Unworkable, Unavoidable, Urgent, Underserved: The 4U Framework for Prioritizing Problems

Many solutions fail because we focus on the wrong problems. Sometimes, the problem itself is unclear or unimportant. Other times, it might not even exist! Focusing on the right problem from the start makes solving it much easier.  As the saying goes, "A problem well-defined is a problem half-solved."

We, as we are only human, we often jump straight to solutions without fully understanding the issue. There are lots of problem-solving methods, but few help teams break down problems in a way that everyone involved understands. This includes everyone from business leaders to product developers to the people who will actually use the solution.

The 4U Framework to the Rescue!

Developed by Michael Skok and popularized by Harvard Labs, the 4U Framework offers a simple and fast way to evaluate problems. This helps you choose which customer problems to tackle and get buy-in from managers.

The 4 Us

1. Unworkable: How bad is this problem? Are existing solutions a dead end, impractical, or super expensive? Unsolvable problems can lead to big losses, like unhappy customers or lost sales.
   • Ask yourself: What happens if we don't fix this? What's causing this problem?
2. Unavoidable: Is this something everyone faces eventually? Maybe it's caused by things outside our control, like new laws or everyday situations.
3. Urgent: Does this need to be fixed right away? Does it align with what's important to the company and its customers?
4. Underserved: Are there already solutions out there, but they just don't cut it? Is there a clear gap in the market for a better answer?

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A Case Study: Why Juicero Flopped

Now, let's see how neglecting these questions can lead to a product's downfall. Juicero, launched in 2016, was a high-tech juicing machine designed to squeeze juice from proprietary packs of pre-cut fruits and vegetables. Despite its initial buzz, the product failed for several key reasons:

Unworkable:

• Juicero claimed that traditional methods of cutting and cleaning fruits were cumbersome, but this problem wasn't significant enough to necessitate a high-tech solution, as these tasks could still be done by hand effectively.

Unavoidable:

• The need to maintain a healthy diet and regularly purchase fresh produce is unavoidable, but this challenge can be easily addressed through existing services like online subscriptions or purchasing pre-cut produce, making Juicero's solution less essential.

Urgent:

• Juicero positioned itself as a solution for busy professionals needing quick, nutrient-rich meals, but juicing itself wasn’t perceived as an urgent need compared to other meal solutions.

Underserved:

• The market was already saturated with affordable, effective juicing options, and the high cost of Juicero ($400) made it inaccessible, indicating that the need was not underserved.

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The combination of these factors led to Juicero's downfall, highlighting the importance of ensuring a product addresses significant, urgent, and unavoidable problems, and serves an underserved market segment effectively.

This is just one example of how the 4U Framework can be used to evaluate problems and identify potential pitfalls. By considering these four factors, businesses can increase their chances of developing successful solutions that truly meet customer needs.

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Using the 4U Framework in Action: Aligning AI Initiatives

At Design Sprint Academy, we help our corporate clients focus and work together using methods like the 4U Framework. We even developed a workshop specifically for this purpose (check out the template here in Miro!). But to truly understand how it works, let's look at a common challenge faced by many businesses: aligning AI initiatives.

Imagine a team of executives who want to leverage AI as quickly as possible. They're excited about its potential, but struggle to agree on which AI projects to pursue first. This lack of alignment can lead to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and frustration among employees.

Here's how the 4U Framework can help:

1. Unworkable:
   • The current situation, where different departments have their own AI priorities, is creating fragmented efforts and inefficiencies.
   • Not having a clear vision for AI can lead to wasted resources on redundant projects.
2. Unavoidable:
   • As AI becomes more commonplace, staying competitive requires integrating it effectively.
   • Leaders who lack AI expertise can't make informed decisions, hindering progress.
3. Urgent:
   • Delays in aligning AI strategy can lead to missed opportunities for innovation and market advantage.
   • Internal confusion and a lack of direction can cause employee demotivation.
4. Underserved:
   • Existing tools may not effectively connect business goals with specific AI initiatives.
   • There might be a lack of clear processes for prioritizing and selecting the most impactful AI projects.

By applying the 4U Framework, our workshop helps stakeholders assess the urgency and severity of the problem (unworkable and unavoidable), identify gaps in current solutions (underserved), and ultimately prioritize the most impactful initiatives to move forward with. This structured approach leads to better decision-making, focused action, and a more strategic implementation of AI across the organization. Read more about the 4U method in this article by John Vetan.