The Innovation Mode

PROBLEM DEFINITION Your Company

Use this form to articulate a business problem with clarity. Focus on the situation, the nature of Name
the problem, the involved users and how they are impacted. Don’t describe solutions at this stage;
avoid the buzzwords, acronyms, and technical terms. Just a clear description of the problem.

Instructions on how to use this form at the end of this document

Discover additional templates: theinnovationmode.com/innovation-toolkit

A: SET THE CONTEXT

Name the problem Type a compact name for the problem

Reflect the problem in a
single sentence

The environment Describe the ecosystem in which the problem exists.

What is the ecosystem
where the problem exists?
Who are the key users or
impacted entities?

Who are the key players,

stakeholders, market
forces and entities with
vested interest?

The current state Describe how the problem impacts the key-users.
What are the symptoms
and the impact of the
problem? How do
involved parties
experience it?

What are the identified or

plausible root cause?
What are the conditions or
events that trigger it?

The dynamics Describe the growth patterns of the problem.

When did the problem
first appear and how fast
is it growing in terms of
impacted entities?

What is the expected

growth of the problem?
Are there known attempts
to address the problem?

The Innovation Mode ● Business Problem Definition

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 The ideal state Describe the ideal state – assuming the problem was ‘magically’ solved.
How would the ideal state
look like if the problem
was solved?

How would the dynamics

among the key
stakeholders change? How
the experience of the
primary users would be
better?

B: DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

Business Area What are the most relevant business areas?

Compiled by The owner of the document On 01 October 2020

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT

Use this form as a guide to define a business problem with clarity. It’s a good practice to separate problems with solutions: A
well-defined problem exists independently of potential solutions. Multiple ideas, each addressing a specific problem statement,
may appear at ‘random moments’ – hence a good strategy is to maintain a backlog of problem statements, visible to your
innovation community.

1. Save a copy of this form with a name reflecting the problem – e.g. my_team_name-problem_name-mm-yyyy.docx

2. Fill in the gaps - ensure that you provide accurate, short answers that best present the problem.

3. Avoid the buzzwords and technicalities; don’t reference solutions – this is all about the problem.

4. Share the document with stakeholders and ask their different view on the problem.

5. Incorporate feedback, ensure that the document reflects the latest understanding of the problem.

6. Expose the problem definition document to your innovation community or product dev teams

Repeat the same process whenever there appears a problem worth exploring. Consider implementing this form as part of an
innovation management system - contact us for free advice.

The Innovation Mode ● The Innovation Toolkit ● The Business Problem Definition
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The Innovation Mode ● Business Problem Definition

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