problem-framing-canvas

To frame ambiguous product problems, you guide a three-phase process—Look Inward, Look Outward, and Reframe—to surface root issues and stakeholder perspectives. This produces a concrete problem restatement and a How Might We question for solution exploration.

The MITRE Problem Framing Canvas is a collaborative discovery framework that enforces an equity-aware process across three phases. It uses adaptive questions and prompts to surface assumptions, risks, and lived experiences before outputting a clear problem definition.

Facilitate a stakeholder alignment workshop by guiding teams through the Problem Framing Canvas phases. This clarifies messy problems, reframes stakeholder requests, and aligns cross-functional teams on a single problem definition before prioritization.

Use a problem framing canvas when you have a messy problem before prioritization or need to reframe stakeholder requests. It reduces bias, misalignment, and wasted effort by clearly defining the underlying issue before proposing any solutions.

Yes, the How Might We method is supported by an equity-aware process that surfaces lived experiences and stakeholder perspectives. It generates a ready-to-use question that kicks off equitable solution exploration after the problem is restated.

Problem framing requires dedicated collaborative discovery time across cross-functional teams, which can be a barrier. It focuses strictly on defining the underlying issue and producing a How Might We question, meaning it does not generate or evaluate actual solutions.