Agent skill · product strategy · deanpeters
problem-statement
Write a user-centered problem statement with who is blocked, what they are trying to do, why it matters, and how it feels. Use when framing discovery, prioritization, or a PRD.
Why this skill is useful
Provides a structured framework for articulating user-centered problem statements that align stakeholders and focus on user outcomes.
What it needs
About 6k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-07-17. 6,302 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Purpose Articulate a problem from the user's perspective using an empathy-driven framework that captures who they are, what they're trying to do, what's blocking them, why, and how it makes them feel. Use this to align stakeholders on the problem before jumping to solutions, and to frame product work around user outcomes rather than feature requests. This is not a requirements doc—it's a human-centered problem narrative that ensures you're solving a problem worth solving. Input Works best with: Who the user is and what they're struggling to do. Also useful: What's blocking them, why it matters, how it feels, and supporting evidence. Anything supplied with the invocation itself — text after the skill name, a pasted context dump, or an appended ARGUMENTS: line — counts as answers already given. Use it and skip whatever it covers; don't re-ask. Arriving empty-handed? That works too. The skill asks for the user and their goal first — a problem statement without a specific 'who' is a solution looking for cover. Example invocation: Problem statement: clinic schedulers double-book exam rooms because the calendar doesn't show equipment availability. Key Concepts The Problem Framing Framework Based on Jobs-to-be-Done and empathy mapping, the framework structures problems as: Problem Framing Narrative: I am: [Describe the persona experiencing the problem] Trying to: [Desired outcomes the persona cares about] But: [Barriers preventing the outcomes] Because: [Root cause of the problem] Which makes me feel: [Emotional impact] Context & Constraints: [Geographic, technological, time-based, demographic factors] Final Problem Statement: [Single, concise, empathetic summary] Why This Structure Works Persona-centric: Forces you to see the problem through the user's eyes Outcome-focused: "Trying to" emphasizes desired results, not tasks Root cause analysis: "Because" pushes past symptoms to underlying issues Emotional validation: "Makes me feel" humanizes the problem and builds empathy …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills deanpeters/problem-statement