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Institute of Digital Government
Product Thinking

Product Thinking: Start With The Whys

19 May 2026

A vague problem leads to a vague solution. This module walks you through the 4Cs Framework — Clarity, Consequence, Cause, and Confirmation — to write one sharp, data-backed problem statement before any build begins.

Thumbnail for Video for Start with Why

The Five Whys

Before reaching for a solution, understand why the problem exists. Not just at the surface, but at the root. The Five Whys is a simple tool: start with a problem you can observe, ask "why?" five times, and each answer moves you from symptom to cause.

5 whys illustration

Choosing the right level to fix

For government: applicants can't access grants. Applications take too long. Officers go back and forth. Applications come in incomplete. The form is full of jargon. The form was designed around how the agency works, not how applicants think. The fix is the form, not the processing system.

Problems rarely have one root cause. The goal is to find causes that are within your control and closely connected to the outcome you want to change.

choose right level to fix

Exercise

Go through this exercise with an existing problem your division is facing.

exercise: think of a problem and ask why 5 times

⏭️Next Guide: Metrics

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