What's the best way to identify a tech problem to solve?

1 Understand your customers

The first step to identify a tech problem to solve is to understand who your potential customers are, what they need, what they value, and what they struggle with. You can use various techniques to research and empathize with your customers, such as interviews, surveys, observations, personas, and customer journeys. The goal is to find out their pain points, goals, motivations, and behaviors, and to validate your assumptions and hypotheses about them.

2 Analyze the market

The second step to identify a tech problem to solve is to analyze the market and the competitive landscape. You need to know how big and attractive the market is, how it is segmented, what trends and opportunities exist, and who are the main players and alternatives. You can use tools such as market sizing, SWOT analysis, Porter's five forces, and value proposition canvas to assess the market potential and the gaps and niches that you can exploit.

3 Define the problem statement

The third step to identify a tech problem to solve is to define the problem statement in a clear and concise way. The problem statement should describe the specific problem that you want to solve, who it affects, how it impacts them, and why it matters. You can use frameworks such as the problem-solution fit, the lean canvas, or the jobs-to-be-done theory to articulate the problem statement and test its validity and relevance.

4 Generate ideas

The fourth step to identify a tech problem to solve is to generate ideas for possible solutions. You can use various methods to brainstorm and ideate, such as mind mapping, sketching, prototyping, or the SCAMPER technique. The goal is to explore different angles and perspectives, and to come up with creative and innovative concepts that can solve the problem in a better way than the existing options.

5 Evaluate and prioritize ideas

The fifth step to identify a tech problem to solve is to evaluate and prioritize your ideas based on their feasibility, desirability, and viability. You need to filter out the ideas that are not feasible (you cannot build them), not desirable (your customers do not want them), or not viable (you cannot make money from them). You can use criteria such as the lean startup metrics, the innovation matrix, or the impact-effort matrix to rank and select the most promising ideas.

6 Validate and iterate

The sixth step to identify a tech problem to solve is to validate and iterate your ideas with real customers and feedback. You need to test your assumptions and hypotheses, measure your results and outcomes, and learn from your failures and successes. You can use methods such as the MVP (minimum viable product), the build-measure-learn loop, or the customer development process to experiment and improve your solution until you find the product-market fit.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?