- Refine your problem with iterative questioning
- Apply human-centered thinking to ensure your project addresses meaningful challenges
- Understand the importance of designing with stakeholders in mind
- Complete a refined Problem Statement
You already know about RRI and what an ethical project should consider. You even started asking yourself some important questions about your project so you can embed that approach from the beginning. RRI and Ethics are a wide framework that will serve you as you move forward to use more specific techniques and methodologies to build and improve your project, such as the ones you’ll review in this Unit.
Problem Refining
By this point, you should have a general idea of the problem you want to solve. The next step is to refine it by examining whether it’s the right problem, for the right people, and defined clearly enough to guide effective solutions.
Many ventures struggle not because their ideas lack potential, but because they don’t focus on a meaningful or well-scoped problem. Large, inspiring goals like “solving world hunger” can motivate action — but narrowing your focus will make your solution more actionable and impactful. Your first task is to narrow your focus and identify a concrete, solvable problem that matters to a specific group of people. We’re going to be asking ourselves three key questions: Who, Why, and How.
1 Who?
Who experiences this problem most directly, and where? Instead of trying to solve the problem for everyone, look at a specific group or community you can observe or relate to. For instance, in your own city, some high school students skip meals because they can’t afford lunch. By focusing on a specific audience and context, you make the problem more tangible and easier to address.
Example
For this lesson, we’ll use the same example to illustrate the process of refining a problem. As a first step, here’s what an unrefined problem statement might look like:
“Many students in our community struggle to access quality study materials.”
While it’s a start, this problem statement can be improved further. First, let’s think a little deeper and apply our “Who?” questions to the above statement:
Who experiences the problem most directly, and where?-
- From our observations, this issue specifically affects under-resourced students. After some research, we might also determine a specific number.
- While we may have a clear image of what “our community” means, the term is relatively vague to someone with limited context. Instead, we can specify that this happens in our school district — a concrete and measurable area.
After refining with “Who?”, our improved problem statement becomes:
“Approximately 300 under-resourced students in our district struggle to access quality study materials.”
2 Why?
Why does this happen? Is it about cost, stigma, availability, awareness of assistance programs, or something else entirely? Understanding the root causes ensures your solution addresses real needs rather than just symptoms. Take time to observe, ask questions, or research so you uncover the underlying challenges.
Example
This is the problem statement we’ve arrived at after refining with “Who?”:
“Approximately 300 under-resourced students in our district struggle to access quality study materials.”
While we now know who’s affected and where, we still don’t understand why this is happening. Is it due to cost, availability, awareness of where to find resources, or something else entirely?
To uncover the underlying reasons, take time to observe, ask questions, and research. For instance, here are some questions you could ask:
- Can you tell me about your process to prepare for your exams?
- Walk me through the last time you tried to get study materials. What did you do? What happened?
- What do your classmates do when they need study materials?
- Do you have internet at home? How do you access it? How reliable is it?
These questions are effective because they encourage students to share their experiences, are open-ended, highlight specific obstacles, and provide insight into the factors influencing their approaches.
After observations and research, we might learn that some students:
- can’t afford the textbooks needed to study for exams
- are not able to access the internet easily and reliably
- are unaware of options available to them
With these insights, our problem statement can now begin to reflect why the issue happens. While all reasons may matter, it’s best to narrow your focus so you can later create a feasible solution.
“Approximately 300 secondary school students in our district struggle to access affordable, relevant study materials for competitive exams because textbooks are expensive and they do not have reliable internet.”
3 How?
How can this challenge be approached in a way that makes a real difference? Translate the core issue into a concise problem statement that points toward meaningful action.
Example
We currently have the following problem statement:
“Approximately 300 secondary school students in our district struggle to access affordable, relevant study materials for competitive exams because textbooks are expensive and they do not have reliable internet.”
Similar to uncovering “Why?”, the question “How?” can be explored through observation, interviews, surveys, data review, or discussions with experts and community members. For example:
- Through interviews, ask students how not having quality study materials affects their confidence and university plans.
- By talking to teachers or staff, gather insights on differences between students with access to study materials and those without.
- By talking to parents, identify what their hopes are for their children’s future and challenges they face helping them.
After adding these insights, the refined problem statement could read:
“Approximately 300 secondary school students in our district struggle to access affordable, relevant study materials for competitive exams because textbooks are expensive and they do not have reliable internet. This leads to unequal preparation opportunities, lower exam scores, and reduced chances of advancing to higher education.”
More Examples
How might you refine these broad problems? Try it out before uncovering our suggested refinement.
“A coastal community is affected by climate change.”
Refined Problem Statement:
"Small coastal towns in our region are experiencing increased flooding and property damage due to rising sea levels, threatening homes, livelihoods, and local ecosystems."
Who: Small coastal towns in our region
Why: Rising sea levels are occurring in the region
How: Flooding and property damage are threatening homes, livelihoods, and ecosystems
"Everyone should have enough food."
Refined Problem Statement:
"Low-income families in our city often struggle to afford fresh, nutritious groceries. Many face challenges navigating government assistance programs, which contributes to poor nutrition and food insecurity for children."
Who: Low-income families in our city
Why: Difficulty affording groceries and navigating government assistance programs
How: Children experience poor nutrition and food insecurity
"Pollution in our neighborhood is a problem."
Refined Problem Statement:
"Residents in neighborhoods near the industrial zone are exposed to high levels of air pollution. This exposure causes respiratory problems."
