what is a problem statement?

Answer 1

A "problem statement" is a declarative sentence that states a key challenge that needs to be solved. This statement is typically used by businesses as tool to focus resources on a specific goal (i.e. solving this problem). This is especially important in larger organization, where every employee sees it from only their perspective (e.g. HR only cares about HR issues).

This is also used in academic circles, usually to frame questions for students to solve.