The Problem Definition Process
The Problem Definition Process Excerpt from: Are You Solving the Right Problem? HBSP, Boston, Massachusetts, 2012
4 Step process Establish the Need for a Solution 2. Justify the Need 3. Contextualize the Problem 4. Write the Problem Statement 1.
Problem Situation
A Relief Organization (EWV) took the initiative to expand access to clean drinking water EWV‟s Mission statement
◦ “To foster economic growth and raise the standard of living in developing countries by expanding access to technologies and helping entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.”
Jon Naugle, it‟s technical director is chosen as the initiative‟s „problem champion‟.
◦ He has over 25 years of agricultural and rural development experience in East and West Africa
Step 1: Establish the Need for a Solution 1.
2.
3.
What is the Basic Need? ◦
This is the essential problem, stated clearly and concisely.
◦
“access to clean drinking water for 1.1 billion people in the world who lack it”
What is the Desired Outcome? ◦
Requires the understanding of perspectives of customers and beneficiaries.
◦
Qualitative and quantitative, if possible
◦
“provide water for daily family needs without requiring enormous expenditures of time and energy”
Who stands to benefit and why? ◦
Helps in un-covering strategic intent
◦
“benefits would accrue to individuals and families as well as to regions and countries”
Step 2: Justify the Need 1.
Is the Effort aligned with our strategy?
◦ ◦ 2.
Check alignment with strategic goals “the solution should also generate economic development and opportunities for local business”
What are the desired benefits for the company, and how will we measure them?
◦ ◦
Targets (revenue, market-share), Leadership “helping the world‟s poor by transferring technology through the private sector. The benefit would be measured by market impact – how many families are paying for the solution? How is it affecting their lives? Are sales and installation creating jobs?
Step 2 (contd.) How will we ensure that a solution is implemented?
3.
◦
◦ ◦ ◦ 4.
◦ ◦
Who will be responsible to implement the decision? – new technology/ business/ commercialize innovation Should it be the problem champion, or the manager of a division/ a cross-functional team In EWV, Jon Nagule was also put incharge of carrying out the solution Start discussing about resources a solution might require, and to get organizational commitment to these; any constraints?
Now Define the Problem in Detail Capture all the information that someone might need to solve the problem Problem solvers could be people in fields very different from your industry
Step 3: Contextualize the Problem 1.
What approaches have we tried in the past
◦ ◦
2.
Identify those that have been disapproved “EWV had offered products and services ranging from manually drilled wells for irrigation, to filters for household water treatment. Both solutions worked only if a water source was close to the household. Hence, they decided to focus on rainwater – it is as close to getting a piped water system without having a piped water supply”
What have others tried?
◦
◦
EWV did 5 field studies in 20 countries to ask what technology was being used; what was and what was not working? What prevented or encouraged the use of various solutions? The cost; the role of government “The surveys showed that once you have a hard roof – which many people do – to use as a collection surface, the most expensive thing is storage”
Step 3 (contd) 3.
What have others tried?
◦
◦ 4.
“Existing solutions for rainwater storage (concrete tanks) were too expensive for low-income families. So households were sharing tanks. But due to lack of ownership of communal facilities, they often fell into disrepair.” Hence, Nagule and team wanted a „low-cost household storage device, that was light enough to be carried some distance in areas without roads”
External Constraints
◦ ◦ ◦
Issues concerning patents or copyright? .. Consult experts Government policy regarding rainwater storage “Strongest proponent was Uganda, hence it was chosen for testing the solution”.
Step 4: Write the Problem Statement Write a full description of the problem you‟re seeking to solve and the requirements the solutions must meet ◦
◦
Should capture all that the organization has learnt through answering questions in the previous steps Helps establish a consensus on what a viable solution would be and what resources would be required to achieve it
Step 4 (contd) – questions to get to a thorough problem statement 1.
Is the problem actually many problems? ◦
2.
“the solution needed to be a storage product that individual households could afford, that was light enough to be transported on poor-quality roads or paths, and that could be easily maintained”.
