As a product manager, have you ever felt like a short-order cook, just waiting for customers to tell you what they want? You’re not alone. Stakeholders often bring us solutions without explaining the real problem. This rush to solutions can backfire, leading to products that only address narrow use cases or, worse, add little value.
How do we break this “solution habit” and identify the true need? The answer lies in a problem-first mindset—taking the time to uncover needs, pains, and desires before jumping to solutions. In this article, we’ll explore essential tools and three techniques that help product managers focus on the problem. Let’s dive into creating real value rather than delivering quick fixes.
Recognizing “Solution Speak”
People love solutions. It’s natural to aim for quick wins and immediate progress, but this mindset doesn’t always serve us well. A key question to start with is, “What problem does this solution address?”
The first step is recognizing “Solution Speak” from those around us. Product managers need to develop a “Spidey Sense” to catch statements like:
- “Can you add this feature?”
- “Can we develop what our competitor has?”
- “We need to export reports to Excel to close this sale.”
- “This should take three steps, not five.”
- “Things would be easier if you just gave me…”
These requests may seem helpful but are often symptoms, not root problems. Counter with curiosity: ask questions and explore the “why” behind each request. By cultivating curiosity, we can steer conversations toward the problem, uncovering insights that lead to better solutions.
Techniques to Uncover Real Problems
Once we recognize “solution speak,” the next step is to dig deeper. Here are three powerful techniques to help product managers upskill and uncover underlying problems:
1) Interviews & Observation
Direct user interactions reveal valuable insights. Observing users in their real environment allows us to see frustrations, bottlenecks, and workarounds that users might not label as problems. Interviews and observations help you see the whole picture.
Pro Tip: Teresa Torres’s article, “Customer Interviews: How to Recruit, What to Ask, and How to Synthesize What You Learn,” is a great resource. It offers actionable advice on creating effective customer interviews and uncovering the deeper motivations and challenges behind user requests.
2) The 5 Whys Technique
When stakeholders suggest solutions, remain curious and use the “5 Whys” technique. Start with their proposed solution and ask “why” until you reach the underlying problem.
Pro Tip: Asking “why” repeatedly may feel forced; instead, consider questions like, “What alternatives have you tried?” or “What are the consequences if this solution isn’t implemented?” These questions help you discover the real problem beneath the surface.
3) Framing the Problem Clearly
After identifying the problem, communicate it effectively to stakeholders. Use a problem-framing template to center discussions around the user’s experience and capture the issue’s full context.
Here’s a simple template to try:
- I am… (Who is the user experiencing this problem?)
- Trying to… (What goal is the user trying to achieve?)
- But… (What is stopping them?)
- Because… (Why does this obstacle exist?)
- Which makes me feel… (How does this make the user feel?)
Example: “I am a product manager trying to gather data from different departments, but I can’t access it quickly because the system is slow, which makes me feel frustrated and unproductive.”
This complete problem statement tells a story, allowing you to better communicate user needs and motivate meaningful solutions.
Final Thoughts
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”
– Albert Einstein
This quote from Albert Einstein perfectly captures the mindset product managers need. We’re often asked to jump to solutions, but creating lasting value requires understanding the problem deeply. By recognizing “solution speak,” applying techniques to uncover real issues, and framing problems from the user’s perspective, we shift our focus from quick fixes to meaningful value.
Ready to put these frameworks into action? Download the ProductSide Playbook for access to a problem-framing template, along with other powerful tools and templates to guide you in making better, user-centered decisions. Empower yourself to lead with clarity and create products that customers love.
