Problem Definition Worksheet
A one-paragraph problem statement with a named audience, a frequency, and a cost of the problem going unsolved.
A structured worksheet for writing a problem statement that's specific enough to test, instead of a hunch.
- Version
- 1.0
- Last updated
- 5 Jun 2026
- Completion time
- 20–30 min
- Formats
- markdown
About this template
Deliberately solution-free. This worksheet asks you to name the audience, the frequency of the problem, the current cost of it going unsolved, and the evidence you already have (versus what you're assuming). Teams that skip this step tend to build solutions to problems nobody can actually describe.
Who it's for
Anyone starting from 'people struggle with X' who needs to make that concrete.
When to use it
Use before you've decided on a solution — this worksheet is deliberately solution-free.
When not to use it
Not useful once you've already committed to a specific product direction; use the Product Specification instead.
What's included
- Problem Definition Worksheet (Markdown) (markdown)
Licence
Single-purchaser licence covering personal and commercial use, including client work. Redistribution or resale of the template itself is not permitted.
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