Within Problem Framing
Five Questions Before You Chase Evidence
A better question makes evidence gathering sharper, faster, and less biased.
On this page
- Current condition and desired condition
- The gap, affected people, and decision need
- How to tell if the question is still too vague
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Introduction
Before collecting evidence, it is worth spending a few minutes testing whether the question itself is worth answering. Many reasoning failures begin not with bad evidence, but with a vague, incomplete or misleading problem statement. Research on decision framing and problem structuring consistently shows that the way a problem is defined influences what information people seek, which options they consider and what they ultimately decide. A better question makes evidence gathering faster, more relevant and less vulnerable to confirmation bias.[The Uncertainty Project+2PubsOnline]theuncertaintyproject.orgThe Uncertainty ProjectDecision FramingEffectively frame a decision in a clear, concise, and objective way to set up the process for prod…
A practical way to improve framing is to run a simple five-question test before collecting any evidence. The goal is not to find the perfect wording. It is to transform a loose concern into a decision-ready question that can guide useful investigation.
Current Condition and Desired Condition
The first two questions establish whether there is a meaningful gap to investigate.
Question 1: What is happening now?
Describe the current condition in observable terms. Avoid explanations, blame or proposed solutions. Focus on what can actually be seen.
Weak framing:
- Why is our software platform failing?
Stronger framing:
- Customer support requests have increased by 35% in three months and renewal rates have fallen.
The stronger version separates observation from interpretation. Evidence collection can now begin from a clear starting point rather than an assumption.
Question 2: What would a better condition look like?
Reasoning improves when the destination is explicit. A desired condition creates a reference point for judging evidence and evaluating options.
Weak framing:
- How do we improve customer experience?
Stronger framing:
- What changes would reduce support requests while maintaining renewal rates above the previous year’s level?
Decision-framing research emphasises the importance of clarifying desired outcomes and decision criteria before evaluating alternatives. Without a defined target, evidence gathering often becomes unfocused and endless.[The Uncertainty Project+2decisioneducation.org]theuncertaintyproject.orgThe Uncertainty ProjectDecision FramingEffectively frame a decision in a clear, concise, and objective way to set up the process for prod…
The Gap, Affected People, and Decision Need
Once the current and desired conditions are clear, three further questions determine whether the issue is actionable.
Question 3: What gap actually needs explanation or action?
The gap is the difference between the current condition and the desired condition.
Examples:
- Sales are lower than target.
- Waiting times exceed service standards.
- Project delivery is slower than required.
This question prevents a common mistake: collecting information about everything instead of investigating the specific discrepancy that matters.
Question 4: Who or what is affected by the gap?
Many poorly framed questions ignore stakeholders or affected systems.
Compare:
- Why are meetings inefficient?
with:
- Why are project teams failing to reach decisions in meetings, causing rework and delays for engineering and operations staff?
The second version immediately sharpens evidence gathering. Different stakeholders may experience different aspects of the same problem. Problem-structuring approaches were developed partly because complex situations often involve multiple affected groups with different perspectives and priorities.[PubsOnline]pubsonline.informs.orgWhat's the Problem? An Introduction to Problem Structuring…New problem structuring methods (PSMs) provide decision makers wi…
Question 5: What decision depends on the answer?[decisionframeworks.com]decisionframeworks.comwhat is decision framing?27 Jul 2024 — Framing is about the choices we make in what we say, how we say it, what we emphasize, and what we leave unsaid, and how t…
This is the most important test.
If no decision depends on the answer, the investigation may not be worth conducting.
Examples:
- Which staffing model should we adopt?
- Should we redesign the onboarding process?
- Should we continue, expand or stop a programme?
A decision-focused question prevents evidence gathering from turning into information accumulation. Decision-quality frameworks treat a useful frame as one of the foundations of good judgement because it determines what information is relevant in the first place.[Wikipedia]WikipediaDecision qualityDecision quality
The Five Questions Working Together
The test can be applied quickly to almost any issue.
Consider the complaint:
“Employee morale is low.”
Running the framing test produces:
- What is happening now? Employee engagement survey scores have fallen for two consecutive quarters.
- What would better look like? Engagement scores return to the previous year’s level.
