Find a problem worth solving
Turn a broad idea into a specific problem for a specific person.
The idea
Start with a moment of friction, not a feature list. Choose a person you can actually reach, a job they need to finish, and the workaround they use today. A narrow starting point makes your next conversation more useful.
Put it into practice
Write: “When [situation], [person] struggles to [job], so they currently [workaround].” List three examples you have observed. Separate observations from assumptions.
A freelance designer loses track of client feedback spread across email and chat. The job is to agree on one revision list before work begins. The first idea is a shared feedback summary, not an entire project-management platform.
Use AI thoughtfully
Ask AI to identify ambiguity in your problem statement and generate alternative explanations. Give it anonymized notes, then check every claim against what you actually observed.
Your checkpoint
Can you name a reachable audience, a recurring problem, and an existing workaround?
Write your answer to the checkpoint. Notes stay in this browser.