Free consulting resource
Problem-framing worksheet
Separate the situation, evidence and assumptions before committing to a solution.
A practical starting point. Adapt these prompts to your context; use non-sensitive or redacted information.
You can copy these prompts into your own working document. No registration is required.
1. Describe what is happening
Write one observable problem, where it occurs and who is affected. Replace broad labels such as ‘poor productivity’ with a specific recurring pattern.
- What happened, and how often?
- What consequence matters to the business?
- What is within this discussion's scope?
2. Separate evidence from explanations
Record what you have observed before explaining why it happens. Include the date, source and limits of each observation.
- What do we know from evidence?
- What are we assuming?
- What other explanation could fit the same evidence?
3. Define a useful outcome
Describe the change you want to observe, without deciding the intervention in advance.
- What would improve for customers or the team?
- How would we recognise progress?
- What must not get worse?
4. Choose the next question
Identify the smallest useful evidence-gathering step before buying a tool, booking training or redesigning a process.
- Which unanswered question changes the decision?
- Who can help answer it?
- When will we review what we learn?
Would an outside perspective help?
If these questions expose an issue that is difficult to resolve internally, tell me what is happening. We can establish whether a focused engagement would be useful.
Discuss your challenge