A problem is a situation you want to change, a risk you want to reduce or an opportunity you want to seize. The following are common types of problem.
Constrained A problem that is heavily constrained with few available options.
Ambiguous A problem that is wide open with a large universe of possible options.
Predictable A problem that involves little or no uncertainty .
Uncertainties that you can identify such as the probability that a product will fail on the market.
Unknowns Unknowns Problems spaces where your not sure where to start identifying risks .
Political Situations that involve cooperation or competition between nations, organizations, teams, informal social structures and individuals.
Technical Problems that aren't social in nature such as fixing a machine.
Attempting to determine the root cause a problem so that they can be efficiently and permanently solved.
Attempting to get things working again as soon as possible without addressing the causes of a problem.
Developing plans for the future.
Planning to address current realities.
Problems that require a choices between strategies or options.
Changing things incrementally to improve and optimize them.
Reinvention A problem that calls for completely replacing things with something new.
Type
Definition (1)
A current situation or condition that is undesirable.
Definition (2)
A risk or opportunity that requires action to avoid losses or realize gains.
Definition (3)
An unresolved question.
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Thinking
This is the complete list of articles we have written about thinking.
Citation
John Spacey. "14 Types of Problem." Simplicable. Retrieved June 22, 2026. from https://simplicable.com/new/problem
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