Problem Analysis

Problem analysis is the thorough understanding and delineation of a problem before seeking solutions. In the context of digital business engineering, "the problem" can range from a business process inefficiency (e.g., "bottlenecks in the order fulfillment process"), to a technical challenge (e.g., "integration issues between legacy systems and new platforms"), or a client request ("we want to digitize our customer onboarding process to reduce time-to-value").

This skill is important because a misunderstood problem can lead to the wrong solution – you don't want to invest resources in developing a system that doesn't address the actual business need.

Starting Points

• Problem analysis (ICT Research Methods)
• Problem Analysis (Taalwinkel HvA)

Key Points

• You formulate a clear problem statement in your own words, indicating which stakeholders experience the problem and what the problem exactly is. This also includes the scope: what falls within and outside the problem domain.
• You show which questions were asked and which techniques were used to analyze the problem (e.g., process mapping, stakeholder interviews, data analysis).
• You demonstrate an investigative attitude by making assumptions explicit and validating them through research and stakeholder consultation.