Unit 2 · Lesson 8 of 20
Frame a problem worth solving
Write a problem statement grounded in users, tasks, evidence, and consequence.
01 / Learn
The idea
A useful problem statement describes who is affected, the task they are trying to complete, where it breaks down, and what consequence follows. It does not smuggle in a preferred solution. 'Agents need a dashboard' is a feature request. 'Agents cannot reconcile a customer's status across three tools during a live call, increasing hold time and errors' is a problem that can be investigated.
State the evidence supporting the problem and the biggest uncertainty. Prioritize by severity, reach, and reversibility rather than frequency alone. A rare failure that blocks an essential task or exposes private data may deserve more attention than a common cosmetic irritation. Keep the statement revisable: discovery may show that information ownership, not navigation, causes the tab switching.
A polished 'How might we' phrase is sufficient. The framing is useful only when it directs research and allows more than one plausible solution.
02 / See the reasoning
Worked example
Fictional scenario
A product lead requests a new dashboard because support agents have too many tabs open.
An expert observes agents copying account IDs between tools and occasionally using outdated status. They write: 'During live support calls, agents must check status in three systems; the delay and mismatch can lead to incorrect guidance. We need to understand which status is authoritative and how often mismatches occur.' This leaves room for integration, process, or interface changes.
Try a decision →03 / Decide
Guided decision
Which statement should guide the next discovery step?
Feedback on your choice
What could change the answer: If observation shows the data is consistent and the cost lies in repeated navigation, a consolidated view becomes a stronger candidate; if sources disagree, governance may be the primary work.
This feedback helps you examine the decision; it does not grade your written reasoning.
Apply it somewhere new →04 / Apply elsewhere
Independent application
Fictional scenario
Visitors to a public library website repeatedly call staff while trying to renew a membership.
Write a problem statement using call themes and a proposed observation study. State what you know, what you infer, and which evidence would change the priority.
Make: A one-paragraph problem statement and evidence/uncertainty ledger.
The statement is solution-neutral, tied to a user task and consequence, and explicit about the strength and limits of evidence.
Unit complete
You completed diagnose and frame problems.
You finished this unit's four independent tasks. The next unit builds on your judgment with a new capability.
05 / Keep working