Working time: 2 – 4 hours
Working Format: Solo or team
Use after: Scale Readiness check
Output: Problem statement
The societal problem is your organisation’s north star
Defining it clearly keeps your team aligned and keeps you focused on the problem rather than any particular solution — what we call “falling in love with the problem.” A well-scoped problem definition also anchors every tool that follows.
It’s for organisations
Use it before
You will produce
A concise, team-agreed statement ready to carry forward
Disagreement usually means you’re defining the problem at the wrong level. Try going one level up — find a broader framing where agreement is easier, then narrow together from there.
Ask “why does this happen?” three times. If your answer changes each time, you’re still at a symptom. The root cause is where the answer stops changing.
Return to Step 3. A well-scoped problem is one you can actually dent. Narrow by geography, demographic, or sector until it feels achievable without losing its significance.
Step 1. Brain dump | 20–30 min
Write down all the ways your problem manifests — root causes, the problem itself, and its consequences. Think about who experiences it and how.
Step 2. Categorise and narrow | 30–45 min
Using the four-column grid in the worksheet, group your thoughts and settle on which parts of the problem to target, given your capacity and appetite.
Step 3. Identify which part to focus on | 20–30 min
Determine the specific aspect you’re best placed to address, given expertise, resources, and commitment.
Step 4. Challenge against five criteria | 30–45 min
Test your draft: Is there a genuine gap between what exists and what’s needed? Are you describing the problem, not a symptom? Does your statement avoid any reference to a solution?
Step 5. Gather stakeholder and user input | plan ahead | Days to weeks
Ask your team, partners, and the people you serve to challenge your thinking. This is the most important step — your own perspective is most at risk of bias.
Step 6. Align your team on a final statement | plan ahead | 60–90 min+
Bring the team together to agree on a concise statement — short enough to remember, precise enough to guide decisions.
Defining it clearly keeps your team aligned and keeps you focused on the problem rather than any particular solution — what we call “falling in love with the problem.” A well-scoped problem definition also anchors every tool that follows.
Disagreement usually means you’re defining the problem at the wrong level. Try going one level up — find a broader framing where agreement is easier, then narrow together from there.
Ask “why does this happen?” three times. If your answer changes each time, you’re still at a symptom. The root cause is where the answer stops changing.
Return to Step 3. A well-scoped problem is one you can actually dent. Narrow by geography, demographic, or sector until it feels achievable without losing its significance.