Enhance their strategic thinking by questioning the status quo and exploring the problem space from multiple angles.
Foster a culture of innovation that goes beyond surface-level fixes to address the root causes of user challenges.
Align design solutions more closely with user needs, leading to products and services that resonate deeply with their target audience.

As we reflect on the synergistic relationship between Brainstorming and Framestorming, consider this thought-starter question:

HOW MIGHT WE apply the principles of Framestorming to not only redefine the problems we face in UX but also to cultivate a more holistic and empathetic approach to design that consistently places user needs at the forefront?

Engage with this question to explore the depths of your design challenges and uncover opportunities for meaningful innovation in your UX practice.