Defining a problem is a deceptively simple task – what at first seems to be the problem is often merely a symptom of a deeper problem. The Problem Definition tool works to both open a problem up – presenting it in a way that can be examined from a number of angles – as well as helping to define the wider context and associated issues involved.
This is particularly effective when trying to focus a team of people on the key problems at hand. This tool has been designed to structure the analysis of a particular problem in a way that makes good use of your time. It introduces a small set of key criteria by which an issue can be articulated and assessed, which makes the activity highly efficient. It also gives you a standardised way to compare several different problems which might seem to be very different on the surface.