In product development you can generally find a number of ways to solve a problem but the right solution depends on successfully defining the problem and hopefully not deriving it from a solution. In web systems development its especially easy to have our armchair ‘experts’ help define solutions before trying to define the problem.
We use the web in almost all aspects of our lives today. In fact I can’t remember when the last time I needed driving directions and didn’t turn to a browser. This ubiquity gives everyone a frame of reference to suggest ‘How’ something should be instead of defining the problem. You’ll know your in a ‘How-Wow’ party when the ideas and examples are flowing but you don’t have a solid problem statement. And while brainstorms are great it can be distracting and take you off target.
Keep things on target by grounding your team in problem statements and measures. Saying, “Let’s focus on the what not the how” and using open ended statements such as “This program will be successful when…” can be helpful. When all else fails ask for discrete numbers. Nothing is as sobering as numbers, especially these days.
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