Step 1 | Identify the Problem

Loosely define the problem you are trying to address. This will give your project direction, but it is important not to be overly rigid. The more you discover, the more your problem definition is likely to shift.

Begin by identifying “pain points” that need to be addressed. A pain point is a specific problem that a prospective stakeholder is experiencing. These can be as diverse and varied as stakeholders themselves, and not all stakeholders will be aware of the pain point they are experiencing, which can make them difficult to identify.

Pain points are often grouped into four broad categories:

• Financial Pain Points: Your prospects are spending too much money and need to reduce their spending
• Productivity Pain Points: Your prospects are wasting too much time or resources and need to be more efficient
• Process Pain Points: Your prospects want to improve internal processes
• Support Pain Points: Your prospects aren’t receiving the support they need at critical stages

Basically, you should try to figure out who has a need, what that need is, and why you should solve it.