AI Problem Framing Canvas
A structured tool to capture, compare, and clarify AI ideas before jumping into solutions.
About This Template
The AI Problem Framing Canvas is a practical tool for teams to capture AI ideas in a consistent, standardized format.
When brainstorming AI opportunities, teams often end up with a messy list of vague "use cases" that are hard to evaluate. This canvas solves that problem by forcing every idea into the same structure. It guides participants to describe the "Current Reality" and "Business Goal" before jumping to the solution, ensuring that every idea is captured with the necessary context to make a decision.
It is designed to be the first step in the process—helping you turn raw thoughts into tangible, comparable inputs.
📌 What is this canvas for?
This board allows you to move away from loose brainstorming and towards structured idea capture. It helps you:
Create Consistency: Ensure every idea is described using the same criteria.
Anchor in Reality: Force participants to describe the current state before proposing an AI fix.
Surface the Basics: meaningful questions about data and the user without over-engineering.
Enable Comparison: Generate "apples-to-apples" idea cards that make prioritization easier.
Note: This canvas is for framing the opportunity. It is not for detailed technical architecture or solution design.
👥 Who is it for?
AI Facilitators: Running AI Problem Framing sessions or AI Design Sprints.
Product Managers: Defining the "Why" and "What" of a potential AI feature.
Innovation Teams: collecting ideas from different departments in a standardized way.
Agile Pods: helping cross-functional teams (Business + Tech) align on the problem statement.
🧩 When to use it
Asynchronous Collection: Send the link to stakeholders to capture their ideas on their own time.
Workshop Pre-Work: Have participants fill this out before the meeting so you start with structured inputs.
Comparison Reviews: When you need to look at 5-10 ideas side-by-side to decide which one to pursue.
🛠️ How to use this board
This canvas works best as an individual thinking tool before group collaboration.
Duplicate: Create a frame for each participant.
Draft: Participants fill out the 4 zones individually:
THE WHAT: Current reality vs. the AI idea.
THE WHY: Business goals and expected value.
THE WHO: The user and their specific pain point.
THE HOW: High-level data availability and risks.
Review: Bring the completed canvases together to discuss and prioritize.
