Defining a problem clearly should always be the first step of a project or a problem-solving process.

But if you've never experienced this like we experienced it in consulting, it's hard to know what this means.

Enter our friend SMART:

The "SMART" way to define problems:

SMART is simple. It stands for:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

If you've spent time in an organization, you've likely run across this acronym.

But most people haven't sat down to use it.

Here's how I'd use it for the first time. Start simple. Open a Word doc and write out those five headers

Try to write out what you know about the current problem, with the following guiding questions:

1. What exactly are you trying to solve? Be specific. Is it a root cause? If not, be MORE specific.
2. What are you defining when you are identifying this problem? Is it a profitability problem? If so, do you measure it with EBITDA? Gross margin? Some other metric?
3. Is the problem defined in a way such that outcomes are attainable? For example, if the problem is identified as "becoming a world leader," have you defined what that means and tested if it is possible?
4. A lot of problems are symptoms, meaning that they aren't the root cause. This can mean that what you are defining is not relevant to what you want to accomplish. For example, if the biggest problem is company growth, does it make sense to include items relevant to cost challenges?
5. It is vital to understand what problem scope actually makes sense given the context of the situation. Is it time-bound? When did the problem start? When do you hope to fix it?

They also include success criteria, have limited scope, and identify key stakeholders.

From our consulting experience, we've seen many things go wrong when you DON'T define a problem:

1. Misaligned efforts: Without a clear problem statement, team members might work towards different goals, wasting time and resources
2. Scope creep: A vague problem invites endless additions, derailing timelines and budgets
3. Ineffective solutions: You might solve the wrong problem entirely, leaving the real issues unaddressed
4. Stakeholder dissatisfaction: Key players may feel their concerns were overlooked, leading to resistance or lack of buy-in
5. Difficulty measuring success: Without clear criteria, how do you know if you've solved anything?
6. Communication breakdowns: Ambiguity breeds misunderstanding, causing friction within the team and with customers
7. Resource misallocation: You might over-invest in minor issues while neglecting critical areas

Other options: SCQA

Another framework we like to use is SCQA but there are many problem definition frameworks. These can easily be used in combination with SMART.