Problem statement template

Use this problem statement template to align discovery, scope, and success criteria before your team commits engineering time.

Preview snippet

[User segment] struggles with [pain] during [context]. We believe solving this with [solution direction] will improve [metric] from [baseline] to [target] by [date].

How to use this template

  1. Define one user segment and one painful job-to-be-done.
  2. Capture evidence from interviews, tickets, and quantitative signals in one paragraph.
  3. Set a measurable baseline and target metric with a decision deadline.
  4. List constraints (time, tech, legal) so solutions stay realistic.
  5. Share in kickoff and keep it as the north star during delivery.

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Related learning paths

Hub topic: Product management resources hub

FAQ

When should I rewrite the problem statement?

Rewrite it when the target segment, core pain, or success metric changes after new evidence.

How long should a problem statement be?

Keep it to 5-8 concise lines so every stakeholder can scan and align quickly.