How Might We (HMW) questions transform research insights and identified problems into open, optimistic invitations to design. Developed at Procter and Gamble and later adopted and popularised by IDEO and Google Ventures, the format works because it is constructive without being prescriptive. It acknowledges a challenge while implying that a solution exists and that the team has the capacity to find it. A well-written HMW question opens up a design space without narrowing it to a single answer.
How Might We
Reframing problems as open invitations to design
A
Designers Academy
3 June 2026 · 4 min read
UXMethods
In brief
How Might We (HMW) questions reframe problem statements or research insights into open, optimistic invitations for collaborative design, signaling that solutions are achievable and multiple paths exist.
