Problem-solve like a kid

Today's business challenges are intricate and resist simple solutions. We typically try fit them into what we think it should be based on what we have tried before or already know.

Effective problem-solving demands unconventional thinking and creative approaches to make unexpected connections. Combining playfulness and rigor in the problem-solving process can unlock innovative ideas and maintain momentum towards transforming problems into possibilities.

Solving Problems as (Adult) Marketers

1. Define the Problem

2. Generate Alternative Solutions

3. Evaluate and Select an Alternative

4. Implement and Evaluate

Solving Problems as Kids

1. Define the Problem

2. Generate Alternative Solutions - Play and Imagination

3. Evaluate and Select an Alternative - Prototype (Tangible Play)

4. Test - A Kid Takes the Game to Play with Friends (Social Play)

5. By Playing with Friends, Testing and Iterating

Approaching work with a playful mindset stimulates exploration and experimentation. This mindset encourages divergent thinking, mental flexibility, and the playful merging of ideas. Consequently, it frequently unveils innovative solutions that may have otherwise remained undiscovered (Play and Scientific Creativity, 2023).

Why is Play Important?

First, let's answer this question: When you see a cardboard box and a plastic cup, what do you see? Now, thinking as a kid, what do you see when you see the cardboard box and the plastic cup again?

Play as a mindset is helpful and necessary when solving a problem because it is naturally centered on the "kid" - HCD (Human-Centered Design). Play is a mindset and behavior that helps us think outside of the box (and with the cup).

Unconventional Thinking to Make Unexpected Connections

Play and Rigor:

• Rigor is detective work, piecing together clues instead of exhaustively searching; it requires experience and knowledge.

• Play, on the other hand, is letting intuition lead, exploring infinite possibilities without fear of mistakes.

Play and rigor are a powerful problem-solving duo. It starts with breaking down our current assumptions (Play) and working in the present while imagining the future.

Goal: Balance creative thinking and rigor to achieve breakthrough ideas and sustainable solutions. Integrate curiosity and imagination with structure, systems, and precision to produce better outcomes for all stakeholders.

The First Step: Creating Conditions for Rigor and Play

Rigor means piecing together clues rather than exhaustive searching; it requires experience and knowledge. Playingmeans following intuition fearlessly and exploring infinite possibilities without worrying about making mistakes.

At Tessellati, we fuse playfulness with rigor to spark breakthrough innovations and sustainable solutions for all. Our entire team embraces this dynamic approach, harnessing play as a powerful force for change.

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Write this piece’s author —Isabel@Tessellati.com