Problem Statement
A problem statement is a clear concise description of a current issue. It points to the need for greater understanding, and keeps the effort focused on what to investigate to improve the situation.
Community leaders face barriers to effectively communicate timely and relevant resources to community members because they do not have a full view of the community members’ engagement with these resources.
Apply the 5 Ws (Who, What, Where, When, and Why) to a problem as a means of gathering information to get to the complete story.
Do this exercise before you write your problem statement.
Worksheets
Tips
- The statement should be specific, feasible, relevant, and significant
- Focus on user needs first, before thinking about solutions
- Include target users and highlight the real context around when, where and how people are running into the problem:
- Identify pain points by observing users and asking, "Why?"
- Identify unmet needs
Apply an inclusive lens when crafting your problem statement:
- Involve community members in the process of scoping and defining the challenge*
- Look at the root causes of the problems: historical, political, and systemic*
- Don’t ignore existing solutions*
LEARN MORE
- Design Justice Principles
- Equity-Centered Community Design
- Test the relevance of your problem statement and get to the root cause with "Why?"
* From Design Justice, by Sasha Costanza-Chock