problem definition

Are You Solving the Right Problems?

Spurred by a penchant for action, managers tend to switch quickly into solution mode without checking whether they really understand the problem.

Start with problems. Not solutions.

People don’t actually need what you’re building. If a product doesn’t solve a problem, no one cares.

Great PMs don’t spend their time on solutions

I encourage you to try changing how you spend your time. Do it on something small, obsess about the problem definition. Then see how fast and easy it is to know what to build, to build it, and to see customers value it because you truly understood what they needed.

Amazon’s Friction-Killing Tactics To Make Products More Seamless

In this exclusive interview, Brahmbhatt takes us through how to detect and anticipate points of friction through monitoring steps in a customer’s journey with your product. He shares the three stages of the product experience where customers are most vulnerable to experiencing friction. Brahmbhatt also walks through strategies to reduce friction, or, if it’s unavoidable, how to mask it.

How To Sell The Problem Before Selling The Solution

They say that every great business addresses a real customer need. If you’ve ever found expressing your customer need slippery, this is for you.

Writing Effective Problem Statements

Your problem statement should serve as a guide, something you can continually refer to throughout the design process and in future feature discussions. Let it serve as a beacon to help you design with intent and keep you on track.

Designer’s indispensable skill: the ability to write and present a solid problem statement

Sometimes, when you encounter a problem that you’re trying to tackle, you become so overwhelmed that you don’t really know where to start, find out what’s wrong about it or what is even going on in what context. However, once you start to figure out one by one, asking questions to yourself and dive deeper into the problem, you will begin to know what you have to do. If a problem is well-stated, you will most likely to stay on track.

The product design sprint: understand (day 1)

Chances are that everyone involved in the sprint has different perspectives on the problem — and different information that might be helpful. The goal of the first day is to encourage everyone to share what they already know and develop a common understanding with the rest of the group.

ClassPass’ Founder on How Marketplace Startups Can Achieve Product/Market Fit

Now, Kadakia advises founders to constantly return to on one all-important question: what problem in the world are you trying to solve? With her eye steadily on the mission, and a laser focus on only the most critical metrics, she guided her company from a near-bust to a $470 million game-changer. In this exclusive interview, she walks through that trajectory, sharing the nine key lessons she’s learned on how startups building a marketplace can find product/market fit.