Writing a Strong Problem Brief
Give the team enough shared context to explore useful solutions. · Execution & Communication · Lesson 56 · 3 min
Writing a Strong Problem Brief · 3 min
Situation
The brief starts with a feature list.
“Build a bulk editor with filters and an export button.” The team knows what was requested but not who needs it, why existing tools fail, or how success will be judged.
A problem brief aligns the team around the situation before detailed solution work begins.
Mental model
Context, user, problem, evidence, outcome, constraints.
Context explains why the issue matters now. The user identifies whose workflow is affected. The problem describes the obstacle. Evidence shows what is known. The outcome states what should improve. Constraints name real boundaries.
Keep assumptions and open questions visible. A brief is allowed to contain uncertainty; hiding it makes discovery harder.
Example
Write a narrow, useful brief.
“Catalog managers with more than 500 items spend several hours correcting seasonal prices. In six observed workflows, they exported a spreadsheet, changed values, and reimported it. Three imports needed manual repair.”
“We want them to update eligible prices accurately with less rework. Permissions, audit history, and rollback must be preserved. We have not yet established how common this need is across customers.”
Failure case
An outcome that names the solution.
“Success means launching the bulk editor” measures delivery, not value. “Reduce time and errors in seasonal price updates” describes the intended improvement, though it still needs a baseline and measurement plan.
Avoid claiming research proves more than it does. Six observations reveal mechanisms and opportunities; they do not automatically establish market prevalence.
PM question
What does the team need to challenge?
Ask design whether the workflow description matches behavior, engineering whether constraints are complete, and data partners whether the outcome can be measured.
Include a few concrete artifacts or examples. Link to detailed evidence separately so the core brief remains readable enough to guide discussion.
Remember this
A good brief makes the next decision easier.
State the problem and the evidence precisely, leave room for solutions, and identify the uncertainty the team should resolve next.