What requirements must a solution meet? a) Must-have:
price, incl installation, of no more than $20 A weight light enough for one adult to carry a half mile on rough paths Material that would prevent deterioration of water quality O&M cost estimate over 3 years, and a clear explanation of how to repair and replace components A filter; a means to drain the water completely and cleaning A Tap or a pump to extract water without contamination
Step 4 (contd) b.
Nice-to-have elements An aesthetically pleasing design Additional functionality so that the unit could be used for multiple purposes Features such as modular design or salvageable parts that would add value to the device after its lifetime
3.
Which problem solvers should engage? ◦
4. 5.
6. 7.
The $ 20 requirement meant that many experts were required, hence, EWV decided to engage Inno-Centive.com and it‟s network of 250,000 solvers
What information and language should the problem statement include? What do solvers need to submit? What incentives do solvers need? How will solutions be evaluated and success measured? ◦
EWV: low cost, high storage capacity, low weight, easy maintenance
The Full Problem Statement
“EWV is seeking design ideas for a low-cost rainwater storage system that can be installed in households in developing countries. The solution is expected to facilitate access to clean water at a household level, addressing a problem that affects millions of people worldwide who are living in impoverished communities or rural areas where access to clean water is limited. Domestic rainwater harvesting is a proven technology that can be a valuable option for accessing and storing water year round. However, the high cost of available rainwater storage systems makes them well beyond the reach of lowincome families to install in their homes. A solution to this problem would not only provide convenient and affordable access to scarce water resources but would also allow families, particularly the women and children who are usually tasked with water collection, to spend less time walking distances to collect water and more time on activities that can bring in income and improve the quality of life”.
The Winner
From someone outside the field: a German inventor whose company specialized in the design of tourist submarines The solution he proposed was simple, proven, required no pumps or moving parts, but it had not been applied to water storage: ◦ A plastic bag within a plastic bag, with a tube at the top ◦ Outer bag: made of less expensive woven polypropylene, provided the structure‟s strength, and hold 1.5 tons of water ◦ Inner bag, made of more expensive, linear low-density polyethylene, was impermeable, and could hold 125 gallons of water, without water quality deterioration ◦ The structure folded into a packet, the size of a briefcase and weighed about 8 pounds ◦ The structure could be easily transported, could be sold and installed by local entrepreneurs
4 Step process Establish the Need for a Solution 2. Justify the Need 3. Contextualize the Problem 4. Write the Problem Statement 1.
Problem Situation
A Relief Organization (EWV) took the initiative to expand access to clean drinking water EWV‟s Mission statement
◦ “To foster economic growth and raise the standard of living in developing countries by expanding access to technologies and helping entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.”
Jon Naugle, it‟s technical director is chosen as the initiative‟s „problem champion‟.
◦ He has over 25 years of agricultural and rural development experience in East and West Africa
Step 1: Establish the Need for a Solution 1.
2.
3.
What is the Basic Need? ◦
This is the essential problem, stated clearly and concisely.
◦
“access to clean drinking water for 1.1 billion people in the world who lack it”
What is the Desired Outcome? ◦
Requires the understanding of perspectives of customers and beneficiaries.
◦
Qualitative and quantitative, if possible
◦
“provide water for daily family needs without requiring enormous expenditures of time and energy”
Who stands to benefit and why? ◦
Helps in un-covering strategic intent
◦
“benefits would accrue to individuals and families as well as to regions and countries”
Step 2: Justify the Need 1.
Is the Effort aligned with our strategy?
◦ ◦ 2.
Check alignment with strategic goals “the solution should also generate economic development and opportunities for local business”
What are the desired benefits for the company, and how will we measure them?
◦ ◦
Targets (revenue, market-share), Leadership “helping the world‟s poor by transferring technology through the private sector. The benefit would be measured by market impact – how many families are paying for the solution? How is it affecting their lives? Are sales and installation creating jobs?
Step 2 (contd.) How will we ensure that a solution is implemented?
3.
◦
◦ ◦ ◦ 4.
◦ ◦
Who will be responsible to implement the decision? – new technology/ business/ commercialize innovation Should it be the problem champion, or the manager of a division/ a cross-functional team In EWV, Jon Nagule was also put incharge of carrying out the solution Start discussing about resources a solution might require, and to get organizational commitment to these; any constraints?
