Common Pitfalls to Consider with Business Problem Statements

Here are common pitfalls and challenges to watch for when developing and working with business problem statements.

Misidentifying the problem

A common challenge in writing business problem statements is the tendency to confuse symptoms of the problem with the actual problem. Symptoms are not the problem. Scrum Teams and stakeholders have to discover the root cause in order to resolve it.

For example, a company sees an increase in customer support tickets and assumes the issue is the support team’s ability to resolve issues quickly. After further investigation, the company discovers the real problem is that the product features are confusing and frustrating users. The tickets were a symptom, and usability needed improvement to solve the root issue.

Assuming solutions

A common pitfall in writing business problem statements is jumping to solutions rather than focusing on the problem itself. By framing the statement around a specific solution, teams limit their exploration of potentially better options.

Instead, the problem statement should define the issue without suggesting how to solve it. This approach encourages the team to approach the problem with an open-mind and explore a range of solutions through experimentation and iteration.

Overcomplicating the statement

Another pitfall is making a statement that is overly detailed and complex. While being thorough is important, excessive detail can make a business problem statement difficult to understand or relate to. The focus should be on the core elements of a problem, ensuring a statement remains concise.