Think outside the box to solve your problems - Part 2

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Written by
4 years ago

In my first post about this series, I introduced the importance of thinking outside the box to solve problems. Strategy #1 of "Doing the Opposite" was introduced and applied to the fictional problem of overcrowded buses.

Although Strategy #1 often leads to interesting solutions, many of them create new and unexpected consequences. For this reason, I often like to apply another method to problem solving.

Strategy #2: If you can't fix it, then feature it

Photo by Shawn Ang on Unsplash

Imagine this problem: A prestigious hotel in Monte Carlo replaced their aging elevators with new ones. After the replacement, they received many complaints from their customers about long waits for elevators. The elevator manufacturer was brought to the hotel to investigate, but they discovered nothing wrong with the way the systems were operating. What can be done to solve this problem of long waits for the elevator?

There are three obvious solutions:

  1. Replace the new elevators with a completely different model and system.

  2. Upgrade the elevator propulsion system to give it more power, which in turn would move the elevator cars faster.

  3. Install additional elevators throughout the hotel, so fewer customers would need to share the elevator cars.

All of these solutions were costly, and all of them treat the elevator as the source of the problem. Furthermore, obvious solution 3 also would create a consequence of losing valuable floor space to fit the additional elevators.

Now let's use Strategy #2, and simply feature the elevator. Instead of replacing, repairing, or adding new elevators, how can we turn the current elevator into something valued by, or important for the customer?

Outside the box solution: Add mirrors to the elevator doors that face the elevator lobby!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

After mirrors were added, many customers became preoccupied with their appearance by constantly admiring their own reflections to ensure they looked perfect on their way out. The distraction often led to the customer losing track of time. Fewer customers complained about the elevator wait time. The two additional benefits are that this would be both the fastest, and the most cost-effective solution!

Give it try sometime...think outside the box.

Thanks for reading, and stay safe!

If you would like to support my work, please hit like 👍 and subscribe! 😊

Related reading: Think outside the box to solve your problems - Part 1

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Photos:

  1. Elevator lobby by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

  2. Man with Reflection by Shawn Ang on Unsplash

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Written by
4 years ago

Comments

Haha, nice article. I didn't see that solution coming. 😂

When you wrote that the shortcoming should be featured, I assumed that you meant the elevators would be labeled as "deceleration elevators". I'm not sure whether that works in English, but in German there is the term "Entschleunigung" which means that you do something mindfully in a slow way to calm yourself down from the hectic of everyday life.

By the way, I gave your article a like, of course. 👍

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4 years ago

Lol. So true. Hope the employee who came up with the solution was rewarded well. We love looking at ourselves. Btw, upvoted means liked, correct?

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4 years ago

Sorry, just catching up with replies...yes, my understanding is liked and upvoted are similar, and they are used by devs to measure popularity.

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4 years ago

i had fun reading this. upvoted

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4 years ago

thx my friend!

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4 years ago

hehehe the mirror works well.

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4 years ago

just a different way of thinking, right?

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4 years ago

exactly

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4 years ago

Oh yea. The Idea of looking into the mirror helps to pass time and they no longer notice that the elevator is taking time. A nice example you gave there.

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4 years ago

yes, hopefully we can look at problems differently to solve them. Alternate problem solving techniques can be applied to socio-economic problems too.

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4 years ago