🎯 The Most Underrated Skill in Project Management? Framing the Problem
Amanda HarrisLeonardo DRSSpace Coast, FL, United States
Before timelines, budgets, or risk plans—comes the most critical moment:
Understanding what we’re really solving for.
I’ve stepped into projects halfway through where the issue wasn’t execution—it was that the problem wasn’t framed clearly from the start.
When we pause to ask better questions upfront—
🤔 “What does success actually look like?”
🔍 “Is this a symptom or the root issue?”
🧭 “Who defines value in this context?”
—projects shift from reactive to strategic.
👉 How do you ensure your projects start with the right problem definition?
Let’s talk how we sharpen clarity before we build solutions.
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Amanda Harris Many project failures don’t happen during execution—they begin at the source: poorly framed problems lead to elegant solutions for irrelevant issues.
Framing is truly an underrated strategic skill.
I use three structured moves to ensure clarity before building:
- Co-definition with stakeholders – Rather than validating a fixed brief, I host joint exploration sessions.
Often, we end up reframing the problem entirely.
- Value mapping – Before talking deliverables, we identify who defines value, how they perceive it, and how we’ll measure it.
This reveals hidden tensions early.
- Diagnosing symptom vs. root cause – I apply tools like 5 Whys or Cynefin to distinguish between technical, adaptive, and systemic challenges.
This avoids solving symptoms with quick fixes.
Starting with better questions isn’t a delay—it’s a strategic investment in clarity.
Thanks for opening this space.
Let’s keep building what truly matters.
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2 replies by Amanda Harris and farshid adavi
May 20, 2025 10:57 AM
Amanda Harris
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Luis Branco Yes, Yes, Yes! I love this line: "Poorly framed problems lead to elegant solutions for irrelevant issues."
I especially love your strategic 3-pronged approach. It's a great way to drive clarity, validate assumptions, and move forward knowing that you're solving the right problem.
Thank you for sharing your insights!
Aug 22, 2025 5:40 AM
farshid adavi
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Amanda, I really appreciate how you’ve framed this perspective—especially the reminder that many failures originate not in execution, but in how the problem itself is defined.
Your three structured moves resonate strongly. I’d add that in my own experience, one more critical layer is “expectation calibration”—ensuring that stakeholders not only co-define the problem, but also align on the pace of change and the depth of transformation they are ready to embrace. Sometimes the gap between recognizing a root cause and being willing to tackle it systemically is where projects stumble.
Thank you for opening this space. Your post is a great reminder that investing time in asking sharper questions at the start often saves months of rework later.
Saving Changes...
Nkhumise Darius MoeletsiDeputy Project Manager| Zutari (previously known as Aurecon)Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa
To frame a problem is to listen deeply—to data, to people, to silence. It is to ask not just what is wrong, but what is really wrong, and what would be right. It is to resist the temptation of easy answers and instead dwell in the complexity long enough to understand it. The problem must be named with precision, not as a complaint or a wish, but as a challenge worthy of pursuit. In this naming, there is power: the power to align minds, to focus energy, to measure progress not by motion, but by meaning.
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2 replies by Amanda Harris and Kwiyuh Michael Wepngong
May 20, 2025 11:00 AM
Amanda Harris
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Nkhumise Darius Moeletsi your response was eloquently stated. I especially loved your last line: "In this naming, there is power: the power to align minds, to focus energy, to measure progress not by motion, but by meaning." I believe this statement is powerful and can be applied to life in general, not just project management. It highlights the importance of moving with intent and purpose. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Jun 02, 2025 2:45 AM
Kwiyuh Michael Wepngong
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Thanks for this Dairus
Saving Changes...
Amanda HarrisLeonardo DRSSpace Coast, FL, United States
May 19, 2025 3:51 PM
Replying to Luis Branco
...
Amanda Harris Many project failures don’t happen during execution—they begin at the source: poorly framed problems lead to elegant solutions for irrelevant issues.
Framing is truly an underrated strategic skill.
I use three structured moves to ensure clarity before building:
- Co-definition with stakeholders – Rather than validating a fixed brief, I host joint exploration sessions.
Often, we end up reframing the problem entirely.
