Process problems: Use how and what to keep breaking it down

 I have been spending a lot of time lately doing discovery.

Have you come across a process or workflow that has a gap or a problem and when you ask about it, the response is either "this is just how it works" or you are given the "reason" for it.

I'm always surprised about how often we take the response as a concrete or unchangeable component. We seem to figure that since someone can explain or give an answer, surely they must have explored the alternatives.

While this can be true, very often you will find that the reason that is given was more dependent on the thinking or options available at the time versus a pure problem / gap / deficiency in the actual process.

Working with my team, I enjoy engaging them with a lot of how and what questions, I keep pushing to the next level, not immediately accepting the response. I am not being difficult and they know that I am asking to really understand, and they do great job explaining.

It is always rewarding when you can see the shift. That moment where something is framed differently or a new connection is made; you can almost see the new possibilities starting to creep in.

When there seems to be a gap in the process, go lower. Keep breaking down the process into smaller and smaller parts, focus on being able to understand the steps in the simplest way that you can. Get everyone's attention on each step and take their mind away from the entirety of the problem "that they already know the answer to" ... you will most often be surprised how things can change.