Show HN: I Made a Website for Problems (theproblemplatform.com)
Hey everyone! While searching for entrepreneurial ideas on various sites, I noticed there wasn’t a dedicated space for finding and discussing real-world problems that need solving. That’s why I created the Problem Platform—a place where we can share, explore, and tackle problems together. Check it out!
67 comments
[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 128 ms ] threadCompare that to stackoverflow, where you need to first spend 5 minutes studying all the subsites and decide where you try and submit your question, and hope it won't be closed in 2 minutes saying not the right place to ask, not the right format, you asked too many questions too quickly, etc...
1: Header with statement as you have it (Share your problems…)
2: Explore, interact section as you have it
3: Three to five of the most recently posted problems
4: Call to action (sign up)
So you have what it is, how it works, an example, sign up.
Also, are you monetizing this? If not, why require a sign up at all to view problems? Why is the only option to sign up/login with a Google account?
If you had an interesting way to organise, index and/or connect the problems, or something, I might look into this further. But judging by the landing page, there's not even an existing community. There's no reason for me to participate, or invest time in trying to improve your system.
Perhaps a minor thing, by comparison: I don't have, and will not create, a Google account. (I expect that I cannot create a Google account that sticks around longer than a month.)
(I appreciate you're trying to solve a collective action problem – perhaps the collective action problem. Keep at it! The fifth or sixth time might work, if you learn from failure each time.)
Unlike other commenters, I don't think "problem" is too broad. So long as you're prepared to delegate to other projects as appropriate, there is actually room for a large-scale, overarching project like this.
In case it's interesting, along this direction there's halfbakery, pg's essay on how to find startup ideas, YC's RFS posts, and more recently the Startup Ideas podcast/youtube channel which features guests sharing ideas they've been thinking about.
Edit: I see you updated the site with example problems, those are great. I could see this being a great structure for collective solution ideation.
Problems that relate to social issues for example. Or even technological problems that cause or stem from social issues.
I don’t recall who came up with it but there’s a social theorist who stated that anyone trying to ‘solve’ wicked problems is either ill-informed about the nature of the problem, or has other motives. The best outcome is to improve the situation for those affected by it.
It’s kinda hand wavy pop psychology sometimes, but it’s important to understand the concept before wading knee deep into something and making the problem worse for all involved.
The coach used an effective 5-step approach to the resolution process:
1. Present: The presenter makes a clear, one-sentence statement of the problem.
2. Clarify: The sounding team asks clarifying questions: 'How long has the VP been behaving this way?', 'How well do you know the local union leadership?' Only clarification at this step. No suggestions yet.
3. Suggestions/Recommendations: 'Conduct a confidential search, negotiate an exit package and move on. Be sure to keep the BoD up to date on this.'
4. Reaction: Presenter indicates the suggestion they believe is most likely best for them.
5. Accountability: Next meeting, the presenter reports whether they took action, and whether the results benefited from the discussion.
Phases 2 & 3 were conducted in round-table style, with each team member interracting one at at time.
The results were typically effective. The presenter didn't always take the advice, but always reported that the process had provided insight.
FWIW.
I don't have the time right now to delve in all the aspects of it, but I have many thoughts about it. The main thing is that you need to come up with a very concrete example scenario where you know that this platform would be amazing. Use this to guide your first iteration and marketing.
Now since presumably your platform is all user generated content (or is it AI?), then how are you going to kick-start the content generation?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia_of_World_Problems...
Great now my problems are in Google's data stores for advertisement and any number of other uses.
One idea I had was use an algorithm similar to Twitter's community notes to curate and rank both problems and solutions. Sort of a community-moderated Wikipedia of the most agreed on problems and their solutions.
1. allow donations to the solution of the problem
2. allow people to claim funds when the problem is solved ( they have to be specific about the way they solved it to claim funds )
I heavily dislike having to create an account just to see the product :/
With the current approach for the Problem Platform nobody can view the content or comments without a required registration, so prospective viewers don't see value demonstrated and will never convince themselves that adding yet another account to their digital footprint is worthwhile.