We’ve all set goals, both personal and professional. Sometimes we achieve our goals, but not always. When it comes to UX design, a goal-oriented mindset might sound like a great idea, but is it solving your problems at all?
We love to set goals and achieve them. It makes us feel good. The problem is that our goals don’t always mesh with the problem at hand. We might solve part of the problem with a goal, but it doesn’t solve the entire problem. As we all know, a partial solution isn’t a solution at all. It’s like creating a cup to keep drinks cold, but making the base too big for any cupholder.
Goals Are Different Than Problems
Don’t worry if that sounds confusing, because it’s not how we’re programmed to think. We’ve been taught that the best way to solve a problem is by setting goals and achieving them. It’s probably how you’ve been solving your problems for years or decades.
The truth is goals and problems are two completely different things. A goal is something you achieve, while a problem is something you solve. Both have steps, but problems are usually more complex. The biggest difference is goals make us look to the future, while problems make us focus on the here and now.
If we’re always looking towards the future, we miss vital steps in the problem solving process. If we go back to the cup example, the goal is to make a cup that keeps drinks cold. In looking ahead, the only goal is to make drinks stay colder longer. A larger base might hold more ice, but in achieving that goal, we forget about a vital part of the problem – making the cup convenient for users. If it doesn’t fit into a cup holder, no one wants to use it.
Mistakes That Come From Goals Alone
Many experts are actually recommending that people don’t set goals, but let’s face it, we love setting and achieving goals. It’s programmed into our DNA. Think of it like a competition against yourself. It’s just good old fashioned fun.
Still, there’s a reason so many people fail at their goals. For instance, millions set New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. Most people give up before January ends. Why? All it takes is a small speed bump to completely derail a goal. Instead of finding a solution to the problem of sticking to a weight loss plan or finding the right plan, the goal seems impossible the moment a mistake is made.
Some other major issues that come from a goal-oriented mindset include:
- Setting the bar way too high – We’re only human after all, though it’d be nice if we could solve problems as easily as Tony Stark.
- The focus is always too narrow – Problems are more complex and goals don’t encompass the entire picture.
- Ignoring progress – Goals focus on the end result, not measuring progress along the way.
- Trying to set too many goals – If one goal sounds like a good idea, why not try 15 or 20? Immediate failure is why.
Goals can be great things, but they require discipline and some problem solving skills.
Problems Require Processes
Solving your problems means using the right processes. For instance, James Clear provides a great example using a football coach. The goal is to win a championship, but the process to achieve the goal is to practice each day. Without the process, the goal isn’t going to happen.
Solving problems starts by choosing the right process. An initial goal is nice, but it takes processes to actually solve the final problem. Going back to the cup example. The goal was clear. Now, we have to come up with processes to get there. The process might involve testing insulation materials, researching how and where people use cups, and finding ways to make the cup fit into the daily experience without any difficulty. Together, these solve the problem fully versus just a single part of the problem.
Finding The Right Balance
Don’t toss goals to the side just yet. Most projects take both goals and problem solving skills. After all, everything starts with a goal that we want to achieve. Unless we look to the future, we can’t see what may be possible. Yet, if we don’t focus on the process of problem solving, we might skip over key troubleshooting steps or vital parts of the problem that we haven’t worked out yet.
By finding the right balance, we don’t just achieve goals, but we solve problems too. It’s the best of both worlds.
Achieving goals and solving your problems work hand in hand. Before your next project, learn to shift your focus from achieving a goal to setting a goal and using it as a starting point to create your own problem solving process.
Images:Jeffrey F. Lin,Jennifer Burk,Nathan Shively,Jonathan Pendleton