Problem Before Solution
Crystallize the customer problem before choosing tactics or building solutions.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 98%
Begin by separating the observed symptom from both its underlying cause and any proposed tactic. Investigate what the customer is trying to accomplish, why the obstacle exists, and which customer outcome would prove that the obstacle has been removed. Pair that outcome with an operational measure wherever practical. Only then generate and compare solutions. This order matters because a convenient workaround can appear successful while creating technical, operational, or process debt that must be maintained later. A clearly framed problem also improves collaboration: product, engineering, and marketing can evaluate options against the same need rather than defending preferred tactics. The output is a solution chosen for its ability to resolve a verified problem, not merely its ease of implementation.
Origin
The hosts illustrate the method through Kieran's attempts to manage his French Bulldog around other dogs. Distracting the dog with treats addressed the behavior temporarily, while understanding its protective instinct led to a more direct intervention. Extracted from Marketing Against The Grain.
Core principles
- 01Understand the root problem before proposing a solution.
- 02Temporary workarounds create operational debt.
- 03A precise problem produces a more effective solution.
- 04Customer understanding should precede tactics.
- 05Use measurable outcomes to test whether the problem was solved.
How to run it
- 1
Describe the symptom
Record what is happening from the customer's perspective without embedding a tactic or assumed cause in the description.
Pro tip Use customer language rather than internal terminology.
Watch out Do not disguise a preferred solution as the problem statement.
- 2
Investigate the cause
Ask why the behavior or friction occurs and gather evidence from customers and adjacent teams.
Pro tip Work with product and engineering teams that routinely practice problem discovery.
Watch out A plausible explanation is not necessarily a verified root cause.
- 3
Define the desired outcome
Specify what would become easier, faster, safer, or more valuable for the customer if the problem disappeared.
Pro tip Describe the outcome independently of any particular channel or asset.
Watch out Avoid defining success as merely shipping something.
- 4
Select a success measure
Choose an operational metric or explicit approval criterion that demonstrates the outcome was delivered.
Pro tip For non-metric work, define a concrete artifact and named decision-makers who must approve it.
Watch out Do not force a vanity metric onto work that is better judged through a clear deliverable.
- 5
Design and compare solutions
Generate options only after the problem and outcome are clear, then choose the option that resolves the cause with the least avoidable debt.
Pro tip Estimate the maintenance burden as well as the immediate implementation cost.
Watch out A fast workaround can become an expensive permanent system.
- 6
Validate the resolution
Measure the agreed outcome and check whether the underlying problem, not just its visible symptom, has improved.
Pro tip Reopen problem discovery when the measure fails to move.
Watch out Do not declare success solely because the tactic launched.
In the wild
Kieran initially used treats to keep his dog occupied as another dog passed. That tactic controlled the immediate behavior but depended on carrying treats and did not explain the reaction. After identifying that the dog appeared to be protecting him, Kieran walked in front, signaling that protection was not the dog's responsibility.
→ A cause-based intervention replaced a recurring workaround.
A marketing team sees poor landing-page conversion and proposes custom templates for every campaign. Instead, it interviews users and traces the journey, discovering that visitors cannot distinguish the plans. The team fixes the shared pricing explanation and navigation before creating more pages.
→ Conversion improves without multiplying templates, scripts, and maintenance debt.
Common mistakes
Starting with a favorite tactic
The team frames the work around an asset it already wants to build, preventing an honest comparison of solutions.
Treating symptom relief as resolution
A workaround may reduce visible friction temporarily while leaving the cause and its recurring costs intact.
Ignoring maintenance debt
Teams count launch costs but overlook the people, scripts, and processes required to sustain a tactical workaround.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for marketers, founders, and cross-functional teams planning campaigns, products, websites, or process improvements.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for emergencies requiring an immediate containment measure before root-cause analysis is possible.
From the transcript
“obsess over problems not solutions”
“the more you actually crystallize the problem the better the solution will be and the more impactful it will likely be”
“the reason you have debt is because you've been too obsessed on a bunch of different solutions versus the root problem”
From the episode
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