7/26/2018 Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs.

Solution Space | 280 Group

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Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs.

Solution Space
By: Pamela Schure (Director of Products and Services) | Jan 30, 2018 | Product Strategy

https://280group.com/product-management-blog/understanding-customer-needs-problem-vs-solution-space/ 2/10
7/26/2018 Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs. Solution Space | 280 Group

This is the first article in a three part series on navigating the Problem vs. Solution Space with a focus on
understanding customer needs.

Understanding Customer Needs

“Well, we could…” I stopped myself quickly. I had fallen into the most common of traps. I had stopped paying
attention to the customers’ needs and started working on a fix. Product Managers and the teams of developers
they work with often tell me that Product Managers have problems writing good requirements. The teams
complain that there isn’t enough detail. The Product Managers struggle with how to phrase what they are
explaining. And through it all, no one stops to ask a basic question: What problem are we really solving.

I Blame It On The Word Requirement Itself

It has two concepts buried into one word: customer needs and product requirements (sometimes called a
solution requirements). Instead of clarifying which one we mean, we start conversations about requirements
either in person or with whatever electronic media we choose – and then the confusion starts. The way out of
this quagmire is to differentiate between problem space and solution space.

Problem vs. Solution Space

Problem Space Conveys What The Customer’s Situation Is

Diving deep into what the customer’s problem is takes time and isn’t always comfortable unless you explain
what you are trying to do. Sometimes customers listening to me ask questions and look uncomfortable since I
keep asking for more and more detail. It’s as though I’m taking too long. I can almost hear them thinking:
“Maybe she doesn’t have the skills to know how to fix it. Maybe she’s stalling until she comes up with a good
answer.” I have to stop and explain the process and then the customer regains confidence. Over time, I’ve
come to see this time of confusion as an opportunity to slow down the process of making a move towards a
solution until all the pieces of the problem have been exposed, turned over and examined. Impatience in others
is a signal that I’m on the right path.

Solution Space Is The Part We Are All Drawn To

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7/26/2018 Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs. Solution Space | 280 Group

It’s when we get to pull a rabbit out of a hat with an answer. Most of our schooling relies on our ability to
solve a problem and give the correct answer. Our development teams feel most comfortable working in this
area as well. If, when you define the problem space more accurately, you are writing good requirements, your
engineering team will then be able to define the answer to the customer needs and problem you are presenting.

The following quote has been incorrectly attributed to Albert Einstein. It neatly sums up how we should
approach any issue we are trying to resolve:

If I had only one hour to solve a problem, I would spend up to two-thirds of that hour in
attempting to define what the problem is.

If we constantly slide between problem and solutions spaces, focusing your team on clear boundaries between
these spaces will go a long way to making sure that when you finally have a customer requirement that it’s the
right one. One that you’ll have evidence to support and that your team understands fully.

4 Ways To Keep Your Team On Track

1. Ban The Word “Requirement” On Its Own

Instead of requirement, ask people to use the words ‘customer need’ for a problem and ‘product feature’ for a
solution. Talk in terms of customer problems/pain points/needs and then corresponding feature descriptions to
meet that need. This linguistic hygiene avoids team members slipping from a discussion about problems into a
discussion about solutions without anyone realizing that the discussion has switched.

2. Make A Sign

Tape two sheets of different colored paper together and write a large P on one side and a large S on the other.
Put it in the middle of the table. When the conversation switches to discussing a solution instead of the
problem, flip the paper over. If the switch is premature, get your team working to turn the discussion towards
the problem space. Once it is, turn the paper back to the side marked P.

3. Hide Solutions While Working On Problems

It can be difficult to stay focused on the problem if you have a brilliant solution. Give team members large
sticky notes. If they discover a solution, they can write it down and turn the paper over. The discussion should
remain focused on the problem space. If you take a break, the sticky notes can be posted on the back side of
flip chart paper – out of sight. When it’s time to discuss possible solutions, review the ideas that came up.
Chances are a lot of them no longer apply, but the process can make solutions-oriented folks more able to feel
like their ideas are written down and they can then focus on the problem again.

4. Brainstorm Problems With As Much Enthusiasm As You Brainstorm Solutions

Hold a customer problem brainstorming session with many different departments and functions in attendance.
Give prizes for the most ideas, strangest customer problem discovered, group prizes for those who come up
with the same customer problems. This is great activity early on in the process when your team isn’t sure what
they have to do next or teams who want to expand the breadth of problems that they should be addressing.
Have fun giving out the prizes!

What’s Next
Once your problem space is clear, move onto the next steps:

Validate, Prioritize And Then Solve The Problem

Have a culture of validating the problems with as much energy as you put into identifying potential solutions.
Create a system for validating each problem and then set aside time to prioritize which ones are most
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7/26/2018 Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs. Solution Space | 280 Group

important. And finally, develop solutions to each problem your team has decided to solve. Words are imperfect
communicators of information. They only make sense with pictures, diagrams and conversations to fully flesh
them out. When your product requirements or features are given this 360° treatment, the way forward is much
clearer for your entire team.

Chances are your engineers are brilliant people who can provide a much more elegant solution than you as a
Product Manager will be able to think up. Give them a clear problem to solve focused on customer needs and
sit back to be amazed at what they come up with.

Master Core Product Management Skills

Understanding customer needs and navigating the Problem vs. Solution Space is part of the Conceive and
Plan phases of the 280 Group Optimal Product Process™.

Master Core Product Management Skills and Learn the Optimal Product Process in Our
Online Courses and In-person Training
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Meet the Author

Pamela Schure is the Director of Products and Services with 280 Group. She is a 25 year Product
Management, Product Marketing and international business veteran with companies such as Apple, Sun
Microsystems and Adaptec.

Pam Schure
Director of Products and Services

f 56 j 93 s h k
One Reply to “Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs. Solution
Space”

Cindy says:
February 2, 2018 at 7:34 am

Once you follow this process, I can see the problem statements being really good content for launch
communications internally and externally! You can show how the new features directly solve a sub-set
of problems from the customers perspective.
https://280group.com/product-management-blog/understanding-customer-needs-problem-vs-solution-space/ 5/10
7/26/2018 Understanding Customer Needs: Problem vs. Solution Space | 280 Group

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