Section 1 · Design Thinking

Define

Definition

Synthesizing what you learned while empathizing into a single, clear problem statement — a point of view that frames the actual need to be met, often phrased as a “How might we…” question.

Why it matters

A vague problem produces scattered solutions. Define converts raw observations into one specific, actionable challenge the rest of the process can aim at. Without it, ideation has no target.

Example

Turning scattered interview notes into one statement: “How might we help first-year students orient themselves at a building’s entrance, when current signage assumes you already know the building’s layout?”

Note

It’s easy to write a problem statement that smuggles in a solution — “we need a bigger map.” A good statement names the need and its cause, not the fix. Practice rewriting a solution-shaped statement into a need-shaped one until it’s second nature.