Definition
Performance gaps between actual and criteria or targets; the question definition in the PSP must contain trends, actuality, gaps, criteria (TAGS) four elements.
In detail
A Problem is a performance gap between actual and standard or target. In PSP, defining a problem must include four elements: Trend, Actual, Gap, and Standard (TAGS). It addresses the issue of "vague problem definition leading to incorrect solution direction." Unlike symptoms, which are manifestations of the problem, the problem is the gap itself. The typical output is a clear problem statement serving as the starting point for the problem-solving process.
Example in practice
A customer service center received an increase in complaints. The team used TAGS to define the problem: the standard was customer satisfaction ≥90%, actual was 85%, gap was 5%, and the trend was a continuous decline for three months. After clarifying the problem, the team began investigating root causes, avoiding blind actions.