The Problem with 'Solutions'.
When I visit my local big box home improvement store, one of my favourite sections is where they keep the power tools.
You know, the brightly coloured man-boy toys that invoke dreams of all kinds of projects you could do if only you had this particular bit of equipment.
This whole section of the store is my imagination station.
They have them out on display where you can fondle, err, I mean touch these wonderful little testosterone enhancers.
One of these tools, the reciprocating saw, commonly known as the ‘sawszall’ does exactly what its nickname implies. Gripped in the gloved hands of a normally docile man, one press of the trigger and his chest puffs out a few inches, a guttural roar escapes from his lips, and in his mind he is a Jedi knight, destroying a wall in no time flat and saving the universe from dark forces…
… or perhaps that is just me.
Each tool is a solution for a problem I don’t know I have.
Beside each tool is a little sign describing the unique feature of each of the tools on display… written in a language that make them sound so much more powerful than the tool I already have in my workshop.
This saw has a specially engineered ‘dust management system’! Gee I wish my saw had a ‘dust management system’…” I think wistfully.
And the store has wonderful incentives for me to buy another tool.
That great quality, brand name, wonderful saws-all has a time limited sale and can be bought for only a few dollars more than the cheap hobby brand!
“Can you believe it honey? It’s normally $1000 dollars! I can take it home for ONLY $129!” (If I had taken the time to check, I could have found this thing at another store for $129 as well, but the emotional state I had gotten myself into somehow believed I was getting great value.)
I’m sure I’m not the only one who is so influenced by the siren song of the tool section, where wonderful tools are bought based on all the projects we could do.
But peek into the garages and workshops of many men, and you will see the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and unused power tools, bought in a moment of emotional weakness.
So... Where are you going with this?
But as I get older (and hopefully wiser), I am on to the trick of the big box stores, technology salespeople, and even myself when I am trying to convince someone to adopt a new process or technology.
I have come to realize the truth in the old maxim…
“People don’t buy a drill for the sake of buying a drill.
They buy a drill to get the ability to make a hole.”
In other words, they have an objective, a goal, a reason to buy the drill. If they want to hang a picture, they buy a certain size and type of drill. If they want to put a 1 inch hole in a stone wall, they still need a drill, but a much different kind.
Now I didn’t take the time to talk about my power tool weakness without a reason…
As you may have figured out by now, I write a lot about leveraging technology to transform organizations.
I’ve had some success at it over the years, so I do speak from experience.
It seems that there is a direct correlation between project success and whether or not we treated technology as a ‘solution’, or a ‘tool’ that would help us achieve the solution.
I was recently at a meeting with a number of educators hosted by a major technology company. We got to visit their ‘Open Innovations’ laboratory, an idea generating think tank that works with major universities and is charged with coming up with ideas that will impact the world.
After the presentation we had a question and answer session.
One of the attendees, knowing he had a significant brain trust in the room asked “How can I convince my school board and teachers to adopt a 1:1 computer program?”
It took approximately a millisecond for one of the brain trust to answer.
My colleague had a ‘solution’, but didn’t really appreciate the problem.
There it was.
The thinking that we can convince people to buy a solution.
It’s the “If you build it, they will come.” mentality that more often than not results in a white elephant project into which vast sums of money, time and energy have been poured with no tangible results.
It’s the thinking that if you can get someone emotionally attached to an idea or product, that you will get sustainable results.
That may work for power tools, but not for projects that will impact your organization, your company, or your life.
Start at the end.
Define the problem to be solved. Forget the “how” and concentrate on the “what” and “why”.
Then, and only then, does it make sense to define the solution.
If you are a vendor of a technology product or service, I would hope you take these words to heart. I get several unsolicited calls and emails every working day from someone who has a great ‘solution’, but have no idea what my problems are.
“Don’t be so harsh!” you say.
I’m not harsh. Let me give you an example from my previous position.
I’ve lost count of how many messages indicated that Vendor ‘X’ has their products in several other post-secondary colleges and universities. A 10 second search on the Internet would reveal that while Appleby College has ‘College’ in its name, it is a day and boarding school for grades 7-12.
With limited time to connect with vendors, you might understand why I couldn’t take the time to talk to those who haven’t taken the time to at least try and understand my world. Spending a few more minutes on the Internet would have provided some great material that describes the challenges and world of educational technology.
Someone who came to me with a clear understanding of the ‘problem’ rather than the solution would have much better luck in getting any business. As a matter of fact, all the vendors I work with are in this category.
So there it is… a rather circuitous route to me giving myself (and by reading this – you) advice about what I see as a scourge against technology project success.
This has been a problem for quite a while as evidenced by a quote from G.K.Chesterton
“I think the oddest thing about the advanced people is that, while they are always talking about things as problems, they have hardly any notion of what a real problem is.”
G.K. Chesterton in Uses of Diversity
Quit focusing on the solution and clearly understand the problem.
In the meantime, you may find me wandering through the power tool section at my local Home Depot.
A man can dream, can’t he? (Which is a great topic for another post).
_____________________________________________________________________
Image: Used under Creative Commons License
About the Author:
I’m the Chief Information Officer for Sheridan College, in Oakville, Mississauga, and Brampton, Ontario Canada, where my team is transforming the delivery of education through innovative application of technology. I'm also a beBee Brand Ambassador.
I'm convinced that IT leadership needs to dramatically change how IT is delivered rather than being relegated to a costly overhead department.
In addition to transforming IT in my role as CIO, I look for every opportunity to talk about this... writing, speaking and now blogging on BeBee (www.bebee.com/@kevin-pashuk) , LinkedIn, ITWorld Canada, or at TurningTechInvisible.com.
