[5 min. read]
You walk into a Monday morning meeting. The energy’s off. Sales are down. Support tickets have spiked. Ideas fly around the room — change the pricing, launch a new campaign, add another feature. But no one’s asking the most important question: “What’s really going on here?”
That’s where this framework comes in. DSPT = Define. Structure. Prioritize. Test. It's a clear-thinking tool for real-world problems — the kind where something feels off, results aren’t what they should be, or you’ve hit a recurring issue that won’t go away.
DSPT is for the moments when action feels urgent — but clarity is missing. It helps you slow down just enough to find the root of the problem, before you move fast in the right direction.
A problem is a gap between where you are and where you want to be — and you’re not sure why that gap exists or what to do about it.
DSPT = Define. Structure. Prioritize. Test.
This is your go-to framework for tackling real-world, messy problems — the kind where something's broken, unclear, or just not working the way it should.
Define the Problem
Slow down to get clarity. Use the CLEAR and TOSCA frameworks to remove ambiguity, uncover pain points, and align on what really needs solving.
Structure the Problem
Break the problem down to see the full picture. Use tools like the Issue Tree for complex problems, the 5 Whys for speed, or the Fishbone Diagram for visual clarity.
Prioritize What Matters
Don’t fix everything. Focus on the few causes that will drive the biggest results. Use frameworks like Impact vs. Effort, ICE scoring, and the 80/20 Rule to choose wisely.
Test What Works
Before scaling a solution, test it smart. Turn ideas into hypotheses and break them down using the Hypothesis Pyramid. Use A/B testing, pilots, and feedback loops to validate what actually works.
“A clear mind solves better. DSPT brings clarity to chaos.”
Many problems start fuzzy. You hear words like "engagement," "growth," or "performance"—but what do they really mean?
Ambiguity is your first enemy. If you can't clearly define the problem, you can't solve it. That's why top consultants and problem-solvers slow down before speeding up.
Failing to properly state the problem will almost always lead to bad solutions. There is no right problem definition—but there are many wrong ones. That’s why frameworks like TOSCA are so valuable. They give you a complete picture and help you avoid blind spots. And for complex challenges, remember: defining the problem is often an iterative process. You may need to clarify, reframe, and empathize before you can move forward.
The CLEAR Framework to Clarify Any Problem
Use this 5-step method to transform a vague issue into a clearly defined challenge:
| Step |
What It Means |
Example Questions |
| C – Clarify the language |
Ask what vague words really mean |
“What do we really mean by ‘growth’?” |
| L – Look for examples |
Make it concrete with real situations |
“What does it look like when this works well?” |
| E – Empathize with people |
Talk to those involved to find pain points |
“Where do you get stuck or frustrated?” |
| A – Adjust the lens |
Reframe: flip it, zoom in/out, change perspective |
“What’s the bigger challenge?” |
| R – Refine with structure |
Use TOSCA: Trouble, Owner, Success, Constraints, Actors |
“What does solved look like? Who’s involved?” |
Use CLEAR anytime a problem feels undefined. It’s your gateway to clarity, alignment, and confident progress.
🔧 Example: TOSCA in Action
Problem: A coaching business is not profitable enough.
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Trouble: Low profit
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Owner: The founder of the coaching business
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Success: Increase profit by 50% in 2 years
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Constraints: No new hires, no extra debt
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Actors: Coaches and clients
Clear problem statement: How can we increase profit by 50% within the next 2 years without hiring new personnel and without taking on debt?
Once clarified, the problem becomes either:
"Fix It" Problem
Something is broken or unclear. Needs analysis and structure.
Example: “Sales dropped by 30% in Q2”
Story: A gym struggles with cancellations. The real issue? Poor staff service during peak hours. Fixing scheduling solves the problem.
"Improve It" Problem
Something could be improved, created, or reimagined. These problems need creativity, exploration, and open-ended thinking.
Example: “How could we grow faster?”
Story: A coffee shop explores loyalty programs, breakfast offers, and ends up launching a successful subscription plan.
Note: The rest of the DSPT framework focuses on “Fix It” problems — where something’s not working and needs clarity. For “Improve It” challenges, use creative tools like brainstorming, SCAMPER, or design sprints to generate fresh ideas and explore new directions.
"Unclear" Problem
You can’t solve this yet—you must first define it.
Example: A school wants more “engagement” but doesn’t know what it means. After interviews, they co-create a test week based on student needs.
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” – Albert Einstein
Bottom Line: Until a problem is clearly stated, don’t jump into solving it. Use CLEAR to clarify—then decide if you’re solving a "Fix It" or "Improve It" problem.
