TL;DR: Model your challenge / problem-scenario as a supply chain.<p><pre><code> 1. Identify the actors/entities involved.
2. Identify the "item" in short supply.
3. Commoditise the "item".
Congratulations,
you have found an "out of the box" solution
to your problem.
</code></pre>
----<p>Recently presented this talk at BarCamp Bangalore Spring 2019.<p>During the session, we applied this technique to brainstorm how one could solve the problem of bad public infrastructure (eg. Good Roads) due to corrupt/inefficient public officials n developing regions.<p>- There is already lot of public and private money (Corporate Social Responsibility) poured into solving infrastructure issues.<p>- Workforce / Time is also NOT a constraint as there is no lack of expertise in developing basic infrastructure like roads.<p>Applying the "Commoditise the Supply-Chain" method, 2 potential approaches to this problem that we came up with were:<p><i>1. Solve other basic problems first.</i><p>As long as people in the region have more pressing concerns that affect them directly, they will not unite behind the cause to improve roadworks to the level of first-world nations.<p><i>2. Commoditise decision making.</i><p>Currently the people of a region do NOT get to directly decide which individual road they would like improved first. Having an app that detects rough-rides / potholes as you one rides daily, can help people to identify and upvote the worse stretches of roads that need to be fixed first.