Business problems decoded

Business problems focus on metrics and outcomes that matter to the company. Declining revenue, low retention rates, or poor conversion metrics are business problems. They're important, but they're not the same as user problems.

The trap is trying to solve business problems directly without understanding the underlying user issues. "Not enough people are signing up" is a business problem. To solve it, you need to understand why users aren't signing up. Are they confused about the value? Is the signup process too complex? Do they not trust your security?

Smart PMs translate business problems into user problems. They ask questions like "What user experience is causing this metric to decline?" This translation helps teams focus on solutions that actually move the needle rather than just adding features that might help.