Who: Residents in neighborhoods near the industrial zone
Why: High levels of air pollution from nearby industry
How: Respiratory problems
"Elderly people living alone need support."
Refined Problem Statement:
"Elderly individuals living alone in our town often have limited social interaction. This can lead to feelings of loneliness, and challenges managing daily tasks."
Who: Elderly individuals living alone in our town
Why: Limited social interaction
How: Feelings of loneliness, and difficulty managing daily tasks
Problem Statement Refinement
Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Take your existing problem statement and apply the Who? What? and How? framework to strengthen the definition and focus of your problem. Capture the problem refinement in your journal.
Refining a problem is an iterative process and it usually takes multiple rounds of questioning and reflection. This repetition helps you uncover overlooked causes, challenge assumptions, and identify hidden opportunities. The goal is to make your problem statement as clear and meaningful as possible, while still leaving room for creative solutions.
Refining for the User
Let’s dig deeper into understanding the people most affected by these problems. This is a big part of problem refinement.
Human-centered design is about keeping the experiences, needs, and contexts of stakeholders at the forefront. A stakeholder is anyone who is directly or indirectly affected by the problem you’re addressing, including those who will use, benefit from, or interact with your solution. And stakeholder validation is the process of engaging with these individuals to ensure your understanding of the problem matches their real experiences and needs.
By observing and engaging with those who experience the problem, you ensure that the issues you address are relevant and meaningful. Focusing on stakeholders helps you refine the problem, uncover hidden insights, and prioritize what truly matters. It keeps your efforts grounded in reality, making your eventual solutions more effective. Skipping this step can lead to solutions that miss the mark, even if they are technically impressive.
A Cautionary Tale
When the Segway personal transporter was introduced, it was widely anticipated to revolutionize urban transportation. However, it did not gain widespread adoption as expected.
Developers focused heavily on the technology itself and not enough on the practical needs and behaviors of everyday users. Users faced challenges like limited infrastructure, high cost, and unclear use cases in daily life. Today, it is largely remembered as a novelty with limited real-world use rather than a transformative product.
This example highlights the importance of:
- Starting with a problem, not a solution.
- Understanding stakeholders’ real-world contexts and constraints when refining a problem.
- Was there an actual problem for the Segway to solve, or was it just a cool technology someone wanted to build?
Stakeholder Validation
Validating your problem requires engaging directly with the people who experience it. Here’s what that process looks like:
1
Identify Key Stakeholders
These are the people most impacted by your problem. Knowing who they are helps you focus on real needs rather than assumptions.
2
Conduct User Interviews
Talk directly with stakeholders to understand their experiences and challenges. This helps you uncover insights that might not be obvious from the outside.
3
Observe Behaviors
4
Analyze Findings
Look for common themes or unexpected findings from your interviews and observations. These insights guide you in shaping a problem statement that truly reflects stakeholders’ needs.
User Interview Questions
Let’s dig into the part of the process that will take most of your time and thought – the user interviews. Here are some key tips to use when crafting your interview questions.
Be specific
not general
About behavior
not opinion
Use past tense
not hypothetical
Get emotions
not just facts
Don’t skimp on this part of the process—you gain the most insights by talking directly to your users. Use the guidelines below for the types of questions you should ask your stakeholders for real insights into the problem.
|
Question Type
|
Question
|
Purpose
|
|---|---|---|
|
💬 Story Opening
|
"Tell me about the last time [problem] happened. Walk me through it."
|
Gets the user talking in a less intimidating way
It's specific and concrete |
|
⏰ Frequency
|
"How often does this happen?"
|
Defines the severity of the problem
Quantifies the problem |
|
🔁 Process
|
"Walk me through how you typically handle this situation."
|
Provides more detail
Identifies pain points |
|
😣 Frustration
|
"What's the most frustrating or difficult part?"
|
Helps to prioritize issues
Based on emotion - real pain points |
|
🎯 Impact
|
"When this happens, what else gets affected? What can't you do?"
|
Uncovers additional impacts
Shows priorities |
|
🧩 Attempts
|
"What have you tried to make this easier? Why didn't it work well enough?"
|
Shows existing solutions
Identifies what doesn't work |
|
💡 Ideal State
|
"If this problem was solved, what would be different? How would you know?"
|
Describes desired outcome, not specific solutions
Observable measures |
|
❓ Catch-all
|
"What else should I understand about this that I haven't asked?"
|
Empowers user to share more
Can reveal new insights |
Good Questions
- Think about the last time you tried to coordinate a group project. What did that look like?
- What is the most frustrating part about organizing a group project?
- When the group is unable to meet, what else gets affected? What can't you do? What has to wait?
- What else have you tried to solve this problem?
Bad Questions
- Do you like coordinating group projects?
- Do you think group projects are frustrating?
- Would you use an app to help coordinate group projects?
- What features would you like in a group project coordination app?
Remember, human-centered design and stakeholder validation are not one-time tasks. Continuously revisiting stakeholders’ perspectives keeps your solutions relevant, grounded, and impactful. And don’t forget your answers to the questions in the RRI activity; you can go back to those to find inspiration and additional considerations for refining your problem.
ACTIVITY 2
Stakeholder Validation
Estimated Time: Multiple Days
Using the worksheet as a guide, follow the process to identify your stakeholders, conduct interviews and observations, and analyze your findings. You should be able to refine your problem statement at the completion of the validation process.
Reflection
Problem refinement can feel tricky at first, but taking the time to really understand and focus your idea makes your project much stronger. Take some time to think about the following:
