Problem Statement Framing

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” - Albert Einstein

Aug 01, 2021

What is a problem statement?

A problem statement is a concise description of an issue to be addressed or a condition to be improved upon. It identifies the gap between the current (problem) state and desired (goal) state of a process or product. Focusing on the facts, the problem statement should be designed to address the Five Ws. The first condition of solving a problem is understanding the problem, which can be done by way of a problem statement

Problem statements are widely used by most businesses and organizations to execute process improvement products. A simple and well-defined problem statement will be used by the product team to understand the problem and work toward developing a solution. It will also provide management with specific insights into the problem so that they can make appropriate product decisions. As such, it is crucial for the problem statement to be clear and unambiguous.

An example of a problem is: The vehicle will not start.

Why? – The battery is dead. (First why)
Why? – The alternator is not functioning. (Second why)
Why? – The alternator belt has broken. (Third why)
Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced. (Fourth why)
Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule. (Fifth why, a root cause)

Characteristics of a good problem statement :

we found this really good breakdown of characteristics by Stanford’s d. school outlining the main functions of a problem statement. A good problem statement:

Provides focus and frames the problem
Inspires your team
Informs criteria for evaluating competing ideas
Empowers your team to make independent decisions
Captures the hearts and minds of people you meet
Prevents you from creating concepts that are all things to all people
Should be discreet, not broad

Why is a problem statement important?

A problem statement is an important communication tool because it establishes a foundation for discovery. It gives a comprehensive view of what's going on to the people who can make a sizable shift in the organization's objectives.

A problem statement is important because it examines an issue from multiple angles. It identifies who the problem impacts, what the impacts are, where the problem occurs and why and when it needs to be fixed. This helps organizations determine the extent of an issue. Thus, a problem statement ensures individuals investigate the entire scope of an issue and approach the solution with clear goals in mind.

A problem statement is essentially the beginning of a new project. It sets the criteria for dealing with a problem and gives them a framework to execute it to a high standard. Near the project's completion, this statement can help you verify if the solution addressed the initial problem effectively.

How to write a problem statement

A problem statement needs to communicate the extent of an issue and the resources you need to solve the problem. Thus, it must be accurate and clearly written. Here are the key steps you need to follow closely when crafting a problem statement:

1. Put the problem in the context

Before you write, you need to have a clear picture of the problem itself. Since you are addressing individuals with no background on the topic, you need to provide adequate context for them to understand the scope and urgency of the issue. In other words, you need to describe how things should work.

At this stage, you want to discuss the what, where, when and who, regarding the problem. Think about these additional questions to help you frame an impactful problem statement:

Is the problem limited to a certain demographic or region?
Which people have attempted to solve the issue?
What do people already know about the issue?

2. Explain the relevance of the problem

The problem statement should address not only what the problem is but why it's important to solve. This is the part where you grab the reader's attention by specifying the seriousness of the issue. You need to communicate why it matters to them and the potential dangers if it goes unsolved. Sometimes a problem's relevance is not immediately obvious; that's why doing your due diligence in defining and describing the problem accurately is an important first step.

To clarify why your problem is significant, address the following questions:

Who will feel the consequences of the problem?
What is the financial impact of the problem?
Does the problem have any relevance to other areas of the business?
Does the problem impact the wider society?
How will solving the problem increase our understanding of the business?

3. Backup your claims

Quantifiable data ensure people understand the relevance and scope of a problem. Using evidence to back up your problem statement will make people take the issue seriously. Knowing your numbers also boosts your credibility. It can also mobilize a faster response to the problem. For example, if a problem has diminished sales in the past few weeks, showing these statistics immediately communicates the extent of the issue.

4. Propose a solution

After doing a thorough investigation into the problem, you would have a solid grasp of how the problem occurred. Thus, you need to propose a practical solution or suggest several approaches to understanding and rectifying the issue at this stage. State your objectives by suggesting well-thought-out plans for combating the issue.

5. Explain the benefits of your proposed solution(s)

Demonstrate why the solution will work with practical examples of how it will effectively address the problem. Explain how solving the problem will benefit the organization. Focus on the financial benefits of solving the problem and the impact on customer satisfaction.

Problem statement template

Problem statements usually follow the same general format, though they may fluctuate in length depending on the complexity of the issue. Here's a basic template you can follow when writing your problem statement:

Problem Using one sentence, define the problem.
Background In this section, use evidence to describe and explain the context of the problem.
Relevance In this section, describe why the problem matters.
Objectives In your conclusion, propose solutions to the problem based on your research and understanding of it.

10 Problem Definition tools from Einstein’s

1. Rephrase the Problem

When a Toyota executive asked employees to brainstorm “ways to increase their productivity”, all he got back were blank stares. When he rephrased his request as “ways to make their jobs easier”, he could barely keep up with the number of suggestions.
Words carry strong implicit meaning and, as such, play a major role in how we perceive a problem. In the example above, ‘be productive’ might seem like a sacrifice you’re doing for the company, while ‘make your job easier’ may be more like something you’re doing for your own benefit, but from which the company also benefits. In the end, the problem is still the same, but the feelings — and the points of view — associated with each of them are vastly different.

2. Expose and Challenge Assumptions

Every problem — no matter how apparently simple it may become with a long list of assumptions attached. Many of these assumptions may be inaccurate and could make your problem statement inadequate or even misguided.

The first step to getting rid of bad assumptions is to make them explicit. Write a list and expose as many assumptions as you can — especially those that may seem the most obvious and ‘untouchable’.

