Problem statement
Learn how to write a clear description of the problem you are trying to solve.
What is it?
A clear description of the problem you are solving. It is used to communicate the problem users are experiencing and how the services will improve their problems.
Purpose of problem statement
The purpose of a problem statement is to provide teams with a focus on a clearly stated problem. This helps teams define a goal that we can work towards.
By identifying the problem to solve, everyone on the team can drive towards the same end-state and not lose sight of the vision. People may encounter distractions and may go down rabbit holes, but we can help keep the team on target by regularly revisiting the problem statement.
How to do it
- Generate ideas: Brainstorm all of the project’s possible goals, needs, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Discuss measurable criteria: Describe ways that you will know (or measure) when you have solved the problem.
- Discuss goals or needs: Work as a group to select the most important goals, needs or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to build your problem statement. This process may reveal multiple statements.
- Writing the statement: Write your problem statement in the following format:
“We have observed that [products, service, organization] isn’t meeting [goals or needs], which is causing [this adverse effect]. How might we improve so that our [products, service, team, organization] is more successful based on [measurable criteria]?”
A good problem statement is user-centred and broad enough for creative freedom but narrow enough to make it manageable.