Reframing Through New Minds: How External Experts Unlock Problem Reframing Through Reasoning Logics
Paola Bellis, Claudio Dell'Era, Roberto Verganti
kHUB post date: July 2026
Originally published: March 9, 2026 (PDMA JPIM • Vol. 43, Issue 4 • July 2026)
Read time: 80 minutes
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This study examines how external experts assist organizations in reframing problems by applying different reasoning logics in the early stages of the innovation process. Recent research emphasizes the need to interpret the ambiguity of the innovation environment to reframe problems. External experts can contribute by offering unconventional perspectives that help shift how problems are understood. While studies have explored the role of external experts in problem solving (e.g., ideation and evaluation), few have investigated their involvement in problem reframing. To this end, we conducted an ethnographic study of four strategic innovation projects in which firms collaborated with external experts of varying expertise. We analyze how experts assist innovation teams in moving from hypothetical to renewed frames using five distinct reasoning logics. Early on, experts use (1) reverse deduction and (2) reverse induction to identify common patterns. Upon encountering new perspectives, they rely on (3) explanatory abduction to explore alternative interpretations. This opens a dialogic space for imagination and insights generation through (4) speculative innovative abduction, and (5) moral innovative abduction. We contribute to research on problem reframing in innovation by showing how external experts support reframing not only by introducing new knowledge, but also by reshaping existing knowledge to foster renewed understanding.
Managerial Summary
This study offers valuable insights for managers. First, it emphasizes that the value of external experts lies not only in their knowledge, but also in how they reason and interact throughout problem reframing. Managers should go beyond focusing on breakthrough ideas and engage in shared reasoning, which fosters more robust and innovative problem reframing. External experts bring complementary perspectives, but it is through collaboration that renewed understanding truly emerges. Second, the study highlights the need for managerial openness to diverse—and sometimes uncomfortable—perspectives. Problem reframing is not just about hearing new views but about rethinking and, at times, letting go of existing assumptions. Because of their distance from the internal firm's logics, external experts might introduce reasoning that challenges dominant mental models. Managers should avoid seeking only validation and instead engage with tensions and disagreements to uncover what was previously overlooked. Finally, the study highlights the transformative power of dialogue. Genuine dialogue, grounded in openness and curiosity, supports deep reflection and enables the co-construction of new frames. Engaging with tensions and disagreements can uncover what was previously overlooked. In this way, feedback becomes a generative force, and problem reframing evolves through continuous learning.