An
Issue Tree helps you break a complex problem into smaller, focused questions. Think of it like a tree: your main problem is the trunk, and the causes are branches that you explore step by step.
Example of an Issue Tree for structured problem breakdown
When to use it:
- 🔍 The problem is
- 🧠 You need a structured way to explore many possible causes
- 👥 You're working alone or want a logic-based breakdown
How to use it:
- Start with the core problem
- Ask: “What could be causing this?” — these are your first-level questions
Break each of those into sub-questions if neededContinue until each question leads to something specific you can investigate or test
Example:
How can we increase profit by 50% in the next 2 years without hiring new staff or taking on debt?
- 1. How can we increase revenue?
- 1.1 How can we charge more for each coaching?
- 1.2 How can we do more coaching?
- 2. How can we reduce cost?
- 2.1 How can we pay less for rent?
- 2.2 How can we pay less for marketing?
- 2.3 Where else could we save money?
Want something faster?
✅ Try 5 Whys — same idea, but linear. You ask “Why?” repeatedly until you find the root cause. Ideal for smaller or urgent problems. Just one line, one path.
🎨 Prefer something more visual?
Try a Fishbone Diagram (also called Ishikawa diagram). It's similar to an Issue Tree, but visual — perfect for whiteboards or team workshops. Causes are grouped into categories like People, Process, Tools, Environment.
Objective:
Focus on the most impactful areas first. Solving everything at once is tempting, but not efficient. The goal is to direct your energy where it makes the biggest difference.
Action:
Evaluate which sub-problems are both critical and solvable. Choose what will have the greatest impact with the least resistance.
Example:
Prioritize initiatives that offer the highest ROI or fix a critical bottleneck. For example, if customer drop-off is highest at the checkout stage, that’s where your energy should go first.
🛠 Tools to Help You Prioritize:
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Impact vs. Effort Matrix – Plot actions by how much value they bring vs. how difficult they are to execute. Focus on high-impact, low-effort tasks first.
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ICE Scoring (Impact, Confidence, Ease) – Rate your ideas on these three factors to quickly identify the most promising solutions.
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80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) – Find the 20% of causes that drive 80% of the problem. Focus there.
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Cost–Benefit Analysis – Weigh the benefits of solving each part of the problem against the resources it would take.
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Constraint Identification – Ask: “What’s the one thing blocking everything else?” and start there.
Pro Tip:
Combine the tools if needed. For example, use the 80/20 rule to narrow focus, then apply ICE scoring to your top choices.
Objective:
Don’t just act on assumptions — test them. The goal is to find what actually works before you scale, commit resources, or make major decisions.
Action:
Turn your best ideas into testable hypotheses. Then, validate them through data, small experiments, or feedback from real users. This keeps you from wasting time and effort on solutions that don’t deliver.
Example:
Hypothesis: “If we simplify the checkout process, more customers will complete their purchase.” Test: A/B test the new checkout flow with 50% of site traffic and compare conversion rates.
🧠 What is a Hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a statement you believe might be true — and can test. It's a clear guess about what will solve the problem and why.
Formula:
"If we [do this], then [this result] will happen because [reason]."
Example:
“If we offer an onboarding tutorial, users will be more likely to complete setup because they’ll understand the product faster.”
📐 Use the Hypothesis Pyramid
The Hypothesis Pyramid helps you break your solution idea into smaller, testable pieces — so you can validate each assumption step by step.
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Top of the Pyramid: Your main solution idea
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Middle Level: Sub-hypotheses — what needs to be true for the solution to work
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Bottom Level: Data or experiments to test each one
Example: Main Hypothesis: “We should launch an online coaching service to grow revenue.”
- Sub-Hypothesis 1: There’s enough demand for online coaching.
- Sub-Hypothesis 2: Our coaches are willing to work online.
- Sub-Hypothesis 3: Clients are willing to pay for it.
- Sub-Hypothesis 4: It's cost-effective to launch.
→ Each of these can be tested separately — through surveys, pilot programs, interviews, or quick experiments.
🛠 Tools to Help You Test:
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A/B Testing – Compare two versions of something (e.g. landing page, pricing) to see which performs better.
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Pilot Programs – Try a small version of the solution before full rollout.
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User Interviews & Surveys – Ask directly for feedback to test assumptions.
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Analytics – Use behavioral data to validate what users are doing (not just saying).
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Hypothesis Tracker – Write down each hypothesis, how you’ll test it, and the result — so your thinking stays visible and disciplined.
Pro Tip:
Start lean — test with the smallest version of your idea (MVP-style) to learn fast without big risk.
