What is a problem statement?

A problem statement is a brief introduction at the beginning of a document that explains the problem or issue to be discussed. The problem statement is usually one or two sentences in length.

The problem statement answers questions such as: Why is the problem important? What are the consequences? How can the problem be fixed? Problem statements are most commonly encountered in professional and academic settings as parts of reports or projects. When writing a problem statement, the problem should be detailed first, then a solution should be suggested. The remainder of the document expands on the content of the problem statement.