I know... old topic.... but I am finding this is a skill that is not exercised correctly. Anyone want to work through an example with me? I scraped an "idea" from the Dell Ideastorm site, here it is: Make A Wireless Dell.
What is the problem here?
Alright I'll bite. Problem is:
"Jane has spent hours redecorating her home office, choosing just the right paint & furniture. Her new office looks sleek and modern except for.. the mess of computer & monitor wires and cables snaking around and under her desk. She thinks it looks ugly and distracts from the overall cool new look of the office"
I can think of other potential problems statements dealing more with function - but I think this is probably one realistic one for at least some portion of the people requesting the feature.
Nice work Chloe!! We understand the problem (the wires) and the impact (it looks ugly) and for whom the problem affects (Jane - Persona). I could see Jane looking at a Mac. I think this is a start to help Dell begin to scope out and prioritize the delivery of a solution to this problem.
Thanks for taking the time!