Introduction

A well-crafted problem statement is the foundation for successful problem-solving in Design Thinking. It sets the direction for the entire process, ensuring that solutions are focused, relevant, and user-centered. Learning to define clear and actionable problem statements is an essential skill for any Design Thinker.

Definition

A problem statement is a concise, user-focused declaration that outlines the challenge to be addressed and frames it as an opportunity for innovation.

Overview

Problem statements guide the Design Thinking process by focusing efforts on the right challenge. Rather than jumping to solutions, they encourage teams to deeply understand user needs and reframe issues in a way that inspires creativity.
At the heart of this approach is the “How Might We” model, which acts as the North Star for the Design Thinking process. This model transforms challenges into opportunities by framing problems in an open, collaborative, and solution-oriented way. The

“How Might We” model consists of four key components:

1. How Might We: Frames the challenge as a question that invites collaboration and exploration.
2. Help Who: Identifies the primary user or audience that needs assistance.
3. Do What: Defines the action or intervention required to address the challenge.
4. Achieve Which Goals: Specifies the desired outcomes or benefits of solving the problem.

For example, instead of saying, “We need to fix our product’s slow delivery time,” a problem statement could be rephrased as, “How might we help customers receive their orders faster without compromising quality?” This ensures the team remains aligned, user-focused, and ready to explore innovative solutions.

Process

The process of crafting a problem statement is iterative and deliberate, ensuring that it aligns with user needs and project goals. It begins by gathering a comprehensive understanding of the challenge, followed by synthesizing key insights and framing the challenge in a way that invites innovative solutions. Each step in this process builds a deeper connection to the user and creates a strong foundation for the subsequent stages of Design Thinking. Below are the key steps:

1. Understand the Context:
   • Gather information about the challenge through user research, data analysis, and stakeholder input.
   • Identify the scope and constraints of the problem.
2. Empathize with Users:
   • Use insights from the Empathize phase to understand user perspectives, needs, and pain points.
   • Focus on the emotional and practical aspects of the user’s experience.
3. Synthesize Key Insights:
   • Analyze the data collected to identify patterns, themes, and critical challenges.
   • Narrow down the findings to the most significant insights.
4. Frame the Problem Statement:
   • Start with “How Might We” to frame the problem as an opportunity.
   • Use the “Help Who, Do What, Achieve Which Goals” structure to ensure clarity and focus.
5. Validate the Statement:
   • Share the problem statement with team members, stakeholders, and users to ensure alignment and relevance.
   • Refine the statement based on feedback to make it more focused and impactful.

Tools

Crafting effective problem statements requires tools that help distill complex information into clear and actionable insights. These tools are designed to bridge the gap between user research and problem framing, ensuring that teams remain focused on what truly matters. By using these resources, teams can create problem statements that are both insightful and impactful:

• Empathy Maps: Visualize user thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to ensure the statement is rooted in user needs.
• Journey Maps: Highlight user pain points and moments of friction.
• Insight Cards: Summarize key findings to inform the problem statement.
• “How Might We” Templates: Provide a structured approach to crafting actionable statements using the Help Who, Do What, Achieve Which Goals format.

Example

Continuing with the community gardening initiative, the team synthesizes insights from user interviews and observations. They identify key barriers such as limited space, lack of gardening knowledge, and difficulty accessing resources.

Using the “How Might We” model, they craft the following problem statement: “How might we help urban residents overcome barriers to gardening by providing accessible resources and community support to achieve greater participation in urban gardening?” This statement is user-centered, actionable, and leaves room for creative exploration.

Common Mistakes

While problem statements are central to the success of the Design Thinking process, common pitfalls can undermine their effectiveness. Recognizing and avoiding these mistakes ensures that problem statements remain clear, actionable, and user-focused. Below are some of the most frequent challenges teams face when crafting problem statements:

• Being too vague: Statements that lack specificity can confuse and derail efforts.
• Jumping to solutions: Avoid embedding preconceived solutions into the problem statement.
• Ignoring user needs: Statements that don’t prioritize the user fail to address the real challenge.
• Overcomplicating the statement: Keep the language simple, clear, and actionable.

Avoiding these pitfalls ensures that problem statements remain focused and effective in guiding the process.

FAQs

• Why is the “How Might We” format effective? It fosters collaboration, encourages creativity, and frames the problem as an opportunity rather than a constraint.
• Can a problem statement evolve? Yes, as new insights emerge, problem statements can and should be refined to remain relevant.
• What makes a problem statement user-centered? It focuses on the user’s needs, challenges, and desired outcomes rather than internal or technical issues.

Next Steps

Practice crafting problem statements using the “How Might We” format. Apply the process to a small challenge within your work or personal life. Then, move to the next article: Empathize, where you will learn to gather deep insights about users to inform your problem statement and subsequent solutions.