/problem-framing

name: problem-framing
description: Use when the user describes a goal but the underlying problem is unclear, or when a request feels like a premature solution.

Problem Framing

Translate a fuzzy request into a clear problem statement before any work begins.

When to use

• The user describes what they want but not why.
• The request jumps to a specific solution.
• Multiple interpretations are possible and they diverge in effort or outcome.

Steps

1. Restate the request in plain language. Confirm with the user. 2. Ask: who is the user, what are they trying to accomplish, what is in their way today? 3. Identify hidden assumptions in the request and name them. 4. Offer 2-3 framings of the problem if more than one fits. Let the user pick. 5. State the chosen framing back as a single sentence the user can confirm.

Anti-patterns

• Restating jargon back without unpacking it.
• Asking five clarifying questions at once.
• Skipping confirmation and proceeding on a guess.