How to know if you're solving the right problem
How to know if you're solving the right problem
First things first…
Why did the duck say bang?
Because he was a firequacker.
Happy Friday, friends! For those of you in the States, I hope you had a great 4th of July! Full of friends, family and fireworks 💥
Let’s get into it!
UX design is all about one thing, solving the problems your users face.
In theory, everything can be solved, so how do you identify and solve the right problems, the ones that will matter?
As they say, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
And 42% of product startups fail because there’s “no market need”.
For both internal alignment and market alignment, I recommend you start by having a strong problem statement.
Mastering Problem Statements
When developing new products, processes, or even businesses, take the time to rigorously define the problems you’re attempting to solve and articulate why those issues are important.
“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.” — Albert Einstein
Maybe Einstein was exaggerating but considering his success in solving complex problems, I think he was onto something.
To accurately identify the right problem to solve, it's essential to take the time to understand the root cause.
Answering the 5Ws is a great way to unpack the opportunity and give you the inputs you need to write a strong problem statement.
So get out your pen and paper! Be as specific and thorough as you can.
The 5W Framework —
The five W questions help establish the framework of any project. Once you have established the answers to the ‘who, what, when, where and why’, you’ll then have a clear picture of the tasks in front of you.
1. Who is affected by the problem?
Purpose: Identify your target audience
Be specific, avoid generalizing. (A product for everyone is a product for no one.)
If you find multiple groups of users affected by a problem, capture each group and measure the impact individually
2. What are the problems (or pain points) they face?
Purpose: Define the problem
Focus on the problems, not the solution. Avoid any references to specific solutions you have.
Try not to mix problems together, even when they’re related.
What tasks do users want to accomplish when they face a problem?
Prioritize problems based on the level of their importance for users.
3. When does the problem occur?
Purpose: Identify driving factors
At what stage does the user face the problem?
What time of the day (or year)?
4. Where does the problem occur?
Purpose: Better understand the context
What environment does the problem happen in?
What device are they using? Or do they have nearby? (i.e., mobile, desktop, digital kiosk, etc.)
Are there any other people involved?
5. Why does this problem matter?
Purpose: Determine priority and impact on the bottom line
What value will it bring to users?
What will happen if you don’t fix the problem?
How do users deal with this problem today?
How many solutions are available to them?
Once you’ve got these questions answered. Write a sentence that clearly articulates the problem. All of the information doesn’t need to make its way into the problem statement.
Two Examples
Households struggle to efficiently manage their grocery shopping due to multiple people shopping, not knowing what’s available at home and items being out of stock at the store.
In the last employee engagement survey, less than 30% of our employees stated that they feel valued for their contributions. This indicates a significant decline of 20% compared to the same period in the previous year.
A well-crafted problem statement serves as a guiding light, keeping the focus on user needs and directing design efforts toward meaningful solutions.
It aligns stakeholders, communicates the problem clearly, and enables research and evaluation to measure success.
And it anchors the design process for impactful and user-centered design outcomes.
Remember, start by finding the right problem to solve, not the right solution.
Great products solve real problems. The better a problem is articulated, the easier it will be to solve.
Favorite Video of the Week
“Breakfast of Champs Beauty”
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That’s it for today. Thanks for reading!
Until next week,
raika