- Value mapping – Before talking deliverables, we identify who defines value, how they perceive it, and how we’ll measure it.
This reveals hidden tensions early.
- Diagnosing symptom vs. root cause – I apply tools like 5 Whys or Cynefin to distinguish between technical, adaptive, and systemic challenges.
This avoids solving symptoms with quick fixes.
Starting with better questions isn’t a delay—it’s a strategic investment in clarity.
Thanks for opening this space.
Let’s keep building what truly matters.
Luis Branco Yes, Yes, Yes! I love this line: "Poorly framed problems lead to elegant solutions for irrelevant issues."
I especially love your strategic 3-pronged approach. It's a great way to drive clarity, validate assumptions, and move forward knowing that you're solving the right problem.
Thank you for sharing your insights! Saving Changes...
Amanda HarrisLeonardo DRSSpace Coast, FL, United States
May 20, 2025 8:01 AM
Replying to Nkhumise Darius Moeletsi
...
To frame a problem is to listen deeply—to data, to people, to silence. It is to ask not just what is wrong, but what is really wrong, and what would be right. It is to resist the temptation of easy answers and instead dwell in the complexity long enough to understand it. The problem must be named with precision, not as a complaint or a wish, but as a challenge worthy of pursuit. In this naming, there is power: the power to align minds, to focus energy, to measure progress not by motion, but by meaning.
Nkhumise Darius Moeletsi your response was eloquently stated. I especially loved your last line: "In this naming, there is power: the power to align minds, to focus energy, to measure progress not by motion, but by meaning." I believe this statement is powerful and can be applied to life in general, not just project management. It highlights the importance of moving with intent and purpose. Thank you for sharing your insights! Saving Changes...
Reflecting on my learning, Harvard Business School Online's Design Thinking and Innovation course is one of my most valuable and immersive learning experiences. This course explores how to use Design Thinking and innovative problem-solving to help businesses create solutions that focus on the user, effectively manage the innovation process from initial research to final product, communicate the value of innovations to customers, and advocate for the design process internally.
The course emphasizes how critical problem framing is to the innovation process. Without the right frame, we may confine our thinking to paths that lead to short-term solutions. Experimenting with "how might we" questions helps us explore different perspectives.
PMO Leader | Speaker & Mentor | Content Leader – PMOGA Latin America
Hub| Catholic University of UruguayMontevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
Absolute key! I've seen too many times how a rushed kickoff, without a deep understanding of the problem, leads us to brilliant solutions... but for the wrong challenge.
One thing that has worked for me is to incorporate a phase zero, even before the formal kickoff, where we bring key stakeholders together to align expectations, define the "why" of the project and clarify what success will mean at the end of the road.
A good question early can save months of misguided work.
Thank you for opening this space for reflection. Defining the problem does not delay, it accelerates the right results. Saving Changes...
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
I completely agree with you - spending time upfront to solve the problem saves a lot of time later. For me, it starts with a short "problem summary" session where I bring together the key stakeholders (business owner, end users, sponsors) and ask:
This clarity keeps us strategic rather than reactive. How have you structured your own problem-preparation session?
Golam
Financial Management Specialist | US Peace CorpsYaounde, Centre, Cameroon
May 20, 2025 8:01 AM
Replying to Nkhumise Darius Moeletsi
...
To frame a problem is to listen deeply—to data, to people, to silence. It is to ask not just what is wrong, but what is really wrong, and what would be right. It is to resist the temptation of easy answers and instead dwell in the complexity long enough to understand it. The problem must be named with precision, not as a complaint or a wish, but as a challenge worthy of pursuit. In this naming, there is power: the power to align minds, to focus energy, to measure progress not by motion, but by meaning.
Financial Management Specialist | US Peace CorpsYaounde, Centre, Cameroon
Jun 01, 2025 10:01 PM
Replying to Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
...
I completely agree with you - spending time upfront to solve the problem saves a lot of time later. For me, it starts with a short "problem summary" session where I bring together the key stakeholders (business owner, end users, sponsors) and ask:
This clarity keeps us strategic rather than reactive. How have you structured your own problem-preparation session?
Golam
Community Champion
