Reframing a Problem

Tina Seelig’s book “inGenius – A Crash Course on Creativity”  begins with two questions. She then explains how reframing a problems leads to innovative thinking:

“What is the sum of 5 plus 5?”

“What two numbers add up to 10?”

“The first question has only one right answer, and the second question has an infinite number of solutions, including negative numbers and fractions. These two problems, which rely on simple addition, differ only in the way they are framed. In fact, all questions are the frame into which the answers fall. And as you can see, by changing the frame, you dramatically change the range of possible solutions. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, ‘If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first fifty-five minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.’

We create frames for what we experience, and they both inform and limit the way we think. Mastering the ability to reframe problems is an important tool for increasing your imagination because it unlocks a vast array of solutions. With experience it becomes quite natural.”

More of this book excerpt here by Tina Seelig herself.

I took Tina Seelig’s Crash Course on Creativity in a  Stanford University MOOC. One word, Amazing! If it is offered when you read this, I highly recommend you take this course.

I believe she also has videos on YouTube. I like listening to Tina a little more than reading her. She is such a great cheerleader!