Understanding Real-World
Problems
PHASE 1 | ACTIVITY SESSION 1
A Workshop by Mr. Aniket Gupta
Do great solutions
start with ideas… or
with problems?
Most of us are trained to jump to solutions. But the best innovators begin
by deeply understanding the problem first.
WHERE YOU ARE IN THE JOURNEY
Today: Problem Identification
Problem Design
Identification Thinking
Today: focus on Explore solutions
understanding the and prototype
core issue. empathetically.
Build Execute
Develop and iterate
Scale and measure
on validated
impact across users.
prototypes.
Today, we focus only on understanding the problem deeply. Everything else comes later.
ACTIVITY
Spot the Problem
Students are distracted Traffic is terrible
In class, on phones, checked Commuters stuck every
out morning
People don't exercise
Gyms are empty, health declines
What is the real problem here - or are these just symptoms?
Problem vs. Symptom
Symptom - What You See
The visible part. What people complain
about. What appears on the surface.
Students are distracted
Traffic is terrible
No one exercises
Problem - Why It Exists
The hidden mass. The root of the issue.
What actually needs solving.
Great innovators dive below the
surface.
FRAMEWORK
What Makes a Good Problem?
Real Specific
It actually exists and affects people in the real world Clearly scoped - not vague or too broad to act on
User-Focused Impactful
Rooted in a real person's experience or struggle Solving it would create meaningful, measurable change
The Problem Formula
How to Frame Any Problem
A problem is not just a complaint. It is the measurable gap
between where someone is and where they need to be.
The sharper you define the gap, the clearer your
solution path becomes.
Root Cause Thinking
Most People Great Innovators
See the symptom. Fix the Dig deeper. Find the root cause.
symptom. Watch the problem Solve it once - permanently.
return.
Surface-level fixes are temporary. Root cause solutions create lasting
change.
TOOL
The 5 Whys Technique
Why #1
Ask why the problem occurs
Why #2
Question the first answer
Why #3
Go deeper - resist stopping early
Why #4 & #5
You are getting close to the truth
Root Cause
The real reason - this is what you solve
SESSION ACTIVITY
Apply 5 Whys
"Students don't study."
1 2
Why don't students study? Why are they unmotivated?
They feel unprepared or unmotivated The content feels irrelevant to them
3 4
Why does it feel irrelevant? Root Cause
It's not connected to real-world context Curriculum design doesn't reflect student reality
Now try this with your own problem. Keep asking Why until the answer surprises you.
Understanding the User
Skip the empathy map for now. Start with three grounding questions that cut straight to the heart of any real problem.
Who is facing this? Where does it happen? What are they struggling
Name the specific person or group - Identify the context - home, office,
with?
not "everyone" commute, classroom Describe the friction - not your
assumed solution
Answering these three questions puts the user at the centre - where every great solution begins.
Where to Find Real
Problems
Problems rarely announce themselves. Train your eye to spot the signals
hidden in everyday behaviour.
Friction
Anything that causes effort, delay, or frustration in a process
Complaints
Repeated grievances signal unmet needs - listen carefully
Workarounds
When people hack their own fix, a real problem exists
Repetition
Tasks done manually again and again are begging for a better way
Vague vs. Precise: A Real Example
The quality of your problem statement determines the quality of your solution. See the difference precision makes.
Vague Problem Precise Problem
Traffic is bad. Office commuters face unpredictable travel times due to
poor last-mile connectivity.
Too broad. No user. No context. No direction for a solution.
Specific user. Clear friction. Defined context. Actionable.
Precision is not about being narrow - it's about being honest and specific about who suffers and how.
The Problem Statement Formula
A well-structured problem statement keeps your team aligned and your research focused. Use this as your template.
1 2
User Problem
Who is experiencing the problem? What challenge do they face?
3 4
Root Cause Context
Why does this problem exist? Where and when does it occur?
[User] faces [problem] because of [root cause] in [context]
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most problem statements fail for the same four reasons. Recognise these traps before you fall into them.
1 2
Jumping to Solutions Too Broad
Describing a fix, not a problem - "We need an app" is not a "Society wastes food" - no user, no context, no traction
problem statement
3 4
No User Clarity Assumptions
If you cannot name who suffers, you do not understand Guessing the cause without observing or speaking to
the problem yet actual users
Your Assignment
Apply everything from today's session.
01 02
Identify 3 Problems Select 1 Final Problem
Observe your environment - home, campus, or community. Choose the problem that is most specific, user-focused, and
Spot friction, complaints, or workarounds. impactful.
03 04
Map the User & Root Cause Explain Why It Matters
Answer: Who faces it? Where? Why does it persist? Use the 5 What changes for the user if this problem is solved? Make the
Whys if needed. impact clear.
What Comes Next
You have done the hardest part - understanding the problem. In the next
session, we move from diagnosis to design.
Today
Understand the problem deeply - who, where, why
Next Session
Learn how to solve it using Design Thinking tools
A problem well
understood
is a solution
half built.