The journey
Stage 2
Understand the Problem
Your experience is a clue, not a conclusion.
What this stage is
Your experience is a clue, not a conclusion. To understand a problem, you have to hear how other people live it.
Why it matters
A founder's pain reveals the door. Other people's pain reveals the room.
Common mistakes
- ·Assuming everyone experiences the problem the way you do.
- ·Building before listening.
- ·Asking leading questions in interviews.
Reflection questions
- ◆How does this problem actually show up in other people's lives?
- ◆What language do they use to describe it?
- ◆How often does it happen, and how much does it cost them?
Exercises
- ◆Talk to 5 people who live the problem.
- ◆Write the problem in their words, not yours.
- ◆Tag patterns across all interviews.
Ready-to-move checklist
- I have heard the problem described by others.
- I understand how often it happens.
- I know what people do today instead.
Related principles
Recommended Resources
Keep going — gently and intentionally.
Helpful Tools
Recommended Next Step
Stage 3 — Identify the Audience