I also shoot things... with my camera. Check out my photostream at www.flickr.com/photos/kwpashuk
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Comments
Kevin Pashuk
6 years ago #32
Kevin Pashuk
6 years ago #31
Thanks for the share Phil. I'm sure you share my obsession with power tools.
Phil Friedman
6 years ago #30
Well worth reading and/or re-reading. By Kevin Pashuk.
Kevin Pashuk
6 years ago #29
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #28
I'm a big fan of Andy Rooney. Perhaps I was inadvertently channeling him. Thank you for your compliment Jim.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #27
Thanks Preston. If I had a nickel for every time someone pulled out that quote in a meeting to justify a project, I'd be able to afford a very nice cup of Starbucks, and probably a new car.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #26
Thanks Phil... if you are in technology leadership, you will certainly have come across the 'Solution Sellers'... who have no ideas what problems you may have... Secondly... that sounds like a mighty fine power tool.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #25
Good points Mohammed, but I'm not sure it is directly related to the core topic of this post... of solutions looking for problems.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #24
I'm one of strongest opponents of silly rules Todd... but let's hope that they put some thought into things before discarding a good rule in order to implement another one. So far, I haven't seen 'due diligence' as a hallmark of the new administration.
Jim Murray
7 years ago #23
Phil Friedman
7 years ago #22
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
7 years ago #21
Kevin Pashuk I fully agree ! You have to Change Your Mindset to See Problems as Opportunities
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #20
I would slightly adjust your statement Javier \ud83d\udc1d beBee. The focus should be on finding solutions that SOLVE problems. Focussing on problems is counter productive, but you need to understand the what the problem is in order to have a solution. My major point is that too many people come up with a 'solution', then try to find a problem to fix using the new solution. For hundreds of years the secret to a successful business has been "Find a need. Then fill it." It's no good having a 'solution' that nobody needs. In the case of beBee, you found a whole bunch of frustrated writers and bloggers who needed an outlet for their work. beBee is a great solution. You found a solution for people frustrated with maintaining multiple social media personalities to reflect their various facets - personal and business. You found a solution for people looking to connect with like minded people in affinity groups, etc. etc. beBee works because it provides a solution to real problems. Thanks for commenting!
Javier Cámara-Rica 🐝🇪🇸
7 years ago #19
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #18
Wayne Yoshida
7 years ago #17
Kevin Pashuk - Great comment. Here is one guy who inspired me, he lets the wood (or tree) tell him what it wants to be: I love this guy and his philosophy and his creations - James Krenov - One of my friends got to attend one of his seminars. Unfortunately, he passed away before I was able to meet him in person. But I do have all of his books. http://www.jameskrenov.com/
Wayne Yoshida
7 years ago #16
Brian McKenzie - OR - you can just not measure anything, so you will never make a measuring mistake: https://www.bebee.com/producer/@wayne-yoshida/maker-tip-measuring-and-marking
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #15
OK... I'll give you that one Brian.
Harvey Lloyd
7 years ago #14
"Never, ever confuse motion with progress." Kevin Pashuk You are on point with that. Running in place is great if it's a health goal you are servicing, outside of that you are going nowhere.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #13
Spoken like a true bard of the big box tool section Ken Boddie. I won't say I'm a power tool junkie (since then I would have to do something about it), but I do continually come up with projects around the house (decks, remodeling, and such) that might require the purchase of another power tool. I came by it honestly. My father's workshop was a favourite place of mine growing up.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #12
Your comments on Purchase Orders remind of another maxim Harvey Lloyd... "Never, ever confuse motion with progress."
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #11
I don't think you hijacked the post Todd Jones. In fact, I think you reinforced the quote by G.K. Chesterton “I think the oddest thing about the advanced people is that, while they are always talking about things as problems, they have hardly any notion of what a real problem is.”
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #10
I fully understand your position Claire \ud83d\udc1d Cardwell. You bring up a good point on how our brains can hijack our logic and reason when it comes to emotional purposes. That's why people line up for hours to get a new iPhone when it's functionally equivalent to the one in their pocket. I do hope you have a good hiding place. I use our garage. I tell my wife occasionally that I saw a mouse in there and never worry about her snooping. :)
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #9
Thanks Brian McKenzie. Ah yes, the sledgehammer... the manual version of the sawszall. While not pretty, it is very effective and you feel so good after destroying a wall. But it is important to know the purpose for the sledgehammer. While very effective in one phase of a project, it is pretty much counter productive at other times, and absolutely useless for fixing a motorcycle. Knowing the right tool for the job means you understand the job. Thanks for commenting.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #8
Thanks Elizabeth Bailey. Everybody seems to have an area of weakness... mine is power tools, yours is craft materials. For my wife, it seems to be sofas and chairs...
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #7
Thanks Wayne. I'm very familiar with Maker Faire (although I have no idea why they put an 'e' on the end)... To develop a creative skillset, or to learn a tool, sometimes it is great to just start and meander. I've met a number of furniture builders who will pick up a piece of wood to see what it 'says' to them... i.e. that the wood itself will set the direction for what is crafted. IMO this is important, but isn't quite the same thing as a 'solution'. By its very definition, you can't have a solution without a problem.
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #6
Ooohh! 24V!!! Now you are speaking my language Harvey Lloyd
Ken Boddie
7 years ago #5
Harvey Lloyd
7 years ago #4
Harvey Lloyd
7 years ago #3
Not to extend the high-jacking but yes, they were my nemesis through my construction years.
Wayne Yoshida
7 years ago #2
Harvey Lloyd
7 years ago #1