A problem statement is a short piece of text placed at the beginning of a report or other document that describes the main problem or topic. Typically, this text lists the main facts, explains the significance of the problem, and provides a solution. The problem statement is usually used for planning business processes, but can also be used in educational and scientific work. In this article, we'll show you how to write a problem statement.

How to write a problem statement

Describe your ideal situation. There are many ways to write a problem description. In some sources, the authors recommend immediately moving on to the problem, in others, they first describe the context on writingassignment.net, ​so that it is easier for the reader to understand the problem and the proposed solution. If you don't know how to start, choose the second option. Brevity in such documents is important, but it is even more important that the text be understood. Start by describing how things should be in ideal conditions. Before proceeding to the description of the problem, tell us how things would have turned out if the problem did not exist

Describe the problem. In the words of inventor Charles Kettering, “A problem properly posed is already half solved.” One of the most important goals of a problem statement (if not the most important) is to explain the problem to the reader in a clear, concise and simple way. Briefly describe the problem you want to solve. This will immediately cut off everything unnecessary and bring to the fore only the most important. If you have already described the ideal situation, as suggested above, you can start the next paragraph with "however" or "unfortunately" to explain that the problem you are talking about prevents you from bringing the situation closer to the ideal.

Describe the problem in terms of costs. After stating the problem, you will need to explain why it matters. After all, no one is willing to devote their time to solving all the little problems. In the business world, money is often the determining factor, so try to describe how the problem affects the financial side of the issue.

Back up your arguments with facts. Whatever amounts you talk about, if you can't argue for them, they won't listen to you. When making arguments about why an issue matters, it is important to back them up with evidence. Sometimes your own analysis will suffice, sometimes you will need to provide data from a project or even information obtained from a verified third-party source.

In some papers, it is necessary to provide specific references with a description, in others it is enough to mention the source of information briefly. If you're not sure, ask your guide or teacher.

Suggest a solution. After explaining what the problem is and why it is important, tell us how you plan to solve it. The description of the solution to the problem should be written as clearly and clearly as the problem statement. Mention only the most important points and leave the small details for later - later you will have the opportunity to describe everything else in detail.

Tell us about the benefits of this solution. Now that you've explained what needs to be done, it's important to explain why this decision is right for the company. Since companies are always looking to improve efficiency and generate more profit, you will need to focus primarily on the financial impact of the solution: what costs it will reduce, what sources of income it will open, and so on. It is also important to describe intangible benefits (such as customer satisfaction), but it should all fit into a few sentences.

At the end, summarize what has been said. By describing the ideal situation, the problem, and the proposed solution, you will get closer to the end. Now it is necessary to summarize again the main arguments and you can pay someone to do your assignment, that will allow you to move on to the main part of the work. There is no need to write much. Try to repeat in a few sentences what has already been said.

In academic papers, a thesis statement will also be required. If you need to write this paper for study and not for work, the process is similar, but you will need to add some elements to get the grade you want. For example, a thesis statement is often required. As a rule, this is one phrase, which contains everything that you want to say, but very briefly and concisely. The phrase should contain both the problem and the solution, and they should be described very clearly.

If you need to describe a non-material problem, do the same. Not all problem statements will be associated with practical problems. Some, especially in the field of education (including in the humanities), will be associated with conceptual problems, that is, problems related to how we perceive abstract ideas. In such cases, you should use the same problem description scheme (of course, the emphasis will be on other things): you will need to describe the problem (often it will be about things that are not fully understood by people), explain why it matters, and tell how you plan to solve it. In the end, it will be necessary to sum up everything that has been said.

Work style

Write briefly. It is always important to remember this. The statement of the problem should not be too long - it should contain only the problem and the proposed solution. All proposals must be relevant. If a sentence does not develop a thought, it must be deleted. Write in simple and understandable language. Do not go into details - in such texts you need to describe the essence of the problem and the solution. The statement of the problem should be as short as possible, but the meaning should not be lost. There should be no personal comments in such work, as this lengthens the text and does not add weight to it. You will have the opportunity to add more words in the body of the work if the topic allows it.

Write for the reader. It is important to remember that you are writing for other people, not for yourself. Different groups of people will have different stocks of knowledge, different reasons for reading your work, and different attitudes towards your issue, so try to keep the reader in mind. The text should be extremely clear, which means that you may need to change the tone, style, and vocabulary depending on the audience. As you work on the text, ask yourself the following questions:

Who am I writing for?

Why am I reaching out to this audience?

Does the audience know the terms and concepts as well as I do?

Does the audience feel the same about the problem as I do, or differently?

Why should the audience be interested in this issue?

If you use professional jargon, explain the words. As mentioned above, the work must be written in such a way that the audience can understand it. And that means that, unless you're writing for people who know the technical side of the problem, you need to get rid of excessive professional jargon. If you need to use a particular word, you must explain it. Don't assume readers know everything you know, or they'll lose interest when they stumble upon information they don't understand.

For example, if you are writing for medically trained doctors, you can be sure that they know the meaning of the word "metacarpal". But if you're writing for an audience that's made up of both doctors and medical center investors, who may not have a medical background, you need to clarify that word.

Don't deviate from the problem. Your work should be clearly built around one problem and its solution. As a rule, it is easier to write on narrow topics than on broad and blurry ones, so try not to get distracted from the point. This will keep your work short, which is usually a good thing (apart from coursework that requires a certain amount of text).

You should only touch on those problems for which you can offer a solution that does not cause you any doubts. If you are not sure about a solution, you should narrow the topic and adjust the problem statement.

In order not to get sidetracked, it is worth adding the main part of the document, and then moving on to writing the problem statement. This way you can build on the main body and not have to guess what you might write next.

Remember that the text should be informative, but at the same time concise. Don't go into details. When in doubt about what to leave in the problem statement, refer to assignment expert and answer five questions: who, what, where, when, why. In addition, there is also "how". This will allow the reader to understand what the problem and solution is without delving into the topic.

For example, you want to propose a project for a new building. You will need to explain who will benefit from the new building, what will be required for construction, where the construction will take place, when it will begin, and why the city needs this building.

Write in business language. Problem statements are almost always used when writing serious documents, so the text of the work should be written in a formal style (the same as the main body of the document). The language should be simple, clear and understandable. Don't try to "flirt" with your audience in an overly casual tone. Refuse jokes, unnecessary digressions and descriptions of comical situations. Don't use slang or colloquial phrases. In the formulation of the problem, only the essence of the problem should be discussed, without being distracted by unnecessary things.

Almost the only way to “dilute” the text a little in a work on a humanitarian topic is to quote or add an epigraph. But even in these cases, the quote should be related to the topic and problem of the work, and everything else should be written in a business style.

Always reread the text to find errors. This is a mandatory requirement for all serious work. Any text must be read. After completing the text, re-read it. Is it well written? Were you able to express your thoughts clearly? Are text fragments arranged logically? If not, make changes now. When you're happy with your work, recheck your text for errors, typos, and bad formatting.

You won't regret reading the text before submitting. Since the problem statement is the first part of the document, any errors will immediately be evident, and this may make a bad impression on the reader.

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