To get your impact startup on the road to success, you need to make sure your problem and target group analysis is solid and well-founded. Here we show you how to validate your problem and target group analysis with the collected data — i.e. how to repeatedly revise and adapt it, use findings in a structured way and ensure that your solution is well tailored to the needs of your target group.
This section is for you if …
- you’re starting – or already working with your team on – an impact-driven startup.
- you’ve collected relevant data on the problems and challenges your target group and stakeholders face.
Not quite there yet?
Check out the section that fits your current stage
In this section, you’ll learn how to …
- test and challenge your assumptions.
- validate the data you’ve collected.
- do all of this in a clear and structured way.
Validate your assumptions about the problem
These four steps will help you sharpen your problem analysis and develop solutions that truly fit your target group’s needs.
1. Organize your interview data and identify themes
Gather all your notes, quotes, and observations from the interviews – use sticky notes or a digital tool.
Group similar responses together and look for recurring themes or patterns. Clustering insights into categories helps you prioritize and understand which needs are most urgent. For example, you might discover that certain challenges come up often or that your target group shares common behaviors.
2. Review your assumptions critically
Take a close look at the assumptions you’ve made about the problem and your target group. Do the interview responses match your earlier research and expectations? Or do they challenge them?
3. Update your problem tree and social change matrix
Use the validated insights from your interviews to refine your problem tree and your social change matrix. This gives you a well-grounded problem analysis of the issue – which is also useful for your communication or pitch deck.
4. Create a target group profile
You can create this using either a persona or the value proposition canvas (a leaner alternative).
Personas are fictional but realistic profiles that help you understand your audience and design better solutions. You should consider the following points for each persona: For each persona, include:
- A name and image to make them more relatable.
- Age, gender, education, job, location, income.
- Behavior patterns (e.g., What tech do they use?)
- Their goals and needs.
- Key pain points and challenges.
- Motivations and values – what drives them, what matters to them?
The value proposition canvas is another great tool to make sure your solution aligns with real needs. Start with the customer side (your target group) – you’ll complete the solution side later during solution design.
On the left-hand side, write down the challenges (pains) that your target group faces and which improvements will help them. On the right-hand side (circle), write which solutions your impact startup offers to support the target group. This lets you clearly match your solutions to your audience’s needs – and check whether you’re actually adding value.
Next chapter: Solution design
You’ve clearly defined the social problem, identified its root causes, and have analyzed the effects.
You also have a solid understanding of your target group’s needs and challenges – and a persona or representative profile to work with. If all of that checks out, you’re ready to move on to solution design.
Not quite there yet? No worries. It’s worth going back through your problem, target group, and stakeholder analysis to make sure your foundation is strong.
Feeling stuck? These 6 tips might help.
Tips for a successful problem, target group and stakeholder analysis
Take your time
Resist the urge to jump straight into solutions. Give yourself enough time for a solid analysis – but don’t get lost in the details. We recommend the 10:10 rule: aim for 90% confidence, leave 10% room for flexibility.
Go deeper with stakeholders
Interview potential stakeholders in more depth. Observe how your target group behaves in real-life situations
Rework your problem statement
Challenge your original assumptions. Try framing the problem from different perspectives. Use methods like the 5 Whys technique to get to the root causes.
Mix your validation methods
Combine qualitative and quantitative research methods. Conduct experiments to test your assumptions.
Consider the bigger picture
Think systemically. Analyze the broader context and any external influencing factors. Map out the full ecosystem around the problem.
Stay flexible
Be open to changing your mind. New insights might challenge your initial thinking. Compare your findings with industry benchmarks or research studies.