What is problem framing?

Problem framing is how you describe the problem you are trying to solve.

Framing a problem means choosing what aspects of the problem and context matter to your goals. How you frame a problem is often how you try to solve it.

On product teams, problem framing is inherent to writing things like user stories or JTBD statements.

For designers, we can use problem framing to ensure a user-centered approach from the beginning that results in meaningful improvements to customers lives and great partnerships with our product counterparts.

Framing is the process of breaking down a problem into a set of choices, trade offs, and options that enable a team to make a call and move forward.

Coda.io | The Art of Framing Problems

🕛 **Write down a problem you are currently facing**

> My dog hates going out in the rain

> My lemon tree has too many lemons that are ripe all at once

> My back hurts from my desk chair

Top 4 tips for problem framing

1. Focus on outcomes, not tasks

People do not want to do tasks, they want the outcomes that come from completing tasks.