Thematic Goals and Problem Definitions

Development projects are based on solving a problem or set of problems. It is important to understand the problem and how it relates to the organizations goals to make sure that we have the greatest impact.

Does solving this problem bring us closer to our thematic goal?

To have the most impact, we need to focus on the problems that will bring us closer to our thematic goal.

Are we solving this problem at the right level of abstraction?

The best solutions tend to solve the problem at the highest level of abstraction. Sometimes it can be challenging as developers to see where this is. Talking to people with different perspectives - people in other departments - can fill in our knowledge gaps and give us greater context for the problem.

Sometimes when we are in a project, our understanding of the problem we are trying to solve changes and it may mean that we need to change how we solve it and that’s okay.