Identify potential solutions
Why it matters
Taking time to think about all viable solutions to a data challenge can prevent teams from developing a solution that ultimately won’t be suitable. Many ambitious projects have been thwarted by muddled goals, mismatched solutions, or knowledge gaps from missing team members. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Bring the full team to the table — especially during the ideation phase — and you will be better positioned to take stock of what’s possible and set a course to achieve your goals.
Checklist
Convene team members with different roles and responsibilities. A diversity of voices and experiences is key to tackling any challenge.
Brainstorm with the team to generate a comprehensive list of potential solutions and the constraints within which they will need to be designed.
Draw on the outputs of your research and stakeholder interviews to inform your brainstorm.
Evaluate the ideas from your brainstorming sessions using a tool like an impact/feasibility matrix. Such tools can help facilitate discussion around what needs to be true for each idea to work, and what would prevent it from happening.
Select the top solution to pursue, focusing on solutions that are high impact and high feasibility.
Set goals for your project using the S.M.A.R.T. framework to ensure they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound.
Share your project goals with team members, leadership, partners, and anyone who can help keep your project on track and maintain accountability.
Key Questions
What solution are you trying to build? Is it a piece of technology? A framework? A program?
How does this solution address the problem you defined earlier?
Does the solution meet the needs and constraints you identified through your research and stakeholder interviews?
What needs to be true for this solution to work?
What are the risks and barriers associated with your project?
How will you manage your stakeholders to gain consensus around a particular solution?
What are your goals for the project? How will you measure progress and success?
What are the expected outcomes?
What does success look like for your team? Your department? Your users?
Tools + Resources
Impact / Effort Matrix (Government of Ontario)
Foundation of a Successful Data Project: Creating Space for Solution Mapping (Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation)
About the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
The Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University brings together students, expert practitioners, and extended networks to work on projects that solve societal challenges using data, design, technology, and policy. Our projects test new ways for public and private institutions to leverage data and analytics, digital technologies, and service design to help more people.
About the national governors association
The National Governors Association is the voice of the leaders of 55 states, territories, and commonwealths and supports governors in their work to develop innovative solutions to today’s problems. Through the NGA Center for Best Practices, Governors work with policy teams to identify priority issues and deal with matters of public policy and governance at the state, national and global levels.