Brainstorming vs. Framestorming: Which is Better? 

Brainstorming is one way to solve issues at work until framestorming comes along. What if, before you tried to solve a problem, you reframed it? Let’s say you analyzed the problem from unique perspectives first. So let’s get to the bottom of it: “What is framestorming?” 

Brainstorming vs. Framestorming  

Reference: HBR 

What is Brainstorming? 

To understand framestorming, let’s discuss brainstorming. Brainstorming is a tool that helps teams think past obvious solutions to find a remarkable one. In other words, ideation. The more ideas you think of—the more your chances of reaching a brilliant solution increase. 

What is Framestorming? 

Framestorming is an innovation technique that encourages you to reframe a question and challenge its assumptions. Next time you’re tempted to jump into solution mode, question these assumptions to help design more innovative and durable solutions.  
 

How to Framestorm: Test It Out 

To adopt the discipline required for her approach to framestorming, psychologist Tina Seelig says, “Live in the problem space much longer than you think you should.” Brainstorm the questions you’re asking before trying to find a solution. 

“Falling in love with the problem is how you can unlock more powerful solutions.” —Tina Seelig, Executive Director of Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University 

Try a different approach to framestorming with social psychologist and neuroscientist, Anne Prehn. By shifting your view on navigating challenges at work, you can reframe your perspective and the narratives you tell yourself when facing challenges. 

For a deeper dive on “What is framestorming?” vs. “What is brainstorming?” click here. 

Which Approach is Better? 

While Seelig and Prehn’s approaches vary, they share the notion of consciously reframing to gain new impact and greater understanding. Let’s look at an example of a problem and how you can framestorm with a team to identify all aspects of a challenge. 

Example of a Problem: 

A new competitor is quickly gaining market share by using cutting-edge technology.  
 

Questions to Ask 

Here are questions your team could ask to reframe the problem: 
 

• Are they targeting a specific customer segment we aren’t? 

• How well does our organizational structure support agility and innovation? 

• Are there emerging technologies or business models we should be exploring? 

After considering the above questions, here are the problem frames: 

• The target market’s preferences have evolved. 

• Budget cuts were made in Q2 that affected the innovation budget.  

• Teams are at full capacity.  

Open Your Mind to the Possibilities 

Studies show that more than half of 350 decision-making processes failed to achieve the desired results. This stemmed from perceived time pressures, which caused employees to pay less attention to examining problems from all frames. By asking “What is framestorming?” and implementing it, you’ll be able to unlock solutions like never before. 

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For more career inspiration, keep reading: How to Build Habits to Achieve Your Goals, Root Cause Analysis: Identifying Workplace Problems, and Overused Words to Avoid in Your Resume.