Problem Statements

You need to be clear what you are trying to do. Identify a right, meaningful problem.

You need to focus on who the customer really is whom you're trying to value add, and target the key issues they're facing.

Focus on the gap, not the solution, and what the user wants achieved. Choosing the correct problem to solve increases the odds you succeed.

Context matters. Knowing the user's environment (physical location, device, surrounding distractions) informs design and functionality. A product used on a noisy factory floor will have different UI/UX needs than one used in a quiet office.

Understanding when the problem occurs (frequency, specific situations, time of day) helps prioritize solutions and identify trigger events for your product to intervene effectively.

Product development should be driven by testable assumptions, not just gut feelings. Formulating a clear hypothesis ('If we build X, then Y will happen') allows you to validate your ideas through data and iteration.

This focuses on user journeys and product effectiveness. Mapping user goals and how your product facilitates them reveals areas for improvement in usability and value proposition.

Understanding value delivery is key to sustainability and growth. Knowing who benefits, how quickly they see value, and how much value they receive informs your business model, marketing strategy, and product roadmap.

This question challenges assumptions and forces you to justify features or projects. It encourages critical thinking about necessity and impact.

First step to unblocking is to understand the nature of the blocker. Each type of blocker deserves its own treatment.

You want to target key issues users have with whatever you're trying to get them to do.

Choosing the correct problem to solve increases the odds you succeed in your initiative.

Challenge assumptions and justify features or projects.

Voss suggests this is useful way of asking to avoid triggering a defensive stakeholder.