Now Define the Problem in Detail Capture all the information that someone might need to solve the problem Problem solvers could be people in fields very different from your industry
Step 3: Contextualize the Problem 1.
What approaches have we tried in the past
◦ ◦
2.
Identify those that have been disapproved “EWV had offered products and services ranging from manually drilled wells for irrigation, to filters for household water treatment. Both solutions worked only if a water source was close to the household. Hence, they decided to focus on rainwater – it is as close to getting a piped water system without having a piped water supply”
What have others tried?
◦
◦
EWV did 5 field studies in 20 countries to ask what technology was being used; what was and what was not working? What prevented or encouraged the use of various solutions? The cost; the role of government “The surveys showed that once you have a hard roof – which many people do – to use as a collection surface, the most expensive thing is storage”
Step 3 (contd) 3.
What have others tried?
◦
◦ 4.
“Existing solutions for rainwater storage (concrete tanks) were too expensive for low-income families. So households were sharing tanks. But due to lack of ownership of communal facilities, they often fell into disrepair.” Hence, Nagule and team wanted a „low-cost household storage device, that was light enough to be carried some distance in areas without roads”
External Constraints
◦ ◦ ◦
Issues concerning patents or copyright? .. Consult experts Government policy regarding rainwater storage “Strongest proponent was Uganda, hence it was chosen for testing the solution”.
Step 4: Write the Problem Statement Write a full description of the problem you‟re seeking to solve and the requirements the solutions must meet ◦
◦
Should capture all that the organization has learnt through answering questions in the previous steps Helps establish a consensus on what a viable solution would be and what resources would be required to achieve it
Step 4 (contd) – questions to get to a thorough problem statement 1.
Is the problem actually many problems? ◦
2.
“the solution needed to be a storage product that individual households could afford, that was light enough to be transported on poor-quality roads or paths, and that could be easily maintained”.
What requirements must a solution meet? a) Must-have:
price, incl installation, of no more than $20 A weight light enough for one adult to carry a half mile on rough paths Material that would prevent deterioration of water quality O&M cost estimate over 3 years, and a clear explanation of how to repair and replace components A filter; a means to drain the water completely and cleaning A Tap or a pump to extract water without contamination
Step 4 (contd) b.
Nice-to-have elements An aesthetically pleasing design Additional functionality so that the unit could be used for multiple purposes Features such as modular design or salvageable parts that would add value to the device after its lifetime
3.
Which problem solvers should engage? ◦
4. 5.
6. 7.
The $ 20 requirement meant that many experts were required, hence, EWV decided to engage Inno-Centive.com and it‟s network of 250,000 solvers
What information and language should the problem statement include? What do solvers need to submit? What incentives do solvers need? How will solutions be evaluated and success measured? ◦
EWV: low cost, high storage capacity, low weight, easy maintenance
The Full Problem Statement
“EWV is seeking design ideas for a low-cost rainwater storage system that can be installed in households in developing countries. The solution is expected to facilitate access to clean water at a household level, addressing a problem that affects millions of people worldwide who are living in impoverished communities or rural areas where access to clean water is limited. Domestic rainwater harvesting is a proven technology that can be a valuable option for accessing and storing water year round. However, the high cost of available rainwater storage systems makes them well beyond the reach of lowincome families to install in their homes. A solution to this problem would not only provide convenient and affordable access to scarce water resources but would also allow families, particularly the women and children who are usually tasked with water collection, to spend less time walking distances to collect water and more time on activities that can bring in income and improve the quality of life”.
The Winner
From someone outside the field: a German inventor whose company specialized in the design of tourist submarines The solution he proposed was simple, proven, required no pumps or moving parts, but it had not been applied to water storage: ◦ A plastic bag within a plastic bag, with a tube at the top ◦ Outer bag: made of less expensive woven polypropylene, provided the structure‟s strength, and hold 1.5 tons of water ◦ Inner bag, made of more expensive, linear low-density polyethylene, was impermeable, and could hold 125 gallons of water, without water quality deterioration ◦ The structure folded into a packet, the size of a briefcase and weighed about 8 pounds ◦ The structure could be easily transported, could be sold and installed by local entrepreneurs
