How to generate impactful problem statements using prompts and uxGPT Problem Statements
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The problem statement: the unsung hero of user experience and product management.
Many jump straight to solutions, but understanding the problem first is crucial. It guides the process, focusing on real issues rather than assumptions, ideally backed by data and research.
This approach prevents scope creep and keeps solutions relevant. It boosts product success by alinging the right problems effectively.
ChatGPT excels at generating multiple problem statements, offering options that reveal nuances teams might miss. It’s a fantastic brainstorming tool that can save hours of time.
Ready to see it in action? Let’s dive in.
Start with the domain
What is the domain you’re solving problems for? Start there.
This high-level systems approach to generate problem statements provides a holistic understanding of the context and interdependencies. This process begins by examining the broader system within which the problem exists.
This top-down perspective helps in seeing overall patterns and pinpointing where the problems could be starting from the very top. This way, our problem statements are grounded in a thorough understanding of the context, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions.
This approach is incredibly effective if you’re starting an application from scratch. You might have one idea where you should start, but if ChatGPT spotlights something else, it may give you a different perspective on your initial problem statement.
Prompt
Write 10 problem statements for a customer relationship management system in how might we format. How might we should be in bold.
Add personas
Next up — the personas.
Incorporating them into problem statements can significantly enhance focus and help to humanize the problem, making it easier for teams to empathize with the end-users and the problem being solved for them. Adding personas can help align the team’s efforts by providing a common understanding of who the target users are, thus fostering collaboration and consistency.
However, an over-reliance on personas might limit creativity, as teams may become too focused on predefined user characteristics and miss out on innovative opportunities.
Let’s add them and see what we come up with.
Prompt
Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system in how might we format. How might we should be in bold.
Add features
When I work with my teams to write problem statements, I include the feature to get started quicker. That way, we can zero in on precise aspects that require attention, leading to more targeted and actionable problem-solving.
The other reality is that most problems aren’t done in a vacuum — they are related to improving an existing solution you have or a similar solution in other systems — so suggesting something that already exists doesn’t bother me when exploring problem statements.
However, there are cons. Focusing too narrowly might cause teams to overlook other opportunities, resulting in solutions that are too isolated or too specific to the feature at hand.
That shouldn’t stop us from trying, so let’s give it a spin.
Prompt
Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system for account management in how might we format. How might we should be in bold.
Add outcomes
Now let’s add the outcomes.
I like to add them because it gives a clear vision of the impact of addressing the problems. It aids in prioritization, so the most impactful problems are tackled first. Additionally, it provides a metric for success, making it easier to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented solutions.
However, overemphasis on outcomes might also limit creativity; teams may focus solely on achieving declaring results rather than exploring innovative solutions that might have even greater.
Despite these challenges, the benefits of adding outcomes to problem statements, such as clarity, motivation, and strategic alignment, often outweigh the drawbacks. Let’s try it out and see what we get.
Prompt
Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system for account management with predicted outcomes in how might we format. How might we should be in bold.
Improving the prompt
Want to explore even more? Try improving the prompt by asking ChatGPT to do it.
A good number of the prompts I tried returned a better, more detailed prompt. It’s worth a try because it offers a fresh perspective, fine-tunes details, and adds clarity for the final result.
You can suggest specific improvements too, like adding a time frame, asking for more context or removing certain words like ensure, however — that’s my go to edit.
It’s like having a brainstorming tool that never runs out of ideas. I encourage trying it out.
Prompt
How would you improve this prompt?
Write 10 problem statements for business development representatives using a customer relationship management system for account management with predicted outcomes in how might we format. How might we should be in bold.
Try out this Custom GPT — uxGPT Problem Statements
Don’t want to do the work yourself? Not a problem. I’ve done a lot of the legwork for you.
Try this custom GPT at uxGPT Problem Statements.
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