You should check out Vaughn Tan’s new work on “not knowing.” I think the uncertainty of possible actions, possible outcomes, linkage of actions to outcomes, and value of outcomes could be a way to consider these vague goals.
https://vaughntan.org/notknowing
I’ve been joining his Interintellect conversations and they have been really great:
https://interintellect.com/series/thinking-about-not-knowing/
I’m excited to try this out in both strong and weak forms.
There are parallels of getting to the crux of something in design and product discovery research. It is called Why Laddering. I have used it when trying to understand the reasons behind a particular person’s problem or need. If someone starts too specific it is a great way to step back from solutions they have preconceived before knowing the real problem (or if there is even one).
It also attempts to get to a higher level in a system of needs.
Are there ever times that the double crux have resulted in narrowing with each crux? Or do they generally become more general?
There is the reverse as well called How Laddering which tries to find solutions for more general problems.
It sounds like the ‘reverse double crux’ would be to find a new, common solution after a common crux has been found.