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Technique N°6 - Question your challenge

How easy it is to cover your problem with questions!


When you face a problem, it’s good to challenge the challenge itself. This technique uses four colors to help you generate four kinds of questions and help you to get new ideas.

The main idea of using colors to create questions is to focus your brain on the questions instead of the problem statement. Based on the four colors (blue, red, green and yellow) with each color tied to a specific feeling it covers the main types of questions that should be asked about a problem.

To explore this technique we will use the example of Connect Fracture to Osteoporosis contest: “Find an original way to let elderly women know that their fracture could be caused by osteoporosis.”

Here’s how you use this technique:

  1. Take a paper and divide it in 4 areas (one per color): yellow, red, green, and blue. 
  • The yellow is the color for describing with neutral and objective answers: “What is?” 
For example: What is osteoporosis? Who is defined as elderly women? What happens in the body when there is a fracture? 
  • Red represents the limitations and constraints (negative color). All the questions must be negative like “What can’t be done?” or “What is impossible?” 
For example: What can’t be done with elderly women? What is impossible to do when you have a fracture? What can’t be done if it is caused by osteoporosis? 
  • Green is the color of creativity and imagination. The questions start with “What if?” or “Suppose that?”
For example: What if the fracture is not a fracture? Suppose that elderly women already know it? What if the cause is something else? One idea could be that there are signs that indicate that the fracture is caused by osteoporosis. 
  • Finally, the blue color is the color of judgments, options but in a hopeful and positive way. The questions are like “What can we do?” or “What should we do?”
For example: What can we do to alert elderly? What should we do when the fracture is caused by osteoporosis? What can we do against fracture?
One idea could be that elderly uses different products or sees specific doctors.  
  1. Write as many questions as you can in each area. Once done prioritize them and answer the top 5 questions in each category.


By covering a broad spectrum of questions, you can open your mind to new ideas and will be able to handle your challenge more easily.


Did you find new ideas to solve the problem? If yes, congrats! If no move on to the next technique!

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