Problem Statements

The problem statement: the unsung hero of user experience and product management. Many jump straight to solutions, but understanding the problem first is crucial. It guides the process, focusing on real issues rather than assumptions, ideally backed by data and research.

This approach prevents scope creep and keeps solutions relevant. It boosts product success by aligning the right problems effectively.

AI Assistants excel at generating multiple problem statements, offering options that reveal nuances teams might miss. It’s a fantastic brainstorming tool that can save hours of time.

Ready to see it in action? Let’s dive in.

Start with the Domain

What is the domain you’re solving problems for? Start there.

This process begins by examining the broader system within which the problem exists by approaching it from a high level. This creates a holistic understanding of the context and interdependencies, helps to reveal overall patterns, and pinpoints where the problems could be starting from at the very top.

With this approach, our problem statements are grounded in a thorough understanding of the context, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions.

In particular, this approach is incredibly effective if you’re starting an application from scratch. You might have one idea where you should start, but if the AI Assistant spotlights something else, it may give you a different perspective on your initial problem statement.

In our prompt, we’re going to cast a wide net by asking for 10 problem statements related to our domain — like previous chapters, this example’s domain is customer relationship management.

Note, I’m also outlining the specific phrasing, or format, I want my problem statements to appear: the ”how might we” format.

Prompt

Write 10 problem statements for a customer relationship management system in “how might we” format.

Add User Personas

Next up — including the user personas.

Incorporating them into problem statements can significantly enhance focus and help to humanize the problem, making it easier for teams to empathize with the end users and the problem being solved for them. Adding user personas can help align the team’s efforts by providing a common understanding of who the target users are, thus fostering collaboration and consistency.

However, an overreliance on user personas might limit creativity, as teams may become too focused on predefined user characteristics and miss out on innovative opportunities.

Let’s add the persona of “business development representative” and see what we come up with.

Prompt

Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system in “how might we" format.

Add Features

When I work with my teams to write problem statements, I include the feature to get started quicker. That way, we can zero in on precise aspects that require attention, leading to more targeted and actionable problem-solving.

The other reality is that most problems aren’t solved in a vacuum, but rather they are related to improving an existing solution you have or a similar solution in other systems. So, suggesting something that already exists doesn’t bother me when exploring problem statements.

However, there are cons. Focusing too narrowly might cause teams to overlook other opportunities, resulting in solutions that are too isolated or too specific to the feature at hand.

That shouldn’t stop us from trying, so let’s give it a spin. We’ll add the feature of account management in our prompt.

Prompt

Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system for account management in “how might we” format.

Add Outcomes

I like to add outcomes because they give a clear vision of the impact of addressing the problems. It aids in prioritization, so the most impactful problems are tackled first. Additionally, it provides a metric for success, making it easier to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented solutions.

However, the same warning applies: overemphasis on outcomes might also limit creativity; teams may focus solely on achieving declared results rather than exploring innovative solutions that might have even greater impact.

Despite these challenges, the benefits of adding outcomes to problem statements, such as clarity, motivation, and strategic alignment, often outweigh the drawbacks. Let’s try it out and see what we get.

Prompt

Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system for account management with predicted outcomes in “how might we” format.

Improving the Prompt

Want to explore even more? Try improving the prompt by asking the AI Assistant to do it.

A good number of the prompts I tried returned a better, more detailed prompt. It’s worth a try because it offers a fresh perspective, fine-tunes details, and adds clarity to the final result.

You can suggest specific improvements too, like adding a time frame, asking for more context, or removing certain words like ensure or however — that’s my go-to edit.

It’s like having a brainstorming tool that never runs out of ideas. I encourage trying it out.

Prompt

How would you improve this prompt? Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system for account management with predicted outcomes in “how might we” format.