Albert Einstein once said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
For anyone thinking about process improvement, this is great advice. But it often goes unheeded.
In our eagerness to solve a problem, we tend to spend too little time up front to grasp the situation and express it well in a problem statement. A problem is the gap between what you expect and what actually happens now. A problem statement is a clear and concise statement that describes the gap.
The problem statement is important because it determines the focus of the improvement effort. A poor problem statement can put you on the wrong path and waste valuable time and energy. Before starting down a path, make sure you are going to the right place!
Problem statements are a simple concept, but they are difficult to write well. A problem statement should not:
- Address more than one problem
- Assign a cause
- Assign blame
- Contain the solution
Let’s look at two fictional examples of a problem statement from a neighborhood coffee shop:
|Problem statement: We need to decide which new espresso machine to buy because it takes too long to make lattes.
Analysis: This statement fails on a few levels. The symptom “too long” is not specific and is open to interpretation. The problem statement also assigns a cause and pre-ordains a solution.
|Problem statement: In our flagship store, baristas are taking three minutes to produce a latte. Our target is 90 seconds.
Analysis: The more specific the statement, the better the chance the team has of solving the problem. This problem statement describes measurable results and target.
Here are some tips for writing a good problem statement:
- Start by describing the problem in a paragraph or two. This is a way to get your thoughts down on paper so do not worry about how well it is written.
- In a single phrase, write your target condition – what results you are expecting. In a single phrase, write the actual condition. Use facts, not assumptions.
- Write down any details to specify when and where the symptoms are occurring.
- Write a first draft of the problem statement using your target vs. actual phrases. Make it as specific as possible.
- Refine any language that is not clear or that can have different meaning to different people.
- Review any words or phrases that deal with amounts or time frames. These must be measureable and not open to interpretation.
- Keep it short! Is the problem statement less than 25 words? If not, edit out any extra words that are not absolutely necessary.