problem-statement

name	problem-statement
argument-hint	[user and their struggle]
description	Write a user-centered problem statement with who is blocked, what they are trying to do, why it matters, and how it feels. Use when framing discovery, prioritization, or a PRD.
intent	Articulate a problem from the user's perspective using an empathy-driven framework that captures who they are, what they're trying to do, what's blocking them, why, and how it makes them feel. Use this to align stakeholders on the problem before jumping to solutions, and to frame product work around user outcomes rather than feature requests.
type	component
theme	discovery-research
best_for	["Framing a problem before anyone proposes a solution","Getting a team to agree on who is blocked and why it matters","Turning a vague complaint into something a team can act on"]
scenarios	["The team keeps jumping to solutions and we've never written down the actual problem","I need a crisp problem statement for a PRD that a skeptical exec will read"]
estimated_time	10-20 min

Purpose

Articulate a problem from the user's perspective using an empathy-driven framework that captures who they are, what they're trying to do, what's blocking them, why, and how it makes them feel. Use this to align stakeholders on the problem before jumping to solutions, and to frame product work around user outcomes rather than feature requests.

This is not a requirements doc—it's a human-centered problem narrative that ensures you're solving a problem worth solving.

Input

Works best with: Who the user is and what they're struggling to do. Also useful: What's blocking them, why it matters, how it feels, and supporting evidence.

Anything supplied with the invocation itself — text after the skill name, a pasted context dump, or an appended ARGUMENTS: line — counts as answers already given. Use it and skip whatever it covers; don't re-ask.

Arriving empty-handed? That works too. The skill asks for the user and their goal first — a problem statement without a specific 'who' is a solution looking for cover.

Example invocation: Problem statement: clinic schedulers double-book exam rooms because the calendar doesn't show equipment availability.

Key Concepts

The Problem Framing Framework

Based on Jobs-to-be-Done and empathy mapping, the framework structures problems as:

Problem Framing Narrative:

• I am: [Describe the persona experiencing the problem]
• Trying to: [Desired outcomes the persona cares about]
• But: [Barriers preventing the outcomes]
• Because: [Root cause of the problem]
• Which makes me feel: [Emotional impact]

Context & Constraints:

• [Geographic, technological, time-based, demographic factors]

Final Problem Statement:

• [Single, concise, empathetic summary]

Why This Structure Works

• Persona-centric: Forces you to see the problem through the user's eyes
• Outcome-focused: "Trying to" emphasizes desired results, not tasks
• Root cause analysis: "Because" pushes past symptoms to underlying issues
• Emotional validation: "Makes me feel" humanizes the problem and builds empathy
• Contextual: Constraints acknowledge real-world limitations