Crafting a Problem Statement in One Day: A Practical Guide

Defining a clear problem statement quickly means focusing on what the problem really
is, not just its symptoms. Start by contextualizing the issue: note where/when it occurs
and who it affectsscribbr.com. This immediately narrows the scope. Then identify the
root cause. Avoid vague, one-liner descriptions – for example, replace “Productivity
issues” with specifics like “A 20% decrease in productivity due to outdated
software”medium.com. Similarly, don’t mistake a symptom for the problemscrum.org.
If support calls are up, ask why: use a quick root-cause tool (e.g. 5-Whys or a fishbone
diagram) to drill down to the blockerfigma.comscrum.org.

Once you have the core issue, draft a concise statement. A simple template can help –
for instance: “A [user/group] is trying to [achieve goal], but [faces barrier]”shopify.com.
BetterUp notes that an effective problem statement is short and specific – ideally one
sentencebetterup.com. Write one sentence using the template, then check if it clearly
identifies what and why without implying a solution. (If it does suggest a fix, strip that
out and rephrase.)

Narrow and Focus the Scope

In a time crunch you can’t tackle everything, so set clear boundaries. Limit the
problem by place, time, or group. For example, Scribbr’s guidance shows how to narrow
“voter turnout” to a particular region and decadescribbr.com. Ask: Where and when is
this happening? Who exactly is affected?scribbr.com. This not only focuses your
statement but makes it feasible. In fact, Scribbr emphasizes that the problem need only
be researchable and relevant, not earth-shatteringscribbr.com. Keep the statement
precise – for example, instead of “Sales are dropping,” say “Company X’s widget sales in
Region Y dropped 15% in the last year” (and, if possible, hint at why based on what you
know). Defining the scope early prevents a sprawling, unfocused statement later.

Rapid Review of Existing Knowledge

Even in one day, spend a bit of time on quick research. Search key terms in Google
Scholar, news articles or industry reports to see how experts frame the issue. Skim
abstracts or summaries (some tools and even AI summarizers can help) to spot
recurring factors or gaps. For instance, SlideEgg warns that a bare statement like
“Declining sales” is weak; instead, a research-backed problem might read “Declining
sales linked to shifting consumer preferences and increased market
competition”medium.com. In practice, look for “future research” or
“recommendations” sections in relevant papers to find phrasing of the gap – embedding
prior literature lends credibilitystatisticssolutions.com. The goal is a few minutes spent
adding data-driven detail or confirming that your chosen focus (from above) is indeed
an open problem.
Align with Objectives and Goals

Make sure the problem you define ties into your overall objectives. If it’s a business
project, connect it to company goals or metrics. For example, state leadership’s desired
outcome as part of the problem. BetterUp calls this a “destination” problem statement:
e.g. “Leaders at Example Co. want to increase net revenue for its premium product line
by 5% next year”betterup.com. This shows the goal and implies the gap (they currently
can’t meet it). Likewise, if this is academic research, ensure your problem, purpose, and
research questions line up – StatSolutions cautions that misalignment among these is a
common stumbling blockstatisticssolutions.com. In short, frame the problem so it
clearly leads to what you want to achieve; this alignment will guide your objectives and
make the statement relevant.

Brainstorming and Visualization Techniques

Use structured ideation to surface issues and perspectives. Start by brainstorming

individually for a few minutes, then compare ideas in a quick group
discussionopinionx.co. This “brainstorm alone, shortlist together” method avoids
groupthinkopinionx.co. Lay out your ideas visually: create a mind map around the
central problemmonash.edu. Mind maps (pen-and-paper or tools like Miro) let you
branch out causes and effects, revealing patterns in how parts of the problem
connectmonash.edu. Another approach is to turn SWOT analysis into a brainstorming
exercise: the Smart Sailboat tool treats team goals as “wind” pushing forward, internal
issues as “anchors,” and external threats as “icebergs”opinionx.co. By categorizing
notes this way, you systematically capture both internal weaknesses and outside
challenges.

Template for Persona-Based Brainstorming: create a few user personas (left column)
and typical scenarios (e.g. tasks) for each, then list each persona’s Problems in the
boxesopinionx.co. This forces you to think from the user’s perspective. For example, a
“Data Analyst” persona with the scenario “prepares weekly report” might surface a
problem like “inconsistent data sources,” which a broad brainstorm might miss. Using
personas/scenarios anchors the problem in real contextsopinionx.co.

