Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any hel…

@Ernie Absolutely – the pressure makes this harder to do yet perhaps even more important than ever.

@Dawn Thanks for the great quote.

@Lolly – Thanks for adding that quote from Tim’s book. I find myself quoting him a lot lately!

@Joe Points well taken. Was it the “wrong” goal? I am in no position to judge because I wasn’t there! It is easy to make judgments from “the stands” about what happened in any situation. Whether they solved the “right” or the “wrong” problem in this example though, it certainly gives us an opportunity to learn and become more mindful. Besides, sometimes the pursuit of what may seem like the “wrong” goal can produce something amazing and useful in ways we never planned. From what I understand there are a whole lot of things created for the space program that have contributed to our lives here on earth!

Now, to defend my pen-developing colleagues, they were focused on larger problems beyond writing in space. To set the stage for my point, consider this: Inputs (actions) lead to Outputs (results) which in the larger context of alignment and greater sense of purpose lead to Outcomes. Much as focusing on the problem, many focus on the inputs and lose sight of the goal. Did we do that with the pen? Perhaps in the limited context of writing in space. In a larger context, the Fisher Space pen is capable of writing upside down here on earth and in hot and cold environments, none of which were possible with other pens.

I find people want solutions, and they want it now- today- yesterday. Taking the time to problem solve takes discipline and practice and patience.

Tim Hurson (Think Better) so beautifully states in his book, “We are creating a future, were we want to see more clearly, think more creatively, and plan more effectively. It is about thinking better, working better, and doing better. So let us free ourselves of the unproductive thinking patterns that hold us back.”

Thank you for this wonderful post and summoning it up for us. As always I look forward to see what you are reading and what you are pondering.

Lolly

Brainstorming questions and answers can be done by children and adults. The more critical thinking parents and teachers do along with children, the better off the world will be.

I’d like to share a great quote:

“We must be able to disagree and to consider new ideas and not be afraid.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Being open to new ideas – and questions- is the first step in changing the world.

Many times, IT end users wind up lamenting “it’s just what I asked for but not what I need.” When that happens, it’s because we failed to ask the right questions at the start of the design process.