Defining Your Core Problem Statement

Picture this: You're in a meeting and someone says, "What if we add a chat feature?" Then another person chimes in, "Oh, and maybe a calendar too!" Before you know it, your simple app idea has turned into a confusing mess that tries to do everything.

Sound familiar? Don't worry - we've all been there. The secret to staying focused is having one super clear sentence that describes the main problem your product solves. Think of it as your North Star!

What Is a Core Problem Statement?

A core problem statement is like a mission statement for your product. It's one clear sentence that explains exactly what problem you're solving and for whom.

Here's a simple example: "Busy parents need a quick way to find healthy dinner recipes their kids will actually eat."

See how specific that is? It tells you:

• Who you're helping (busy parents)
• What they need (quick healthy recipes)
• Why it matters (kids will eat them)

Why Does This Matter So Much?

Remember that example from earlier about adding chat and calendar features? With a clear problem statement, you can test every new idea against it:

• Does a chat feature help busy parents find kid-friendly recipes faster? Probably not.
• Does a meal planning calendar help? Maybe! That could actually save time.

Without this guide, you'll end up building features that seem cool but don't actually help your users. We call these "throwaway features" - and they're expensive mistakes!

How to Write Your Core Problem Statement

Here's a simple formula that works every time:

[Who] needs [what] because [why].

Let's break it down:

Who: Be specific! Don't say "everyone" - that helps no one. Instead of "people who exercise," say "working moms who want to stay fit but only have 20 minutes."

What: Focus on the outcome, not the solution. Instead of "needs an app," say "needs a way to track their progress without spending hours logging data."

Why: This is the pain point that makes people want to pay for a solution. "Because they're frustrated" isn't specific enough. Try "because they've tried three fitness apps and quit within a week."

Red Flags to Avoid

Watch out for these problem statement mistakes:

Too vague: "People need better communication tools." (Which people? What kind of communication?)

Solution-focused: "Small businesses need a CRM system." (That's jumping to the solution!)

Better version: "Small business owners need a simple way to remember important details about their customers because they're too busy to take detailed notes during every interaction."

Test Every New Idea Against Your Statement

Once you have your core problem statement, print it out and stick it somewhere you'll see it every day. Seriously!

When someone suggests a new feature, ask these three questions:

1. Does it solve the problem? If yes, build it!
2. Does it make solving the problem easier? Hold off until you get user feedback.
3. Is it just cool but doesn't help? Kill it now before you waste time and money.

Real Example: How This Saves Money

A photo management company spent $80,000 building a fancy AI chat signup process for their app. Sounds cool, right? But their core problem was "Parents need a simple way to organize and share family photos safely."

An AI chat signup doesn't help organize photos - it just makes signing up take longer! They burned through 80% of their budget on a "nice-to-have" feature instead of building the core photo organizing tools people actually needed.

If they had tested that feature against their core problem statement, they would have saved themselves months of work and tens of thousands of dollars.

Your Homework This Week

Write down your core problem statement using our formula. Then ask three people (who aren't your friends or family) if they have this problem. If they all say "yes" and get excited talking about it, you're onto something good!

If they look confused or say "I guess," go back to the drawing board. A great problem statement should make people say, "YES! That's exactly my problem!"

Coming Next Week:

Feature Creep: The Silent Project Killer - Staying focused when exciting new ideas pop up daily.

At Keiboarder, we help startups to Fortune 500 companies avoid costly software development mistakes with expert fractional CTO leadership, a clear roadmap, and a proven process to build and scale market-ready products. Get in touch with us, and let's build awesome things together! 🚀