# Untangle a messy client problem into a clear issue tree

> It names the assumption you didn't know you were making, before the client points it out.

Describe the client's problem in plain words. You get it broken into a clean issue tree, the hidden assumptions, the strongest counterargument and the questions to answer first.

- Page: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/client-problem-issue-tree/
- Category: Make smarter decisions
- Made for: Consultants, Coaches
- Works in: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini
- Time: About 10 minutes
- Effort: Just copy and paste

## The prompt

Fill in the parts in [square brackets], or leave them and the AI will ask you for them.

```text
Think like a structured strategy consultant. My client is [CLIENT DESCRIPTION, e.g. a 12-location gym chain]. Their problem, in their words: [CLIENT PROBLEM, e.g. profits fell 30% this year]. 1. Restate the problem as one clear question we need to answer. 2. Break it into an issue tree with three to four main branches and two to three sub-questions each. Make sure the branches don't overlap and together cover the whole problem. 3. List the hidden assumptions in how the client framed it. 4. Give the strongest counterargument to the most obvious explanation. 5. Rank the sub-questions by how much they matter and how fast we could answer them, and name the data I'd need for the top three. Show the tree as an indented list I can paste into a slide.
```

## Step by step

1. Describe the client's problem the way they'd describe it.
2. Paste the prompt and read the tree from the top down.
3. Push back on any branch that feels off and ask for a redo.
4. Use the top questions to plan your first two weeks.

## What you'll get

A one-line problem question, an issue tree as an indented list, hidden assumptions, a counterargument and the first three questions to answer.

## Good to know

**Which AI tools does this work in?** It works in Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini. On this page, Claude and ChatGPT open with your prompt already typed in. No paid plan is noted for this one.

**How long does it take?** About 10 minutes. It's rated "Just copy and paste". There are 4 steps, listed above.

**What do I need before I start?** Just your details for 2 blanks: client description and client problem. You can skip any, and your AI will ask for them.

**What will I get back?** A one-line problem question, an issue tree as an indented list, hidden assumptions, a counterargument and the first three questions to answer.

Idea spotted on YouTube, shared by Dan Galletta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHPTK-uh530. The prompt is The Solo Creators' own version.

## Go further

Ready-made skills in the Solo Creators AI Studio (https://thesolocreators.com/studio/) that fit this: Board of Advisors (Convene seven AI advisors who debate your decision, vote, and hand back a stress-tested verdict); Fact Checker (Every quote, number, date, and link in your draft checked against its real source, with the fixes handed back as tracked changes you accept or reject).

From AI Use Cases and Prompts by The Solo Creators: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/. Free to use; please link back to the page when you share it.