A strong product opportunity starts with user pain, but it should not stop there. User pain tells us what hurts. A problem statement tells us what is worth solving, for whom, why it matters, and why it matters to our company.
User’s context
I like to start with the user context. Who is the user? What job are they trying to get done? When and where does the pain show up in their workflow? What are they doing today to work around it? The PAINS framework can help here: Physical, Assurance, Inclusion, Name, and Success. It is a quick way to scan for basic functional needs, trust and safety concerns, collaboration or belonging needs, credibility needs, and the larger outcome the user is trying to achieve.
Then go deeper. “Five Whys” is useful, but it does not need to be mechanical. Ask, “Why does that happen?” “Why does that matter?” “What would solving this do for you?” “What did you consider instead?” “Why was that workaround not good enough?” “What would change if this were solved?” These questions move our understanding from surface symptoms to the root problem.
Where we fit
We are part of the user’s context when our product is a meaningful part of their daily lives, workflows, decisions, or expectations. The problem may appear inside our product’s workflows or moments of trust. It may also appear because of the role users expect our company or product category to play.
The best product opportunities sit where the user’s pain overlaps with the role our product naturally plays, or aspires to play, in their life.
Prioritization
Not every user pain warrants product investment. I like to look at RIFF criteria for prioritization: Reach, Impact, Frequency, and strategic Fit. Reach asks how many users or customers have the pain. Impact asks how severe or costly it is. Frequency asks how often it happens.
Strategic Fit asks whether solving it advances the company’s direction. A real user pain may still be a poor product opportunity for us. On the other hand, a narrow pain can still be worth solving if it is extremely painful for an important segment. The question is whether the pain aligns with our mission, strategy, product portfolio, target customers, and competitive advantages.
Problem statement template
For [user segment], [pains] occur when [context] because [root cause]. Today they use [alternatives or workarounds], but [gap] exists.
The [prioritized problem] is a product opportunity worth pursuing because [strategic fit, user impact, business impact, or unique company advantage].
Here is the [evidence].
A good problem statement should be true from the user’s perspective and clear about why the company should act.
PS: I write about building products to pay it forward and to sharpen my thinking.