That, in itself, brings more clarity to the problem at hand. But go further and test each assumption for validity: think in ways that might not be valid and their consequences. What you will find may surprise you: that many of those bad assumptions are self-imposed — with just a bit of scrutiny you are able to safely drop them.

For example, suppose you’re about to enter the restaurant business. One of your assumptions might be ‘restaurants have a menu. While such an assumption may seem true at first, try challenging it and maybe you’ll find some very interesting business models (such as one restaurant in which customers bring dish ideas for the chef to cook, for example).

3. Chunk Up

Each problem is a small piece of a greater problem. In the same way that you can explore a problem laterally — such as by playing with words or challenging assumptions — you can also explore it at different “altitudes”.

If you feel you’re overwhelmed with details or looking at a problem too narrowly, look at it from a more general perspective. In order to make your problem more general, ask questions such as: “What’s this a part of?”, “What’s this an example of?” or “What’s the intention behind this?”.

4. Chunk Down

If each problem is part of a greater problem, it also means that each problem is composed of many smaller problems. It turns out that decomposing a problem into many smaller problems — each of them more specific than the original — can also provide greater insights about it.

‘Chunking the problem down’ (making it more specific) is especially useful if you find the problem overwhelming or daunting.

Some of the typical questions you can ask to make a problem more specific are: “What are parts of this?” or “What are examples of this?”.

5. Find Multiple Perspectives

Before rushing to solve a problem, always make sure you look at it from different perspectives. Looking at it with different eyes is a great way to have instant insight into new, overlooked directions.

For example, if you own a business and are trying to ‘increase sales, try to view this problem from the point of view of, say, a customer. For example, from the customer’s viewpoint, this may be a matter of adding features to your product that one would be willing to pay more for.

Rewrite your problem statement many times, each time using one of these different perspectives. How would your competition see this problem? Your team? Your mom?

6. Use Effective Language Constructs

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for properly crafting the perfect problem statement, but there are some language constructs that always help to make it more effective:

Assume a myriad of solutions. An excellent way to start a problem statement is: “In what ways might I…”. This expression is much superior to “How can I…” as it hints that there’s a multitude of solutions, and not just one — or maybe none. As simple as this sounds, the feeling of expectancy helps your brain find solutions.
Make it positive. Negative sentences require a lot more cognitive power to process and may slow you down — or even derail your train of thought. Positive statements also help you find the real goal behind the problem and, as such, are much more motivating.
For example: instead of finding ways to ‘quit smoking’, you may find that ‘increase your energy, live longer and others are much more worthwhile goals.
Frame your problem in the form of a question. Our brain loves questions. If the question is powerful and engaging, our brains will do everything within their reach to answer it. We just can’t help it: Our brains will start working on the problem immediately and keep working in the background, even when we’re not aware of it.
If you’re still stuck, consider using the following formula for phrasing your problem statement:
“In what ways (action) (object) (qualifier) (end result)?”
Example: In what ways might I package (action) my book (object) more attractively (qualifier) so people will buy more of it (end result)?

7. Make It Engaging

In addition to using effective language constructs, it’s important to come up with a problem statement that truly excites you so you’re in the best frame of mind for creatively tackling the problem. If the problem looks too dull for you, invest the time adding vigor to it while still keeping it genuine. Make it enticing. Your brain will thank (and reward) you later.

One thing is to ‘increase sales’ (boring), another one is ‘wow your customers. One thing is ‘to create a personal development blog’, another completely different is to ’empower readers to live fully’.

8. Reverse the Problem

One trick that usually helps when you’re stuck with a problem is turning it on its head.

If you want to win, find out what would make you lose. If you are struggling to find ways to ‘increase sales, find ways to decrease them instead. Then, all you need to do is reverse your answers. ‘Make more sales calls’ may seem an evident way of increasing sales, but sometimes we only see these ‘obvious’ answers when we look at the problem from an opposite direction.

This seemingly convoluted method may not seem intuitive at first, but turning a problem on its head can uncover rather obvious solutions to the original problem.

9. Gather Facts

Investigate the causes and circumstances of the problem. Probe details about it — such as its origins and causes. Especially if you have a problem that’s too vague, investigating facts is usually more productive than trying to solve it right away.

If, for example, the problem stated by your spouse is “You never listen to me”, the solution is not obvious. However, if the statement is “You don’t make enough eye contact when I’m talking to you,” then the solution is obvious and you can skip brainstorming altogether. (You’ll still need to work on the implementation, though!)

Ask yourself questions about the problem. What is not known about it? Can you draw a diagram of the problem? What are the problem boundaries? Be curious. Ask questions and gather facts. It is said that a well-defined problem is halfway to being solved: I would add that a perfectly defined problem is not a problem anymore.

10. Problem-Solve Your Problem Statement

I know I risk getting into an infinite loop here, but as you may have noticed, getting the right perspective of a problem is, well, a problem in itself. As such, feel free to use any creative thinking technique you know to help. There are plenty to choose from:

Of course, how much effort you invest in defining the problem in contrast to how much effort you invest in solving your actual problem is a hard balance to achieve, though one which is attainable with practice.

Personally, I don’t think that 55 minutes of defining a problem versus 5 minutes acting on it is usually a good proportion. The point is that we must be aware of how important problem defining is and correct our tendency to spend too little time on it.

In fact, when you start paying more attention to how you define your problems, you’ll probably find that it is usually much harder than solving them. But you’ll also find that the payoff is well worth the effort.