You’ve mapped the problem.
Now you need to define it clearly enough to know exactly what you’re trying to solve. The Problem Framing Canvas helps you move from I understand the problem to I can clearly articulate the problem worth solving.
What is this toolkit about?
The Problem Framing Canvas is a guided tool for turning your problem research into a clear, specific, customer-centred problem statement.
It helps you define the problem without jumping to a solution.
What problem does it solve?
Poorly framed problems lead to poorly designed solutions.
You may:
Define the problem too broadly
Focus on symptoms instead of the underlying problem
Describe your solution instead of the customer’s problem
Try to solve several problems at once
Frame the problem around your own assumptions
The canvas helps you answer:
Who has the problem, what are they trying to accomplish, what is getting in their way, and why does it matter?
A well-framed problem gives you a clear target for solution design.
When should I use this toolkit?
Use this toolkit after Problem Mapping, when you have enough evidence to understand the problem and its context.
Use it before designing or testing a solution.
What will I have when I’m done using it?
You’ll have:
A clearly defined customer
A specific situation or context
The customer’s desired outcome
The core problem preventing that outcome
The consequences of the problem
A concise Problem Statement
Clear boundaries around what you are—and aren’t—trying to solve
How to use it
The Notion toolkit will guide you through:
1. Define the customer and situation
Who experiences the problem and when?
2. Define the desired outcome
What are they trying to accomplish?
3. Identify the barrier
What is preventing them from achieving that outcome?
4. State the consequences
Why does solving this problem matter?
5. Write and refine the Problem Statement
Make it specific, customer-centred, and solution-neutral.
Don’t put your solution in the problem statement.
The Toolkit
Problem Framing Canvas Notion Template
Use this Notion template to turn your research into a clear problem statement.
👉 Open the Problem Framing Canvas
Duplicate the template into your Notion workspace before you begin.
Your Completed Output
When you’re finished, save:
- Your Problem Statement
A concise definition of the problem worth solving. - Your Problem Boundaries
What is included, and excluded, from the problem. - Your Supporting Evidence
The customer research and observations that support your framing.
This becomes the foundation for Problem Validation.
What’s Next?
Problem Validation
You’ve defined the problem.
Now you need to answer the most important question:
Is this problem real enough, important enough, and painful enough for people to act on?
Problem Validation helps you test your problem before investing heavily in building a solution.