#20Chapter 3: Problem Identification Techniques• Problem IdentificationCreative ThinkingIndividual and group Mode15-30 min(Fast)

Redefining a Problem or Opportunity

From the book "Advanced Problem-Solving Toolbox: 115 Creative Plays" | Compiled & Edited by: Mojtaba Goudarzi, Open translation: Mehrshid Goudarzi
Executive Synopsis & Core Logic:

conscious change of mental glasses and rewriting of the problem from various specialized angles (marketing, financial, operational, psychology, etc.).

Operational Parameters & Specifications

Category
Problem Identification
Dominant Thinking
Creative
Participation
Individual and group
Estimated TimeFast
15-30 min
Fast
Input Format
Ideas and opinions
Output Format
Idea generation
Key Application
Breaking intellectual deadlocks, marketing stagnant products, and designing innovative market options.
Core Differentiator:

Transforming a one-dimensional problem statement into several different problems and discovering hidden opportunities within each challenge.

Quick Field Example:

Redefining the decline of customer satisfaction from marketing (message gap), product (performance weakness) and financial (value versus price) perspectives.

Operational Benefits & Implementation Risks

Advantages & Value Creation:

Creating a wealth of new perspectives in a short time, discovering innovative business opportunities from bitter problems.

Risks & Potential Trade-offs:

The possibility of fragmented decision-making in case of no return and precise prioritization of the discovered angles.

Real-World Organizational & Industry Scenarios

Marketing Strategy: Redefining "reduced product sales" as "not matching the audience persona with the advertising message".
Product Development and Innovation: Redefining "Slow Battery Charging" into "Desktop Decorative Charging Stand Design Opportunity".
Personal development and conflict management: redefining "coworker's resistance to my plan" to "his need to be seen for his expertise".

Strategic Rationale & Why to Apply

1Discovering invisible dimensions: Each profession sees the problem in a completely different and open language.
2Turning Threat into Opportunity: Reframing Challenge as a Virgin Ground for Growth and Innovation.
3Avoiding repetitive and stereotyped solutions: If the problem is defined as it is, the solution will be the same as the previous failed solution.
4Alignment across disciplines: helping financial, technical and marketing professionals speak a common language.

Conceptual Framework & Book Method Description

The "Redefining a Problem or Opportunity" technique is based on changing the focus.

Instead of accepting the initial statement, we ask: How would a psychologist, a lawyer, a logistics specialist or a marketer express this problem? Each redefinition immediately opens up a completely new and pristine space of creative solutions in front of us.

Step-by-Step Real-World Implementation Scenario

Scenario: Multidimensional autopsy of customer dissatisfaction in a SaaS company
1
Step 1: Record the initial and one-dimensional definition of the problemInitial problem statement: "Customers are dissatisfied with the quality of our software".
2
Step 2: Redefining support and service glasses"Customers feel alone the moment they encounter a bug and support is unavailable."
3
Step 3: Redefining Marketing and Promotion Glasses"Our advertising has created unreasonable expectations that the product was not originally created for (expectation-reality gap)".
4
Step 4: Redefining financial and pricing glasses"Current subscription plans are not cost-effective and the user feels that the value received is not commensurate with the cost paid".
5
Step 5: Redefining from operational and technical glasses"Dashboard loading speed is low during business hours and this delay is attributed to the overall quality of the software".

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