# Problem Statement Pitch Deck: How to Write a Problem Slide (Before/After Examples & Script)

> Write a high-conviction problem statement for your pitch deck in 20–40 seconds. Includes before-and-after problem slide rewrites, a 4-line fill-in-the-blank script, and workflow diagram rules.

Canonical URL: https://axiomlab.online/how-to-pitch/deck-problem
Published: 2026-10-14 | Updated: 2026-10-14

A pitch deck problem statement (your problem slide) should make one customer’s difficulty understandable in 20–40 seconds. Name who is affected, what they are trying to do, how they do it today, and where the workflow breaks.

## Visual Beat Breakdown

- **Who is affected? — Person**: Choose a role in a context, such as a workshop manager receiving stock. “Everyone” is too broad to guide a product decision.
- **What happens today? — Current workflow**: Show the existing sequence or workaround. Respect the reasons people use it; the current process may work well in some situations.
- **Where does it break? — Friction**: Point to a missed handoff, duplicate entry or uncertain decision. Use an observation rather than an adjective such as inefficient.
- **How do we know? — Evidence and limits**: Add the source and scope of your observation. If you have not researched the problem, display the research question instead of a fabricated statistic.

## Fill-in Script Template

- **[Customer]**: [Specific role] needs to [task] in [context].
- **[Today]**: Today, they use [current method] and move through [short sequence].
- **[Difficulty]**: At [step], [observed friction] occurs.
- **[Evidence]**: We learned this from [permissioned source, date and scope]. We still need to test [unknown].

## FAQ

### How do you write a problem statement in a pitch deck?

Write one sentence naming the specific role and task, one sentence showing their current workaround sequence, one sentence pinpointing the step where errors or delays occur, and one sentence stating your bounded evidence or open research question.

### What belongs on a problem slide?

A specific customer, their task, the current method, the friction and any evidence you can substantiate. Keep the product solution for the next part of the story.

### Can I write one before customer interviews?

Yes, as a hypothesis. Label the uncertain points and use them to plan research. Do not invent interview quotes, percentages or observed losses.

### Should I combine the problem and solution?

You can if the relationship remains clear and readable. For a complex workflow, separate slides usually give you more room to explain the evidence.