- What gap matters? The decline in engagement over the last six months.
- Who is affected? Employees, team leaders and retention outcomes.
- What decision depends on the answer? Whether management should change workload allocation, communication practices or career development policies.
Notice what has happened. The problem has not been solved, but it has become specific enough to guide evidence collection. The search for information now has boundaries and purpose.
How to Tell If the Question Is Still Too Vague
Even after using the five-question test, some problem statements remain weak. Several warning signs indicate that further framing work is needed.
The question already contains the solution
Questions such as:
- How do we automate this process?
- How do we hire more staff?
- How do we introduce artificial intelligence?
assume the answer before evidence has been collected.
A better frame focuses on the underlying gap:
- What is causing processing delays, and which intervention would reduce them most effectively?
This distinction matters because framing can subtly bias the options people consider. Studies of framing effects show that presentation and wording can influence judgement even when underlying facts remain unchanged.[The Decision Lab]thedecisionlab.comThe Decision LabFraming effectThe Framing effect is the principle that our choices are influenced by the way they are framed through diff…
The scope is too broad
Questions such as:
- How do we improve education?
- How do we improve company performance?
have no practical boundary.
Evidence gathering becomes inefficient because almost any fact might seem relevant.
A stronger version narrows the decision:
- Which interventions would improve reading attainment among Year 7 pupils in schools with declining literacy scores?
Success cannot be recognised
If nobody can explain what improvement would look like, evidence cannot be evaluated properly.
Questions that lack measurable or observable outcomes often produce endless debate because participants are judging different goals without realising it.
Different people are answering different questions
One of the strongest indicators of poor framing is disagreement about what problem is being discussed.
For example:
- Finance sees a cost problem.
- Operations sees a process problem.
- Customers experience a service problem.
Problem-structuring research emerged precisely because groups frequently fail to agree on the nature of the problem before attempting analysis. Clarifying the frame often resolves confusion that additional evidence alone cannot fix.[PubsOnline]pubsonline.informs.orgWhat's the Problem? An Introduction to Problem Structuring…New problem structuring methods (PSMs) provide decision makers wi…
Why This Test Improves Evidence Collection
The five-question framing test works because it changes the role of evidence.
Without framing, people often collect information that supports existing beliefs or preferred solutions. With framing, evidence serves a specific decision need.
Instead of asking:
- What information can I find?
the thinker asks:
- What information would help determine the size of the gap, identify affected parties and support the decision that must be made?
This shift reduces wasted effort, narrows the search space and makes it easier to notice missing information. It also creates a natural defence against confirmation bias because the frame is established before the evidence hunt begins. Well-structured decision and problem-framing approaches consistently emphasise this sequence: define the problem first, then collect information that is relevant to that definition.[evolvingorganisation.co+3The Uncertainty Project+3Mural]theuncertaintyproject.orgThe Uncertainty ProjectDecision FramingEffectively frame a decision in a clear, concise, and objective way to set up the process for prod…
A Quick Framing Checklist
Before collecting evidence, verify that you can answer all five questions:
- What is happening now?
- What would a better condition look like?
- What specific gap needs explanation or action?
- Who or what is affected?
- What decision depends on the answer?[decisionframeworks.com]decisionframeworks.comwhat is decision framing?27 Jul 2024 — Framing is about the choices we make in what we say, how we say it, what we emphasize, and what we leave unsaid, and how t…
If any question cannot be answered clearly, the problem is probably not ready for evidence collection. Spending a few extra minutes refining the frame is often the fastest way to improve the quality of the reasoning that follows.
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Five Questions Before You Chase Evidence. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
What's Your Problem?
Closely matches the article's theme of improving problem definition before collecting evidence.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Explains framing effects, cognitive biases, and how question formulation influences judgment and evidence gathering.
Bulletproof Problem Solving
Provides systematic methods for defining, decomposing, and investigating problems effectively.
Thinking in Systems
Helps readers define problems in terms of systems, feedback loops, conditions, and outcomes rather than isolated symptoms.
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Endnotes
1.
Source: mural.co
Title: problem framing
Link:https://www.mural.co/blog/problem-framing
Source snippet
A guide to problem framing: best practices & templates22 Jun 2023 — Problem framing is a process for analyzing, understanding, and ultima...
