We live in a smart world – smartphones, smart TV, smart AI assistants, smart this and smart that. The problems at work seem to have missed the smart bus. A vague problem statement only makes problem solving difficult. It leads you into a maze.
Don’t Solve Dumb Problems!
The key to solving the right problems lies in clearly defining them. A well-crafted problem statement acts as your compass, guiding your efforts and ensuring you’re not wasting time on “dumb problems” – those that are ill-conceived, irrelevant, or already solved.
What is a DUMB Problem Statement?
Dumb problems are statements with zero clarity – they state the obvious and lack direction.
What Makes a Problem “Dumb”?
A “dumb problem” might be:
- Vague: “Our sales are low.” (Why? What’s the root cause?)
- Already Solved: Re-inventing the wheel when a perfectly good solution already exists.
- Irrelevant: Addressing an issue that has little to no impact on your goals or users.
- Solution-Oriented: Starting with “We need an app to…” instead of identifying the underlying problem the app would solve.
- Personal Bias: Solving something because you think it’s a problem, without validating it with data or user feedback.
Watch my video: “Don’t solve DUMB problems“. I’ve discussed both the dumb and smart versions of the same problem – 2 business and 1 personal problem statement.
Problem Statement Example: Customers calling for late deliveries
Here is the context: there has been an increase in customer complaints for late delivery of online orders for an ecommerce company. During an internal company meeting, the operations manager presents the problem for brainstorming. Given below are two versions: a dumb problem statement and a smart problem statement.
The Dumb Version
A lot of customers have been calling in the last one week to complain about late deliveries.
The Smart Version
We received 27 calls in the last one week with late delivery complaints. That is 8% of total online orders. 80% of those calls are from West Bengal and Bihar.
The dumb version of the late deliveries problem states the obvious – customers are unhappy. They called to express their displeasure.
There is no quantification. How many customers? How many calls? Any specific city or region? Product category?
There is no clarity in this dumb version of the problem statement.
Benefits of a smart problem statement.
First, there is clarity and the problem statement is fact based – 27 calls, 8% of all online orders.
Immediately, one could assess the magnitude and impact. Based on past trends, it can be assessed whether 8% is a significant increase or not. And, the statement also indicates that 80% of all such customers are from two states in the east of India – West Bengal and India.
Make sure that a problem statement is always concise, specific and fact based. If not, you will be wasting time, energy and resources chasing dumb problems. Sometimes, you may be fixing what’s not broken.
What is a good Problem Statement?
Let’s refer to problem statement guidelines as per Six Sigma DMAIC:
A problem statement must answer the following:
- WHAT is the problem?
- WHY is it a problem? State the impact
- WHERE is the problem occurring? The place, time, incident
- WHO is experiencing the problem? Customers, Department, Employees, Suppliers
- WHEN is the problem occurring?
Back these 5W’s with 2 H’s: how was the problem observed and how often does it occur (the frequency of occurrence).
You are already making a head start if you have been able to state your problem using specific facts. The team gets a direction – where to look for the root cause and how to solve the problem.
Business problems or personal – always make sure you follow these guidelines for defining a problem. Don’t shoot in the dark. More often than now, you will miss the target.
Why Bother with a Good Problem Statement?
- Focus: It hones your attention, preventing scope creep and distractions. You know exactly what you’re trying to achieve.
- Clarity: It provides a shared understanding for everyone involved, aligning teams and stakeholders.
- Validation: It forces you to articulate the problem’s impact and significance, helping you decide if it’s even worth solving.
- Measurement: A clear problem statement often includes quantifiable elements, making it easier to measure the success of your solution.
- Efficiency: By identifying and validating the problem upfront, you save time, resources, and effort that would otherwise be spent on misdirected solutions.
Problem Statement Examples
Here are some examples of effective problem statements across different contexts:
Business/Product Development:
Problem: “Our existing customer onboarding process is lengthy and confusing, leading to a 25% drop-off rate within the first 7 days of sign-up, impacting customer retention and revenue growth.”
Marketing/User Experience:
Problem: “Users are abandoning our e-commerce checkout page at a rate of 40% due to an unclear progression path and too many required fields, resulting in lost sales.”
Operations/Process Improvement:
Problem: “Our manual data entry process for inventory management is prone to human error, resulting in a 15% discrepancy between recorded and actual stock levels, leading to stockouts and delayed order fulfillment.”
Social Impact/Community:
Problem: “Lack of accessible, affordable childcare options in rural communities is preventing single parents from seeking stable employment, contributing to cycles of poverty.”
Personal Development/Career:
Problem: “Despite having a strong resume, my job interview conversion rate is only 10%, indicating a need to improve my communication and interview preparation skills to secure a desired role.”
Remember, a strong problem statement isn’t about finding a quick fix; it’s about understanding the core issue deeply before you even think about solutions. By investing time in this crucial first step, you ensure your efforts are directed towards truly meaningful and impactful outcomes.
What’s a “dumb problem” you’ve encountered, or a really well-defined one that led to a great solution?
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Frequently Asked Questions
A problem statement is a short, clear description of an issue or challenge that needs to be solved. It explains what the problem is, who it affects, and why it’s important to fix. Think of it as laying out the puzzle you need to solve before you start looking for pieces.
You should use a problem statement at the very beginning of any project, initiative, or effort where you’re trying to find a solution. This includes business projects, product development, research, process improvements, or even personal goals. It helps ensure everyone is on the same page about what needs to be accomplished.
To identify a good problem statement, start by observing, asking “why” repeatedly (the “5 Whys” technique can be helpful), and gathering data. Look for symptoms, pain points, or inefficiencies.
Ask:
– What is currently going wrong or not working as expected?
– Who is affected by this?
– What is the negative impact or consequence?
– Why is this problem happening? (Get to the root cause, not just the symptom).
Problem statements are used to:
Focus efforts: They keep everyone working on the same core issue.
Gain agreement: They ensure all stakeholders understand and agree on the problem.
Justify solutions: They provide a clear reason why a solution is needed.
Measure success: By defining the problem, you can better measure if your solution actually fixed it.
Prioritize: They help decide which problems are most important to tackle first.
While the exact wording can vary, a strong problem statement usually includes these 5 key components:
The Ideal State: What should be happening? (e.g., “Customers should be able to complete checkout quickly.”)
The Reality/Current State: What is actually happening that is different from the ideal? (e.g., “However, customers are abandoning checkout at 40%.”)
The Gap/Problem: The specific issue or discrepancy between the ideal and reality. (e.g., “This abandonment is due to a confusing process.”)
The Impact/Consequence: What negative effects does this problem cause? (e.g., “This results in lost sales and revenue.”)
The Stakeholders: Who is affected by this problem? (e.g., “This affects our customers and our business.”)
