What is a problem statement?
A problem statement condenses what you've learned into one sentence about whose problem you're solving, what they need and why it matters. It anchors the "Define" stage of design thinking, where it's often called a point-of-view statement, and its usual form is: [stakeholder] needs [a way to do X] because [insight]. It isn't one of the formal intelligence-analysis techniques. It's included here because analytic projects benefit from the same discipline: naming who the analysis is for before choosing how to do it.
When to use it
Write the problem statement at the very start of a project, before you pick techniques or start collecting. Revisit it whenever the customer, the question or the scope changes. A clear statement keeps the rest of the work aimed at the right target. A vague one produces analysis that's thorough but answers the wrong question.
How to use this tool
- Name the project.
- Fill in the three parts of the statement: the stakeholder or user, their need, and the insight that explains why it matters. The tool assembles them into one sentence.
- Add supporting observations, such as notes from a stakeholder call or prior reporting, so the statement rests on evidence.
- Save a version. When a revision changes the scope, mark it as a re-anchor.
- Revisit related work. The tool lists the other techniques you've used in this browser for this project, so you can update them when the problem shifts.
Common pitfalls
- Stating a solution as the need. "Needs a dashboard" is a solution; "needs to know which routes fail first" is a need.
- A generic stakeholder. "Leadership" is too vague to design for. Name a role.
- An insight that isn't one. The "because" should say something you learned, not restate the need.
Related
- How Might We turns your statement into questions that open up solutions.
- Getting Started Checklist scopes the rest of the project.
- Customer Checklist captures what the stakeholder requires from the analysis.
- Empathy Map builds the understanding of the stakeholder your insight draws on.