Task: Translate observations into Problem Statements
Choose 3-5 experiences from your shared collection of observations and frame each as a problem statement.
[User]needs[need]so that[goal].
User: Who is affected? (Reporter, editor, another specific role, a specific desk or team?)
Need: What do they need to accomplish, avoid, or understand?
Goal: Why does it matter? What's the bigger outcome or value?
Tips:
As you go through the process you will find places where you need more information - that's good! It highlights where more user research is needed. Go back to the person who shared the original observation to get more clarity.
Sometimes the user will be one person. Other times it will be a group. When it is a group, try to make it a specific one.
Weekend editors need a faster way to find photos so that breaking stories aren't delayed by missing photo content.
What could be stronger
"Faster way" is a little broad - a fast but random photo wouldn't meet the goal since it has to be an appropriate one.
Unclear what is the exact friction: searching archives, confirming rights, or finding the right image under deadline pressure?
"Usable" could still mean a few different things: legally cleared, relevant, high enough quality, or fast to publish.
Improved
Weekend editors need an efficient way to locate usable photos for breaking stories so that breaking stories aren't delayed by missing photo content.
Original
Somewhat advanced OSINT researchers need to identify a weapon / weapon characteristics in a still image so that they can identify important information that other methods miss.
What could be stronger
The slash construction packs two slightly different tasks into one need.
"Important information" is vague - the goal should explain why it matters and connect to a real outcome.
Clarifying which OSINT researchers (not just skill level) makes the statement easier to design around.
Improved
Somewhat advanced OSINT researchers investigating conflict zones need to identify weapon characteristics in still images so that they can uncover evidence related to the conflict that location, metadata, or other aspects of the image do not expose.
Original
The sales team needs a way to efficiently manage small advertising campaigns so that staff can focus their time on larger revenue opportunities.
What could be stronger
"Manage" is doing too much work. We'd go back to the sales team to ask: is the time sink in prospecting, campaign setup, or ongoing maintenance after the sale?
Improvement options
The sales team needs a more efficient way to prospect and qualify small advertising clients so that the team can take on more small campaigns without adding headcount.
Focuses on the front of the funnel
The sales team needs a faster way to set up small advertising campaigns so that the team can take on more small campaigns without adding headcount.
Focuses on campaign setup
The sales team needs a less manual way to support small advertising accounts after launch so that the team can take on more small campaigns without adding headcount.
Focuses on post-sale maintenance
Original
Editors need a more efficient way to provide feedback that is tailored to each reporter's strengths, weaknesses, and the collective newsroom style so that editing is faster, more consistent, and aligned with the newsroom's mission.
What could be stronger
The need bundles several different jobs: diagnosing habits, adapting coaching, and aligning to style guides.
Three goals are packed into one "so that" - faster, more consistent, and mission-aligned.
"Aligned with the newsroom's mission" is hard to actually observe in practice.
Questions to ask
What is the hardest part for editors right now: identifying the right feedback, phrasing it, tailoring it, or remembering prior coaching?
Is the real need about personalization, consistency, or speed?
Improvement options
Editors need a way to keep track of what they're coaching each reporter on so that they can give that reporter consistent, cumulative coaching over time.
Focuses on recording coaching history
Editors need a way to tailor feedback to what they're already coaching a specific reporter on so that reporters get feedback that builds on what they're already working on, instead of generic notes.
Focuses on applying coaching history to the feedback itself
Editors need a more efficient way to give feedback that reflects the newsroom's style guide so that feedback stays consistent across reporters regardless of which editor is giving it.
Focuses on applying a shared standard, not personal memory
Original
Student reporters need a way to more independently identify gaps in sourcing, missing perspectives, and opportunities for visuals so that they can strengthen their reporting quality before getting a human review.
What could be stronger
The need bundles three distinct kinds of editorial judgment: sourcing, perspectives, and visuals.
"Strengthen their reporting quality" is directionally good but not yet observable.
Questions to ask
Which is the biggest pain point: sourcing gaps, missing perspectives, or missed visual opportunities?
Are these really one problem, or three separate problems at the same stage?
What does "more independently" mean in practice: without asking an editor first, with less back-and-forth, or with more confidence before submission?
Improvement options
Student reporters need to identify gaps in sourcing before editor review so that they can submit stronger first drafts.
Isolates one specific, observable need
Student reporters need to spot missing perspectives in their drafts before human review so that they can produce more complete reporting.
"More complete reporting" is a clearer outcome
Student reporters need to spot missed opportunities for visuals before human review so that they can submit drafts that don't need a follow-up pass to add visuals.
Completes the third thread from the bundled original need
Original
Reporters and editors need a way to identify coverage gaps so that they can better serve the audience and community.
What could be stronger
The user is too broad - editors take a wider view while reporters focus on specific beats.
"Better serve the audience" is not yet observable - what would you actually notice improving?
Questions to ask
Which specific reporters and editors are feeling this most?
What kind of gaps are they actually struggling to see: topics, communities, geography, sourcing, or follow-ups?
How would you know this problem was improved in practice?
Improvement options
Beat reporters and assigning editors need to identify missing perspectives in ongoing coverage so that stories better represent the people affected by the issues.
Audience editors need a way to identify coverage gaps against community information needs so that they can flag those gaps to the reporters and editors who decide what gets covered.
Once you have a rough observation or idea, our Problem Statement Coach can help you workshop it into a clear, structured statement.
The coach will ask you questions about who is affected, what they actually need, and why it matters - and push back when something is too vague or bundles too many things together.
What to bring:
A raw observation or frustration from your empathize work
Any context you have about who experiences it and why it matters
Openness to being asked "what do you mean by that?" more than once
What to expect: The coach won't write your problem statement for you - it will help you think through each part of the format so the final statement reflects your actual understanding of the problem. If something feels vague, it will surface that rather than paper over it.