Skip to main content

Reality Questions

Purpose​

Move beyond symptoms to root causes by challenging embedded assumptions and reframing problems in ways that reveal new solution spaces.

The Catalytic Question​

"What is the real question underneath all this?"

Core Questions​

  1. Assumptions Check: What assumptions are we making that might not be true?
  2. Success Clarity: What would success actually look like, beyond our current metrics?
  3. True Optimization: What are we optimizing for, really?
  4. Simplification: What's the simplest version of this problem?
  5. Hidden Constraints: What constraints are we assuming that might not be real?

Application Process​

1. Surface Symptoms
   - List all visible problems
   - Note what triggered concern
   - Identify who is affected

2. Five Whys Analysis
   - For each symptom, ask "why?" five times
   - Don't accept first answers
   - Follow the causal chain

3. Identify Common Roots
   - Look for patterns across symptoms
   - Find shared underlying causes
   - Map root cause to symptoms

4. Challenge Assumptions
   - List implicit beliefs
   - Test each assumption
   - Ask "what if this isn't true?"

5. Reframe the Problem
   - State the root cause clearly
   - Formulate new problem statement
   - Validate with stakeholders

Validation Checklist​

  • Listed all surface-level symptoms
  • Applied "five whys" to each symptom
  • Identified common root causes
  • Challenged key assumptions
  • Reframed problem based on root causes
  • Validated new framing with stakeholders

Example: Feature Request Analysis​

Surface Problem: Users want a dashboard export feature

Why 1: Why do they want export?
  -> To share data with stakeholders

Why 2: Why share with stakeholders?
  -> Stakeholders can't access the dashboard

Why 3: Why can't they access it?
  -> No guest/viewer permissions exist

Why 4: Why no guest permissions?
  -> Never built because "security risk"

Why 5: Why assumed security risk?
  -> Never actually evaluated

Root Problem: Permission model is incomplete
Real Solution: Read-only guest access (simpler than export)

When to Use This Lens​

Use Reality Questions when you:

  • Suspect you're treating symptoms not causes
  • Keep solving the same problem repeatedly
  • Feel like solutions aren't working
  • Need to challenge "the way things are"
  • Want to simplify a complex situation

See Also​