How to define problem to solve

In finding product market fit, we need to identify the acute problem people have

Products like iPhone, Airbnb, or Gmail are successful because they're useful. Our goal as a product team is to make useful products that a lot of people want. In finding product market fit, we need to identify the acute problem people have.

Problem not solution

When we see a situation, our minds tend to think about the solution quickly because it's more satisfying than analyzing the problem. By nature, our brains want to conserve energy. However, without a clear problem, we will end up with a solution that's not useful—we can't reach a product market fit with this.

Don't get me wrong, having a strong and good solution is important. But be clear about the problem so that you can explore the solution.

Identify the gap

Gap analysis is a simple framework you can use to avoid the solution jumping. Basically, you want to articulate the user outcomes, how the users currently trying to achieve that outcome, and the pain or friction with the existing solutions.