Yes, you read that right! I want to impact my world, and I know you desire the same. One way to accomplish this is to learn to find problems in existing solutions.

How do I impact my world?

There is a term used to describe a novel idea, a new process or a first-time production–INVENTION, and it’s quite understandable, but the truth is, there are scarce inventions in our contemporary world. Therefore, I am of the opinion that inventions existed before this age.

There were men who had ideas they had never seen elsewhere. Men like Humphry Davy, who invented the first electric light in 1802.

Thomas Edison’s 1879 incandescent light was not the first, but it was the first commercially practical one. While Edison was not the sole inventor, his version succeeded due to a combination of factors: an effective incandescent material, superior vacuum, and high resistance, making centralised power distribution economically feasible.

On this basis, the concept of finding problems in solutions has historical backing. It is important to appreciate the ideas of other people and the perseverance that brought such to limelight, but necessity demands that, beyond the admiration of the work done, the inspiration should be probed.

A means to impact my world: Quick actions

There is nothing new under the sun, and idea sparks do not happen exclusively for one man in the world. This is the reason you must act on that idea now, write that book, and address that topic now, if you must impact your world.

It is interesting to see how producers often clash over the patent of products. For instance, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone, and there have been court cases, books, and articles generated about the subject. Of course, Alexander Graham Bell is the father of the telephone. Afterall, it was his design that was first patented; however, he was not the first inventor to come up with the idea of a talking telegraph.

Wow! 

Are you confused about how to impact your world?

Find a Problem in An Existing Solution

First, I’ll tell you a cheat code that has been in existence long before you were born: FIND A PROBLEM IN AN EXISTING SOLUTION.

Before Facebook became as popular as it is today, there was 2go and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). Most Gen Zs who were teenagers at the era of these social networks thought that that was all to life. Years later, the advent of twitter – now called X, Facebook and Instagram, sent  BBM and 2go off the market.

YouTube.com was activated on February 14, 2005, initially conceived as an online dating service called “Tune In, Hook Up” by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. However, after the creators could not find the videos of Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson Halftime show incident, they pivoted to create the first major video-sharing platform, integrating video upload options on April 23, 2005.

Why am I using practical examples?

I want you to see that many have eaten from the plate I bring before you. Creativity is the expression of compound interactions. If you are bothered about how you can live a life that transcends your existence, you can look within your environment and ask questions. Is there an existing solution? What can you improve in that solution?

Note that the purpose of finding a problem in a solution is to improve the existing solution, not to cause an unhealthy competition. The big sharks understand this game, and they build one another to sway power within the system while onlookers tear their clothes over which of the sharks really holds power.

Pause!

Next, identify that solution you resonate with. Can that solution be better? Can you improve it?

In the course of improving a solution, you must not go below the level of excellence that has already been set. You must offer something better, creating a synergy between the existing solution and your improved version.

Here are ways to identify problems in existing solutions

1. Personal Experience: Reflecting on personal challenges can often reveal problems that need solutions. In your daily interactions with available solutions, there may be inadequacies you are not convenient with and wish there could be improvements.

2. Observation: Paying close attention to everyday activities and noticing inefficiencies or pain points can lead to problem identification.

3. Customer Feedback:  Listening to feedback from customers or users can uncover areas where existing solutions fall short. Do you work for an organisation? This is something to leverage!

4. Market Research: Conducting market research can reveal gaps or shortcomings in current offerings that present opportunities for innovation. For this reason, developing an improved solution to an observed problem requires proper research. What is a problem to you may not be one to others. This will guide on how you sell your solution to people.

5. Industry Trends: Staying informed about trends and developments in relevant industries can highlight emerging problems or changing needs. You should stay online and follow trends, and you will be able to easily identify loopholes to be filled.

6. Brainstorming Sessions: Collaborating with others to generate ideas can spark discussions about unresolved issues. Take time to think: some ideas never come with a spark while going through the day’s activities. Sometimes, it takes brainstorming.

7. Prototype Testing: Testing prototypes or beta versions of products/services can uncover unexpected challenges or limitations.

8. Consulting Experts: Seeking advice from experts or mentors in a particular field can provide insights into overlooked problems. If you can, meet experts in industries. Sometimes, they are aware of the problem in an already existing solution but barely have the time to think through on improving the solutions. They can be your map in navigating the success of your improved solution.

9. Environmental Scanning: Analysing the broader socio-economic or environmental context can identify systemic issues requiring attention.

10. Reverse Engineering: Examining existing solutions critically and identifying their drawbacks can inspire innovative problem-solving approaches. This is the bedrock of today’s discussion, upon which we build the concept of making an impact in your world.