Life skills course

Problem solving

Untangle any problem: define it clearly, break it apart, and act before you have all the answers.

5 parts17 lessonsAbout 7 minutes a lessonFirst 3 lessons free
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No card needed. The first three lessons stay free.

After this course you will be able to

  • Write a clear, fact-based problem statement before proposing any solution.
  • Break a problem into MECE parts and map it as a two-level issue tree.
  • Use a 2x2 matrix to rank sub-problems and choose where to act first.
  • Apply a simple decision frame and design a small test before committing.
  • Explain the reasoning behind a decision in four lines anyone can follow.

Myths this course clears up

Feeling stuck means you already know what the problem is

The real problem is often one or two levels below what you feel.

Frameworks are step-by-step recipes

They are lenses to look through, not rigid checklists to complete in order.

Waiting for more information is always the careful choice

Acting on what you have and adjusting is usually cheaper.

Reframing means staying positive about a problem

It means restating it so different options become visible.

A detailed list is the same as a structured breakdown

Lists can overlap and still miss entire areas of the problem.

Lesson plan

5 parts, 17 lessons of about 7 minutes, with a short review at the end of each part.

PART 1 Define the Problem Before Solving It

  1. 1Write the Problem in One Statement FREE7 min
  2. 2Find the Root Cause FREE7 min
  3. 3Rewrite the Problem Using Facts Only FREE7 min
  4. 4Recap: Define the Problem Before Solving It REVIEW7 min

PART 2 Split the Problem into Parts

  1. 5Split a Problem with No Gaps, No Overlaps 7 min
  2. 6Map the Problem as an Issue Tree 7 min
  3. 7Name a Hypothesis Before You Explore 7 min
  4. 8Recap: Split the Problem into Parts REVIEW7 min

PART 3 Decide Which Part to Work on First

  1. 9Score Your Sub-Problems on Impact and Effort 7 min
  2. 10Are You Solving the Right Problem? 7 min
  3. 11Look at the Problem from a Different Point of View 7 min
  4. 12Recap: Decide Which Part to Work on First REVIEW7 min

PART 4 Make a Decision and Take Action

  1. 13Decide When You Have Enough Information 7 min
  2. 14Compare Options and Decide 7 min
  3. 15Check Your Solution and Plan a Small Test 7 min
  4. 16Recap: Make a Decision and Take Action REVIEW7 min

PART 5 Putting It All Together

  1. 17Recap: Problem Solving REVIEW7 min

A look inside

Read the first lesson

Write the Problem in One Statement

7 min

A new hire is asked to fix a report the manager calls "not useful". No one explains what is wrong with it. The new hire spends the weekend redoing the whole report from scratch. Nobody asked which part had failed.

What a problem statement is

It sounds simple, but most people skip it. They feel the problem as frustration, delay or confusion, and they reach straight for a fix. A fix aimed at a feeling rarely hits the right target.

Problem statement: One sentence that names what is wrong, using specific facts, without proposing a solution.

Think of the new hire and the "not useful" report. Without a clear statement of what is wrong, any revision is a guess. The same thing happens in teams, projects and everyday decisions. Effort goes into solutions before anyone has agreed on the problem.

Why one sentence works

A single sentence makes vagueness visible. Try to write "everything is a mess" as a fact, and you notice at once that it says nothing. The limit pushes you towards specifics: a number, a date, a named gap. You need those before any solution can make sense.

Scope boundary: A line around the problem. It names what is inside your focus and at least one thing that is not. Without it, a problem tends to grow until it feels unsolvable.

Complaint or problem statement?

Vague complaint

  • Describes a feeling or a general situation.
  • 'The meetings waste everyone's time.'

Fact-based problem statement

  • Names a specific gap or shortfall you can measure, with no solution inside it.
  • 'Our weekly meeting overruns by 25 minutes because there is no agenda.'

*A stranger reading your statement should understand exactly what needs solving, without asking follow-up questions.*

One rule to remember: If your statement contains a solution, it is not a problem statement yet. Remove the solution and ask: what is broken, and what fact proves it?

Check your understanding

A colleague writes: 'Our onboarding process is broken and we need a better system.' What is the main problem with this as a problem statement?

Try it yourself

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The first three lessons are free. About 7 minutes each.

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