2 Stakeholders and Problem Definition
2.1 Solve the right problem
A proposed solution can hide an untested assumption about what the customer actually needs. Start by describing the current situation, the desired outcome, the people affected, and the boundaries of the project without naming a preferred solution.
2.2 Listen for constraints and competing needs
Stakeholders may include users, maintainers, regulators, purchasers, manufacturers, and people indirectly affected by a design. Their goals can conflict. Safety and legal requirements are not optional merely because they make a concept less convenient.
2.3 A reusable problem statement
For [users] in [context], the current process causes [measurable difficulty]. We need a solution that achieves [desired outcome] while respecting [critical constraints].
Keep the opening statement brief. Use interviews, observations, and measurements to revise it.
Workshop: List five stakeholders for an automated campus irrigation system and one question to ask each before choosing components.
Living chapter. This is an initial working treatment. Derivations, examples, and references will be expanded in future editions.