How might we

⏱ 3 min  ·  📅 2026

How Might We (HMW) is an ideation technique that reframes problems or needs identified during the empathy phase as open-ended questions that invite creative exploration of solutions. It was created in 1970 by Procter & Gamble and popularized as an innovation technique by IDEO within the Design Thinking process.

Description

It is based on the premise that every problem is an opportunity for design. Reframing as an HMW question turns an obstacle or a need into a space for creative exploration: instead of "the user gets frustrated with the sign-up process," the question becomes "How might we make signing up an enjoyable experience?"

It is useful for:

• Approaching the problem from a positive, proactive perspective.
• Generating multiple ideas from a single need or challenge.
• Fostering creativity and collaborative work.
• Framing ideation sessions with a clear starting point.

How to use it

1. Identify a relevant need, observation, or insight. The source can be a user interview, a feedback analysis, or an empathy session. Example: "Users feel overwhelmed when using our app for the first time."
2. Reframe that need as an HMW question. Example: "How might we make the first experience in the app more intuitive and friendly?"
3. Make sure the question is:
   • Open-ended (avoid yes/no answers).
   • Inspiring (invites thinking about diverse solutions).
   • Focused on the person or the need identified.
4. (Optional) Generate multiple HMW versions of the same challenge to explore different angles. A variety of questions leads to a variety of solutions in the ideation session.

When to use it

• After a research or empathy phase, when the team already has insights into the user or the problem.
• Right before an ideation session, as a shared starting point.
• At the start of a project, to align the team around the most relevant design opportunities.

Best practices

• Avoid questions that are too broad ("How might we improve the app?") or too narrow ("How might we add a green button to the home screen?").
• Don't focus on a specific solution within the question: the goal is to open up possibilities, not to prescribe an answer.
• Use specific action verbs: "facilitate," "reduce," "connect," "make them feel."

Common mistake

Generating HMW questions without doing the prior empathy work. An HMW question based on assumptions about the user leads to ideation sessions that generate creative solutions... for the wrong problem. "How Might We" is not a shortcut to skip research: it is a way to structure the knowledge already gained about the user to make ideation more productive.

Materials

🏦 Skill Design ThinkingState of the art and development guide · Skill Arena

📊 Catalog of HMW examplesScrum Manager · Open Knowledge

See also

Design Thinking Design sprint Affinity Mapping Opportunity Solution Tree User story Brainstorming/Filtering

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