2.
Source: decisioneducation.org
Link:https://www.decisioneducation.org/decision-focus/helpful-frame
3.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Decision quality
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_quality
4.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Problem structuring methods
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_structuring_methods
5.
Source: evolvingorganisation.co
Title: problem framing method in decision making
Link:https://evolvingorganisation.co/post/problem-framing-method-in-decision-making
Source snippet
Problem Framing Method in Decision-Making29 Apr 2025 — The Problem Framing Method is a powerful approach that transforms how teams identi...
6.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Problem (disambiguation)
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_%28disambiguation%29
Source snippet
Problem (disambiguation)A problem is a difficulty which may be resolved by problem solving. Problem(s) or The Problem may also refer t...
7.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Day 3: Business Questions & Problem Framing | Data Analytics for Beginners
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNjRCETxcQM
Source snippet
"The Uncertainty Project" decision framing The Art of Decision Making: Unpacking the Uncertainty Project with Kyle Byrd Barry O'Reilly...
8.
Source: theuncertaintyproject.org
Link:https://www.theuncertaintyproject.org/tools/decision-framing
Source snippet
The Uncertainty ProjectDecision FramingEffectively frame a decision in a clear, concise, and objective way to set up the process for prod...
9.
Source: pubsonline.informs.org
Link:https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/inte.26.6.117
Source snippet
What's the Problem? An Introduction to Problem Structuring...New problem structuring methods (PSMs) provide decision makers wi...
10.
Source: thedecisionlab.com
Link:https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/framing-effect
Source snippet
The Decision LabFraming effectThe Framing effect is the principle that our choices are influenced by the way they are framed through diff...
11.
Source: decisionframeworks.com
Title: what is decision framing
Link:https://decisionframeworks.com/blog/what-is-decision-framing
Source snippet
?27 Jul 2024 — Framing is about the choices we make in what we say, how we say it, what we emphasize, and what we leave unsaid, and how t...
Additional References
12.
Source: atlassian.com
Link:https://www.atlassian.com/team-playbook/plays/problem-framing
Source snippet
How to Use the Problem Framing MethodProblem framing is a problem-solving method that's designed to align the entire team with one soluti...
13.
Source: hbr.org
Link:https://hbr.org/2024/01/to-solve-a-tough-problem-reframe-it
Source snippet
To Solve a Tough Problem, Reframe ItThis article introduces the E5 approach to problem-framing—expand, examine, empathize, elevate, and e...
14.
Source: merriam-webster.com
Link:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/problem
15.
Source: ojs.jdss.org.pk
Link:https://ojs.jdss.org.pk/journal/article/download/932/874/1313
Source snippet
Analysis (SODA) in improving the decision-making and problem-solving...
16.
Source: wordhippo.com
Link:https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/another-word-for/problem.html
Source snippet
ng something, an unfortunate condition or event.Read more...
17.
Source: thesaurus.com
Title: PROBLE M Synonyms & Antonyms
Link:https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/problem
Source snippet
PROBLEM Synonyms & Antonyms - 111 wordsFind 111 different ways to say PROBLEM, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences...
18.
Source: designsprint.academy
Title: what is problem framing
Link:https://www.designsprint.academy/blog/what-is-problem-framing
Source snippet
?22 Feb 2023 — Problem Framing is a structured process to uncover, define, and prioritize challenges. It connects business objectives wit...
19.
Source: dictionary.cambridge.org
Link:https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/problem
Source snippet
English meaning - Cambridge Dictionarysomething that causes difficulty or that is hard to deal with: Financing the camp's athletic prog...
20.
Source: excitant.co.uk
Title: framing a decision problem diagnosis
Link:https://www.excitant.co.uk/framing-a-decision-problem-diagnosis/
Source snippet
How you frame a decision, or diagnose a problem, is fundamental to how you solve it.Read more...
21.
Source: youtube.com
Title: The Art of Decision Making: Unpacking the Uncertainty Project with Kyle Byrd
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU14AVizdq4
Source snippet
What is Problem Framing? The Key to Strategic Decisions...
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