Step 1. Preparation and Prompt Creation
Before the session, prepare your prompt. Define clearly:

Step 3. Transition to the Pain Tree Drill

Address Skepticism. Some participants may initially be dismissive or uncomfortable discussing feelings, especially in a professional setting. Emphasize the importance of emotions as indicators of underlying challenges and unmet needs. Let the participants know that acknowledging and understanding these feelings can often reveal significant opportunities for innovation. After all, some of the most groundbreaking solutions in history were born from profoundly emotional and human-centric needs.

Create a Safe Space. To get genuine insights, create an environment where participants feel safe sharing their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment is crucial. Reiterate that all opinions are valid, and the goal is to gain a holistic understanding of the problem.

Using Third-Person Perspective. For those who find it hard to talk about feelings, suggest they speak in the third person. Instead of saying, “I think they might feel...,” invite participants to say, “One might feel...” This slight change can make it easier for some participants to express themselves.

Reference Real-life Scenarios. Sharing anecdotes, testimonials, or real-life stories of individuals facing the issue to help anchor the discussion and make it more relatable. This can provide context, making the exercise less abstract and more connected to real-world challenges.

Diversity in Discussion. Encourage participants from different backgrounds, roles, or departments to share their perspectives. This diversity can offer a richer understanding of the emotional landscape associated with the problem.

Remember, the goal is to tap into the emotional aspects of challenges, which can often provide a more straightforward path to genuine, impactful solutions.

Helpful AI Prompts
AI, can you provide examples of emotional impacts related to similar problems in different contexts?
AI, based on the situation described, what are common feelings or emotions that individuals in such circumstances might experience?
AI, are there any documented testimonials or stories that can shed light on the emotional toll of this problem?
AI, can you help correlate the identified pains with potential root causes or systemic issues?

A Solve Next original.

Step 1. Define the Predictable Path
Ask participants to describe the current state of things (the good, the bad, and the ugly) on the Predictable Path section.

Step 2. Envision the Bold Path
Ask participants to describe the aspirational state of things (how they want things to be) on the Bold Path section.

Step 3. Identify Anchors
Ask participants to identify the Anchors—mindsets, behaviors, policies, practices, technologies, etc.—that keep constituents from achieving their envisioned Bold Path.

Step 4. Discover Rockets
Ask participants to identify Rockets—mindsets, behaviors, policies, practices, technologies, etc.—that might enable constituents to achieve the envisioned Bold Path.

Step 5. Vote on Priorities
Ask participants to vote on the three most problematic Predictable Path descriptions, daunting Anchors, powerful Rockets, and aspirational Bold Path descriptions.

Step 6. Cluster for Insights
Ask participants to cluster the vote-getting items into categories (e.g., Leadership, Finance, Marketing, Technology, Talent) and identify which clusters represent the greatest opportunity for positive change.

Helpful AI Prompts:

A Solve Next original.

Step 1. Introduce the Pain Tree Drill.
Begin by explaining the purpose of the drill—to uncover and visualize the primary pains, their consequences, and the foundational root causes.

Step 2. Identify the Primary Pains
Discuss and define the significant pains you assume or know the constituent is experiencing. Place these pains on the trunk of the tree.

Step 3. Branch Out to Consequences
From the primary pains, identify the consequences of the constituent experiencing those pains. These consequences will form the leaves and branches of the tree, stemming from the main trunk.

Step 4. Dive Deep to Root Causes
Identify foundational reasons or root cause problems that result in the pains and their consequences. These will be the roots of your tree, providing the most profound insights.

Step 5. Visualize and Connect
Draw or map the connections between primary pains, their consequences, and root causes, crafting a comprehensive Pain Tree.

Engage All Perspectives
Ensure participants from varied backgrounds or departments contribute, providing a multi-faceted understanding of the problem.

Be Specific
Encourage participants to be precise and detailed in identifying causes and consequences. Broad or vague points can dilute the effectiveness of the drill.

Question Assumptions
Always question and challenge assumptions. Just because something is widely accepted doesn’t mean it’s a root cause.

Helpful AI Prompts
“AI, can you provide a quick summary or background on our main problem?”
“AI, based on existing data, what are the most commonly identified consequences or repercussions of this problem?”
“AI, can you help categorize these identified issues into primary pains, consequences, and root causes?”
“AI, are there any other global or industry-specific instances of this problem, and how were they addressed?”
“AI, based on the pain points identified, can you suggest potential areas for intervention?”

Introduced to Solve Next by Christopher O’Keefe.

Step 1. Introduce the Painsizer Drill. 
Explain the drill’s purpose: to assess and prioritize pain points based on their impact on specific constituents.

Step 2. Identify Constituents. 
Ask participants to list the different roles or groups affected by the problems being discussed. This could include customers, employees, partners, or other stakeholders.

Step 3 Describe Pain Points. 
For each constituent group, have participants describe the specific pain points they experience. Link each pain to potential problems causing it.

Step 4. Quantify Prevalence. 
Assess how widespread each problem is across the constituent group using a T-shirt sizing system:

Step 5. Determine Severity. 
Evaluate how severe each pain or problem is for the constituents:

Step 6. Evaluate Consequences. 
Consider the potential consequences of each problem on the organization or constituents:

Step 7. Rank Overall Impact. 
Rank the impact of each problem relative to the others to finalize a prioritized list.

Tips

Illustrate with Scenarios: Providing examples can help participants better understand the sizing criteria. For example:

Helpful AI Prompts

Example: An organization is analyzing pain points related to customer service delays.

Constituent: Online Customers
Pain Point: Frustration with delayed response times.

A Solve Next original.

Step 1. Introduce the Pain Hypo Drill
Explain its purpose and importance in the innovation process.

Step 2. Complete Pain Hypo Worksheets or Posters
For each constituent:

Step 3. Score each Pain Hypothesis
Use the following scoring rubric:
Prevalence of Pain

Step 4. Sum the points across the three categories. 

The total will range from 3 to 9.

Step 5. Normalize to a 1-5 Scale

Use the following formula to normalize the score:

Normalized Score = 1 + ((Total Score – 3) / 6 ) x 4

Step 6. Discuss and Share the Results
Share with the group to gather insights and refine understanding.

Step 7. Prioritize or Deprioritize Hypotheses 
Apply Color-Coded Thresholds:

A Solve Next Original