Why New UX Designers Struggle with Vague Problem Statements (And What to Do About It)
Apr 8, 2022
Why New UX Designers Struggle with Vague Problem Statements (And What to Do About It)
One of the biggest struggles new UX designers face isn't Figma or user research — it's this sentence:
“I don’t know what the client actually wants.”
Welcome to real-world design.
In college or boot camps, problems come neatly wrapped:
“Redesign a food delivery app to improve user retention.”
But in the real world, what you get is more like:
“We want better engagement.”
or
“The app isn’t working for some users — can you look into it?”
No clear goals. No data. No direction. Just ambiguity.
And that’s exactly why many new designers feel stuck, lost, or frustrated in their first few projects.
The Truth No One Tells You
In real teams, managers and clients often lack clarity as well.
They’re figuring things out as they go. The brief is often a mix of assumptions, business pressure, and half-formed ideas.
So if you’re waiting for a well-defined problem to begin designing, you might never start.
The Skill You Need
What separates job-ready designers from the rest isn’t just UI skills — it’s the ability to navigate the mess.
A good UX designer asks:
What does “engagement” mean in this context?
Who exactly is facing the issue?
Where’s the drop-off in the current flow?
What data do we have?
What decisions are blocked because of this problem?
You frame the problem before solving it.
You ask, connect the dots, zoom out, and define your direction.
That’s not taught in most courses, but it’s what teams need most.
From Confusion to Confidence
At Crayomi, we work closely with new designers on exactly this.
Not just tools or theory, but how to:
Ask better questions
Break down vague briefs
Gain clarity before jumping into wireframes
It’s not about being an expert from day one — it’s about being confident in the unknown.
And that’s a skill you can build.
Final Thought
If you’ve ever stared at a messy brief and thought,
“I don’t know what to do next” — you’re not alone.
It doesn’t mean you’re bad at design.
It means no one taught you how to work with real-world ambiguity.
We’re changing that — one designer at a time.
— Crayomi
Designing better experiences for design education.
Why New UX Designers Struggle with Vague Problem Statements (And What to Do About It)
One of the biggest struggles new UX designers face isn't Figma or user research — it's this sentence:
“I don’t know what the client actually wants.”
Welcome to real-world design.
In college or boot camps, problems come neatly wrapped:
“Redesign a food delivery app to improve user retention.”
But in the real world, what you get is more like:
“We want better engagement.”
or
“The app isn’t working for some users — can you look into it?”
No clear goals. No data. No direction. Just ambiguity.
And that’s exactly why many new designers feel stuck, lost, or frustrated in their first few projects.
The Truth No One Tells You
In real teams, managers and clients often lack clarity as well.
They’re figuring things out as they go. The brief is often a mix of assumptions, business pressure, and half-formed ideas.
So if you’re waiting for a well-defined problem to begin designing, you might never start.
The Skill You Need
What separates job-ready designers from the rest isn’t just UI skills — it’s the ability to navigate the mess.
A good UX designer asks:
What does “engagement” mean in this context?
Who exactly is facing the issue?
Where’s the drop-off in the current flow?
What data do we have?
What decisions are blocked because of this problem?
You frame the problem before solving it.
You ask, connect the dots, zoom out, and define your direction.
That’s not taught in most courses, but it’s what teams need most.
From Confusion to Confidence
At Crayomi, we work closely with new designers on exactly this.
Not just tools or theory, but how to:
Ask better questions
Break down vague briefs
Gain clarity before jumping into wireframes
It’s not about being an expert from day one — it’s about being confident in the unknown.
And that’s a skill you can build.
Final Thought
If you’ve ever stared at a messy brief and thought,
“I don’t know what to do next” — you’re not alone.
It doesn’t mean you’re bad at design.
It means no one taught you how to work with real-world ambiguity.
We’re changing that — one designer at a time.
— Crayomi
Designing better experiences for design education.
