What is a Problem?

Even tough it sounds like an obvious question, our answers vary a lot, from “Unanswered questions”, unwanted situations we are exposed to, or something that needs to be fixed.

A proposed definition of a Problem, with the aim to see problems as an opportunity to do better, therefore become better is the following:

Problems are a deviation of the actual state from the target state, with unknown causes.

By acknowledging the problem as a deviation, a systematic Problem-Solving approach can be applied to first identify what and how big is this deviation, and later on how to solve it.

Problems can generally occur in two scenarios, either something goes wrong, and our expectations are not met anymore thus having a deviation, or we increase our expectations, and the previously ok situation is again at a deviation from our defined target.

Regardless of the nature of the problem, acknowledging it, defining it and understanding it, is the very first and most important step in Systematic Problem Solving.

Stay tuned for more on What is actually Problem Solving!