How To Write A Great Problem Statement For An Innovation Challenge

Contrary to popular belief, ideas are not the first step in innovation. The starting point is a problem statement or innovation challenge that an organization needs to solve. A problem statement is a description of a problem that helps organizations get better, more relevant ideas and solutions to solve it. When writing a problem statement, it's important to make it human-centered, wide enough to allow for creativity, and specific enough to remain relevant. Use a formula of describing the user's needs and asking for the solution to create an effective problem statement. Tips for publishing the problem statement include being transparent, allowing all ideas, considering software, and making it cross-functional.