The document provides guidance on defining problems in a design thinking process. It discusses approaching problems as multidisciplinary systems and understanding interfaces. Key aspects of defining a problem include writing a design challenge statement, setting design criteria, and building understanding of the problem through research. The document also includes templates like an empathy map, problem statement canvas, and design criteria canvas to help systematically define problems worth solving.

1. www.hamk.fi
Design Thinking Project:
Define

2. www.hamk.fi
Design Thinking Process

3. www.hamk.fi
Problem Definition
• Every problem is multidisciplinary problem
• Every problem can be thought of as a system
• Pan out and look at the big picture and zoom in to where your
portion of the system resides
• Draw the dashed line around your “system” and understand the
interfaces and couplings
• Background – Learn everything you can as quickly as you can
Source: Dr. Charles Camarda (NASA), The Role of Creativity, Innovation and Complex
Problem solving in NASA’s Return to Flight STS-114

4. www.hamk.fi
Define the Problem that is worth solving
• The purpose of Define phase
is to define the problem that
is worth solving, based on
understanding of customer &
business
PAINS GAINS
WORTH SOLVING

5. www.hamk.fi
Steps of Define
1. Write a design challenge or point of view statement
• Solving the design challenge begins with defining the challenge. What is the
problem that causes the challenge to be solved? What would be the benefit of
solving the challenge for the customer? You can use the following question to frame
the challenge: How might we...? If the problem is unclear, you can perform root
cause analysis.
2. Set the design criteria
• By defining the design criteria will help you to focus design work. What are the must
criteria for solution? Which are criteria that solution should achieve? Which criteria
could the solution achieve? And what are criteria the solution will not meet. You can
use the Criteria canvas to guide your design.
3. Build your understanding of the challenge
• Once you have identified the challenge and phenomenon you want to solve, look for
information related to it. What are the open questions? Where are you looking for
more information? What does the information you find mean? You can use data
canvas.
PROBLEM STATEMENT CANVAS

6. www.hamk.fi
Choose your point-of-view in the phenomena in
hand, define in your own words the problem
worth solving, immerse yourself and discover
known and unknown by digging deeper in user
context and also business opportunities, improve
your knowledge building skills while doing, be
systematic, visual and remember to share data and
information efficiently all the time.
Define your point-of-view

7. www.hamk.fi
• Provides focus and frames the
problem
• Inspires your team
• Provides a reference for
evaluating competing ideas
• Captures the hearts and minds
of people you meet
• Saves you from the impossible
task of developing concepts that
are all things to all people
• Is something you revisit and
reformulate as you learn by doing
A good point of
view is one that
Source: Plattner (2010)
http://longevity3.stanford.edu/designchallenge2
015/files/2013/09/Bootleg.pdf

8. www.hamk.fi
Your actionable problem
statement:
Since we have scrutinized the problem through the empathy canvas , interviews
and our own research and data analysis, we came to this conclusion to define the
actionable problem statement as: How to remove the moisture from the pellets in
the hopper and when to use the hopper in the process as it is being fully
automated.

9. www.hamk.fi
THE PROBLEM STATEMENT CANVAS Degree Programme [Type here]
Team Number [Type here]
Date [Type here]
CONTEXT
When does the problem occur?
ROOT CAUSE
What is the root cause of the problem?
POINT OF VIEW (POV)
A Point Of View (POV) is a meaningful
and actionable problem statement,
which will allow you to ideate in a
goal-oriented manner. Your POV
captures your design vision by defining
the RIGHT challenge to address in the
ideation sessions.
CUSTOMERS
Who has the problem most often?
(Who does the problem concern?)
EMOTIONAL IMPACT
How does the customer feel about
the problem?

10. www.hamk.fi
Root Cause Analysis
Image CC BY-SA 3.0 KellyLawless
What is the root cause of the problem?

11. www.hamk.fi
Context Canvas
What is the
business objective?
Who has the problem most
often?
What are the
social /
environmental
impacts we are
aiming for?
What risks and
restrictions do
we need to take
into account?
When does the problem
occur?

12. www.hamk.fi
How does the customer feel about the
problem?
PAINS GAINS
What are their fears,
frustrations, and
anxieties?
What are their wants,
needs, hopes and
dreams?
What do they
THINK and FEEL?
What other thoughts and feelings might
motivate their behavior?
Make use of Empathy
Map Canvas

13. www.hamk.fi
DESIGN CRITERIA CANVAS
MUST
Must-haves and
non-negotiables
SHOULD
Should-haves and
important features
COULD
Could-haves and
optional features
WONT
Won’t haves – things
that are definitely not
on the table
BYDESIGNABETTERBUSINESS.COM

14. www.hamk.fi
Design A Better Business: https://designabetterbusiness.com/
Faljic d.MBA The Ultimate Business Design Guide:
https://www.beyondusers.com/guides/what-is-business-design-
guide
Futurice Lean Service Creation: https://leanservicecreation.com/
Plattner d.school bootcamp bootleg:
http://longevity3.stanford.edu/designchallenge2015/files/2013/0
9/Bootleg.pdf
Strategyzer Value Proposition Design:
https://www.strategyzer.com/books/value-proposition-design