What Problem We Solve
Published: 2020-11-26 06:07:48

---
title: What Problem We Solve
published: true
description: There is a single question you should ask yourself a few times. Every time it will sounds a little different, and will require an absolutely different answer.
tags: 
cover_image: https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/tw6673ga7eng00n6q3i6.png
---

There is a single question you should ask yourself a few times a day. Every time it will sounds a little different, and every time it will require an absolutely different answer. 

```
Ask yourself:
   `What Problem We Solve`
   `Which Problem We Solve`
```

👉 Where `What`/`Which` is a choice between a number of possibilities. 

# The System

## __What__ problem we solve? 

Is there any need to solve this problem? __This__ problem, in __this__ area. 
Does anyone need your solution?


## __Which__ problem we solve? 
Where are many different _kinds_ of a single problem. Do we know __which__ one we are going to solve? 
Who is solving others?

## What __Problem__ we solve? 
Is it a problem? Will anyone be happy if we resolve it? Does anyone ready to pay for it?

## What problem __We__ solve? 
Are __we__ the right people to solve this problem? Are we able to do it? Are we missing something or actually have everything to make it happen?
Might be another team can do better?

## What problem we __Solve__? 
Well, do we know what solve the problem? Can we understand that the problem is actually solved? Are we going to solve it completely or just make it a little better?

> Do we have a solution already? In this case go backwards and find the problem it can be applied to efficiently.

---

Actually sounds very `SIMple` (Specific, Important, Measurable) framework, as many others which were created to help you to 1) start something, 2) maintain, and 3) finish. 
Take a look at [Why What How](https://dev.to/thekashey/why-what-how-framework-24gd) post for details.

# Does it work?!

While it can sounds too simply - that simplicity is the key for the efficiency.
Just ask yourself this question every time you need to make a next step to understand where you are, and clarify how to make that next step.

Firstly it works like a planning, inspiration. You need to find a right problem to solve. Or you can try to find a right problem for a solution you just envisioned.

Secondary it works like _QA-kickoff_, ensuring that the next step is worth to be made. That we should try to solve this problem, not find a better problem to solve.

Then it works like… QA-kickoff, ensuring that the right team was given a right task. May be it’s a right time to get more people onboard.

And at last it defines The End Goal. Explains why it will be a solution. Why people will need it, use it, be happy with it.

Ask yourself 
- 🤷‍♂️ Why you need a new phone. What problem it will solve?
- 🤷‍♂️ Why you need new work. What is the problem?
- 🤷‍♂️ Why this PR should be merged. What problem is solves?
- 🤷‍♂️ Why should we apply principles above. We?

# Prior art
The origin of this principle is [The API Book](https://github.com/twirl/The-API-Book/blob/gh-pages/src/en/clean-copy/02-Section%20I.%20The%20API%20Design/02.md#defining-an-application-field) by Twirl.
{% user twirl %}

----

Don't have an answer to any part of the Question? Probably you should solve another problem.

Which? 🤔 What? 😲 Oh! 🙀