I am a big fan of the folks over at Planview. Not just because of their output of such great information on how to build better products, but for their desire to shape thought in a positive direction for innovation.

Kaylee Kolditz posed the notion of whether or not we are asking the right questions in a recent blog post. It would be easy to assume that since we drive innovation passionately in the global economy of today. China can make it cheaper, India can do it faster, and South America can sneak up from behind you and do it better.

In her post, Kolditz highlights a 15-year old who started asking questions about cancer. It’s quite possible this boy is a prodigy, and was bound for greatness eventually. Maybe it wasn’t encumbered by years of frustration working the health industry, and therefore could offer a fresh perspective. Was it solely the result of a passionate search for truth that led to this breakthrough? 

Billions have been spent on cancer research, with trillions more to come. Jack Andraka wasn’t the first to approach this giant monster of a disease, and he won’t be the last. Perhaps he merely wanted to educate himself, was upset that he wasn’t getting the right answers, and decided to do something about it. I can’t say for sure, but I can applaud his ability to ask the right questions.

When you are faced with your next roadblock at work, look at the questions you usually ask to resolve an issue. There are simple ways of changing how we ask for answers, but it all goes back to what we are trying to find out. Look deeper, and you may find yourself getting better answers.