Changing Problems into Opportunities

What's Your "Problem"?

Product Managers are routinely asking "Why". In fact, some guidance refers to the "Five Why's", in order to find the root of the problem. Creating a Solution and then looking for the problem isn't a good business practice, so we must understand what it is that we're trying to solve. Before we can ask "Why?", we need to ask, "What's the problem we need to address?"

But is "problem" the right word to use with customers, prospects, and users?

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Like all things in technology, "It Depends".

To literally understand the problem, one definition is:

NOUN - a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.

When doing customer and product discovery, what do you want the other person to be focused on? Do you trust that they will be transparent and potentially vulnerable when discussing something that is "unwelcome or harmful"? Are you concerned that they won't tell the whole story? Maybe it will be like asking someone "How are you?" and they reflexively answer "Fine."

Most of the time, people aren't "fine", but they don't want to admit that they have a problem. In Product, we also call these "pain points".

What you think is not what they think.

Many people will not have a concern of calling something a problem. However, not everyone thinks the same way.

There is a mentally disruptive condition called "Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria" (RSD) that many Neurotypical people experience, and is a common trait specifically for those of us with ADHD. Some with RSD experience not just emotional, but physical pain when they perceive rejection, criticism or teasing. They know their response is disproportional to the trigger, but they're unable to control it in the heat of the moment.

Due to this fear of not being accepted, and the true pain it can cause, people suffering from RSD will try to avoid situations where they may have to admit they failed at something.

Words Matter.

It's always possible to use different words to say the exact same thing, get your message across, and increase the likelihood that it will be well received by the other party.

Your experience may vary, but here's some suggestions that I propose will help Product Managers gather information about the "thing" they want to solve for, while also allowing customers to be focused on a more positive discussion.

Some alternatives to "problem" could be

• Issue,
• Obstacle,
• Barrier, or
• Hurdle.

These provide an impression of something that can be overcome or conquered, rather than something that we probably need help with. For visual thinkers, these last three can easily be pictured as things that a person will seek a way to avoid, or find a way to get around, over or passed.

When considering a problem, some might picture a car stranded on the side of the road, with no one around with an immediate way to assist. The driver is stuck, stranded, alone, and without tools to get back on the road. There's no understanding of how long this problem will exist. Someone with RSD may start to mentally spiral out of control and feel helpless and/or hopeless.

What are Businesses Solving?

There's not always a problem to solve.

Products are always improving. The initial issue is no longer a struggle, but maybe the goal is to make the solution faster, or more appealing to different market segments. Doritos regularly introduces with more flavors. Reece's is constantly finding new ways for us to consume the combined flavor of chocolate and peanut butter.

Not all products are facing something that's unwelcome or harmful. I don't need my pizza to have cheese stuffed in the crust. But hey... it tastes really good!

Humans have issues, situations and hurdles to overcome.

If a company or organization creates a product, that only resolves the issue if someone uses that product.

How many startup companies fail because no one used that product? Some studies claim it's 90% in total, but others say it's 65% within 10 years (20% in year one, 50% by year five).

How many physical products get created and then sit on a shelf because no one wanted them? In an extreme example, Atari buried over 700,000 copies of unsold video game cartridges in a land fill.

You can build it, but they may not come.

Businesses Provide Opportunities.

If someone can't resolve their issue with their bare hands, they will use something to help them.

• Companies provide tools we call products.
• Products empower people with the ability to act.
• People using those products have the opportunity to overcome their obstacle, remove a barrier, or resolve their issue.

Not everyone needs the same opportunity.

Henry Ford built affordable cars for the masses, but the Amish are still content with their horse drawn carriages. Not everyone needs the opportunity a car provides, because they have no issue with what they have.

Jeff Bezos made it possible for people to buy books online, but I know people personally who enjoy the physical sensation of discovering a new novel in Barnes & Noble. They enjoy the experience, especially if they don't know what they're looking for. Shopping online introduces new issues for them.

Billions of people have never tried out ChatGPT. "It's just a fad."

SUMMARY

As a Product Manager, I don't solve problems. I solve the puzzle of connecting an issue to an opportunity for people to no longer have that issue. I help Engineering build what we believe is the right thing, and then confirm with people that they no longer struggle with the issue.

I'm currently working on a product for people with Neurodivergent minds. This product isn't going to save the world just by existing. However, the goal is to give people the chance to make the world a better place when they use our product.

We need to take the ego out of the business. The technology company builds something, it doesn't do anything else. People are eliminating their struggles, with the help of technology.