Problem statement: Guide
This article is part of the product discovery series. In the series we will go through the process of product discovery and how to apply it to your own projects.
In this article, we will go through the problem statement.
Summary
The problem statement is used to identify the problem that you are trying to solve. It might also include a short description about why it is important to solve.
It will often be on the form: [Doing something] is [pain point]. This means [consequence]. We know this is a problem because [proof of problem]
For example “Finding a good restaurant is hard. This means that people often eat at home. We know this is a problem because we have done a survey and found that 80% of people eat at home more often than they would like, and the top reason they gave, was it was difficult to find a restaurant.”
What is a problem statement?
When doing product discovery, it might be tempting to jump straight into the solution. However, it is important to first identify the problem that you are trying to solve. This is done by creating a problem statement.
The problem statement is used to identify the problem that you are trying to solve. It might also include a short description about why it is important to solve.
Even though it seems like a pretty obvious thing to define, it is often overlooked. This also means, that there does not exist a lot of litterature on the subject. We want to change that in this article.
What a problem statement looks like
The problem statement will often be on the form: [Doing something] is [pain point]. This means [consequence]. We know this is a problem because [proof of problem]
For example “Finding a good restaurant is hard. This means that people often eat at home. We know this is a problem because we have done a survey and found that 80% of people eat at home more often than they would like, and the top reason they gave, was it was difficult to find a restaurant.”
Notice that the problem statement is not a solution. It is a problem. It is also not a hypothesis. It is a problem that you have identified.
When to make a problem statement
There are many different philosophies on how to do product discovery. In Lenny's newsletter, he goes through how many consumer companies came up with their idea, and he identified 5 key strategies.
- Solving your own problems
- Follow your curiosity
- Double down on what's working
- Paying attention to paradigm shifts
- Brainstorming with friends
Depending on which strategy you use, you might have a different product discovery process. However, starting with defining the problem first, and then moving on to other parts of the product discovery, is a good strategy to use.
By defining the problem first, you will have a clear goal to work towards. This will help you to stay focused on the problem, and not get distracted by other ideas.
How to make a problem statement
If you don't know what problem to solve, you might have a problem (pun intended). If you are starting a company, or starting a new project at an existing company, you should do so because you have identified a problem that you want to solve.
Most projects fail, and it is usually because you get an idea, and decide to build it because the solution sounds cool. However, if you don't solve a problem, then you don't have a business.
So starting with a problem statement is a good reality check. If you can't identify a problem, then you should probably not start the project.