How to Define a Problem

This article was co-authored by Paul Chernyak, LPC. Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

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You may encounter problems often in your personal life, in your professional life, and in your community. Any sort of problem can be daunting, but taking time to define a problem may help make it easier to find solutions. Start by gathering information about the problem. Then, work on putting the problem into words. After that, analyze what you have written to look for possible solutions to the problem.

• Identify your problem by outlining what you already know about it, uncovering the information you're still missing, and finally, researching the missing information.
• Communicate the problem by writing it out, adding details, workshopping it with others to make it clearer, and if you're presenting your problem, identifying key terms.
• To solve the problem, try looking for causes, making a pros and cons list, and finally, identifying areas that you could fix.

Gathering Information About the Problem

• For example, if you are searching for a new apartment, then you could start by asking, “Why do I need a new apartment? Because my roommate is leaving, I can’t find a new roommate, and I can’t afford this apartment on my own.”
• To gather more information on child hunger in your community, you might follow this line of questioning, “Why are children in this community going hungry? Because their parents are running out of money towards the end of the month. Why are they running out of money? Because their food benefits renew at the beginning of the month.”

• For example, if you are in need of a new apartment, write down the specifics of the new apartment you need, such as when you need to move in, how much you can pay in rent each month, and where the apartment needs to be located.
• If you are trying to define the problem of child hunger in your community, then you might make a list that includes the estimated number of children affected, the areas where these children live, and where the children attend school.

• For example, if you are looking for a new apartment, then some of the information you might need could include your maximum rent per month, local apartment complexes, and the cost of utilities without a roommate.
• If you are trying to define the problem of child hunger in your area, then you might need to know how much extra food each family needs, what the shortage is in their benefit checks, and if they have any other sources of food.

• For example, if you are trying to find an apartment within a specific area and price range, visit the apartment complex’s website, check your local newspaper for apartment listings, or call a local complex and ask questions.
• If you are trying to find out why the children in your community are dealing with hunger, talk with someone from the local food bank or create a survey for parents to complete.

Putting the Problem into Words

• For example, if the problem is that you need to find a new apartment because your roommate is moving out, then you might write it as, “I need to find a new apartment because I cannot afford to live in a 2 bedroom apartment on my own and I haven’t been able to find a new roommate.”
• Another example might be, “Children in our community are going hungry towards the end of the month.”

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• For example, if you are seeking a new apartment, then your tentative statement might be, “I need to find a new apartment by the end of the month because I can no longer afford this one. I need to find a 1 bedroom or studio apartment in the same neighborhood I live in now that costs no more than $700 per month.”
• If you are trying to define the problem of child hunger in your community, then you might write, “Children in this community are going hungry towards the end of the month because their parents are running out of money and food benefits.”

• If you are working with a group, ask your group members something like, “What else is missing from this statement? How could we make it stronger?” Work together to integrate the missing details.

• For example, you might need to explain what is meant by “food benefits” in a problem statement on child hunger in your community.

Finding a Solution to the Problem

• For example, if you are looking for a new apartment because of the cost, you might notice that other people have run into a similar issue. This could help you to see that the high cost of living in that neighborhood is central to your problem.
• If you are trying to determine why children in your community are going hungry, read what other people have written about it. If a common theme is the distribution of food benefits, then this is likely central to the problem.

• For example, if the high cost of a neighborhood is driven by the location and safety of the area, then these might be worth paying a little extra money for. Consider if you can find a way to work it into your budget, such as by cutting back on entertainment or another expense.
• If you are trying to define the problem of child hunger, then a possible cause might be a lack of access to affordable food in the community.

• For example, if you try to stay in an apartment you cannot afford, then you may struggle from month to month and end up in an even worse financial situation later on.
• If the problem of child hunger is not solved, then children may suffer from malnutrition and psychological trauma, which could affect them for the rest of their lives.

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• For example, if you cannot afford the rent for your apartment, you are not in control of the cost of rent. However, you may be able to find some ways to save or earn more money to stay in the same neighborhood.
• If you are trying to solve child hunger in your community, you may not be able to change the way families use their food benefits. But you can provide resources to help them or supplement their food supply when they run out.

Example Problem Statements

Expert Q&A

Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

A problem is usually an event or question that is currently not working as well as you would like and prefer to find a more workable solution.

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Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

The initial statement will be unique, just as each problem is unique. However, the point is to expand on it in more detail and find an actionable solution that fits the needs of your problem. This is the basic framework.

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1. ↑https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/defining-problems-the-most-important-business-skill-youve/237668
2. ↑https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/analyze/analyze-community-problems-and-solutions/define-analyze-problem/main
3. ↑https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/problem-identification/index.html
4. ↑https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/problem-identification/index.html
5. ↑https://literacy.kent.edu/salt_fork/prob_solv/define_intro.html
6. ↑https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/analyze/analyze-community-problems-and-solutions/define-analyze-problem/main
7. ↑https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/analyze/analyze-community-problems-and-solutions/define-analyze-problem/main
8. ↑https://asq.org/quality-resources/problem-solving
9. ↑https://asq.org/quality-resources/problem-solving

1. ↑https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/defining-problems-the-most-important-business-skill-youve/237668
2. ↑https://asq.org/quality-resources/problem-solving

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Paul Chernyak, LPC. Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011. This article has been viewed 459,983 times.

To define a problem, ask yourself "why" questions to get to the root of the issue. For example, your line of questioning might look something like, "Why am I having a hard time finding a new apartment? Because all of the apartments I've looked at are too expensive. Why are they all so expensive? Because I've been looking in a pricey neighborhood." Once you finish your line of questioning, you should have a better sense of what the real problem is. Then, you can define the problem so you can start coming up with a solution to it. For more advice from our co-author, like how to solve a problem once you've defined it, scroll down!