Write a one-page customer problem brief before building a solution
AI-assisted editorial field note · Educational planning framework
What belongs in a customer problem brief?
The brief should name the segment, the triggering situation, the current workaround, the consequence and the evidence still missing. It gives product, sales and operations a common starting point without prematurely committing them to a feature. A useful brief remains editable when new observations challenge its assumptions; it should not become a polished justification for a decision already made.
Put it into practice
Describe one situation
State who faces the problem and when it appears. Replace broad claims about inefficiency with a recognizable task and a concrete trigger.
Record current behaviour
Explain the existing workaround, why it is used and where it fails. Include at least one counterexample where the workaround is sufficient.
Separate evidence and estimates
List interview observations, task records and measured costs separately from projections. Give each source enough context for a teammate to inspect it.
End with an open question
Name the uncertainty that could change the decision. Propose a small test with an owner and a date to review its result.
A worked example
Illustrative scenario — not a customer case study
A brief for agency reporting names a weekly approval handoff, a shared spreadsheet and delayed publication after ambiguous ownership. It records which interviews described the issue and proposes a checklist pilot. It does not promise that a new dashboard will solve the problem before testing the handoff.
Make the next decision
Share the brief when someone outside the research can explain the problem, evidence and next uncertainty in their own words. Revise vague claims before turning them into a roadmap commitment.
A mistake to avoid
An attractive problem statement can conceal weak evidence. Keep source notes linked and label assumptions clearly even when the brief is intended for a persuasive presentation.
Should the brief include a proposed feature?
It can include candidate experiments, but distinguish them from the problem. Several different solutions may address the same underlying task or constraint.
Take the next step
Check the broader business context with the free six-question assessment. Use your own evidence to choose the next action.
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