What it is for: A how might we question rewrites a real, evidenced need as an open challenge, such as "How might we help first-time applicants know which documents to bring?" You leave with one agreed opportunity question, tied to a named person, a need you have evidence for and a constraint everyone accepts, plus two or three backup questions.
Who it helps: Design and innovation teams moving from research to ideas, and facilitators who need a clear prompt for an idea session.
When to use it
You have finished interviews or observation and need to agree what problem to work on next.
A team keeps jumping to one favourite solution and you want to reopen the options.
You are about to run an idea session and need a clear prompt to put on the wall.
How to use it
Pick one need that came up more than once in research.
Name the one constraint every answer must respect.
Have everyone write three to five How might we questions alone, broad and narrow.
Read them out, group them, and rewrite any question with a solution hidden inside.
Test the width with quick answers, then agree one question and keep the runners-up.
Tip: Keep the person in the question. "How might we help a first-time applicant" beats "How might we improve applications".
Credits and sources: Original Tiremesù worksheet and wording. Method credit: Min Basadur, popularised by IDEO. Further reading: IDEO.org Design Kit https://www.designkit.org/methods.html
Full guide and film:https://www.tiremesu.com/guides/how-might-we