Reframing Outcomes: Bernie Roth’s method starts with the desired outcome and works
backward to problemsopinionx.co. As shown above, begin with “What problem do users
want to solve?” then ask “What’s stopping them from accomplishing it?” and “What
other problems could be blocking this?”opinionx.co. In practice, this might reveal that
“can’t export data” is a symptom of a deeper reporting issue. Reframing in this way
generates new angles on the core issue.

Frameworks, Templates and Examples

A number of step-by-step templates can speed up writing:

• Context + Objective: State the current situation, its impact, and why it
mattersscribbr.comscribbr.com.

• Problem-Goal Format: As noted, “A [group] is trying to [goal] but [faces

barrier]”shopify.com.

• SMART/Destination style: Clearly state a measurable goal. E.g., “increase net

revenue by 5%”betterup.com.

• Stakeholder focus: Frame it for a specific group. E.g., “<i>In the last three
quarterly surveys, less than 30% of employees said they feel valued by the
company</i> (a 20% drop from a year ago)”betterup.com.

Here are concrete examples (from BetterUp’s templates) of concise problem

statements:

• Status-quo: “The average customer service on-hold time for Example Co.
exceeds five minutes during both its busy and slow seasons.”betterup.com

• Desired outcome: “Leaders at Example Co. want to increase net revenue for its
premium product line by 5% for the next fiscal year.”betterup.com

• Stakeholder view: “In the last three quarterly surveys, less than 30% of
employees at Example Co. stated they feel valued by the company – a 20%
decline from the year prior.”betterup.com
Use these as inspiration: in your own problem statement, be specific about who,
what, and how much.

Tools and Tips for Efficiency

• Mind Mapping Software: Tools like MindMeister or simple whiteboards help

organize ideas spatiallymonash.edu.

• SWOT/Diagram Tools: A quick online chart (or sticky notes) for SWOT can reveal
internal vs external factors – the Smart Sailboat is one such structured
diagramopinionx.co.

• Root-Cause Templates: Keep a 5-Whys cheat-sheet handy or a fishbone

diagram template to drill down causesfigma.com.
 • Collaborative Tools: Use shared docs or virtual boards (Miro, MURAL) if working
in a team – you can Rapidly jot ideas together. Start with individual notes, then
group similar items (“affinity diagramming”) to focus themes.

• Time-Boxing: Allocate short blocks (e.g. 15–30 min) for each step. For example,
30–60 min scanning for context, 20 min solo ideation, 20 min group
brainstorming, then the rest drafting the statement.

• Research Summarizers: If available, quick summarizer tools or even an AI

assistant can extract key points from long articles in minutes (just double-check
accuracy).

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Vague language: Don’t be too general. Instead of “Productivity issues,” say

exactly what and how muchmedium.com.

• Focusing on symptoms: Don’t just state an effect (e.g. “High turnover”). Probe
for an underlying cause (e.g. “turnover caused by lack of career
development”)medium.com.

• Implying a solution: A problem statement should not sound like a fix. For
example, avoid “we need a new app to…” – just state the problem
itselfscrum.org. Keep it open to any solution.

• Overcomplicating: Keep it concise. Scrum.org warns that too much detail

makes statements hard to readscrum.org. Stick to the core issue.

• Ignoring stakeholder input: Ask those affected (customers, users, staff) quickly.
SlideEgg notes that leaving out key perspectives can skew the
problemmedium.com. Even a 5-minute chat can surface a critical angle.

• Lack of evidence: As noted, an unsupported claim weakens credibility. SlideEgg

advises tying statements to data or research if possiblemedium.com (e.g. “X% of
users report Y problem”).

By following a structured, time-boxed process – contextualizing the issue, brainstorming

efficiently (with or without tools like mind maps, personas, or SWOT), and checking
against real data – you can draft a focused problem statement in a single day. The key is
to stay specific, aligned with your goals, and free of assumptionsscrum.orgscribbr.com.
With clear focus and these tips, even a tight schedule can yield a solid, actionable
problem statement.