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biodesign-needs-finding

Walks you through a Stanford Biodesign-style needs-finding process to define a clear, solution-free problem statement.

How It Works​

This is a Socratic coaching process — it asks questions and challenges your thinking rather than writing the statement for you. It validates each component: the health problem, the affected population, and the desired outcome.

If you start with a technology-first statement like "We need an app for...", it redirects you to the underlying problem.

Output​

Produces docs/planning/need-statement.md containing:

  • A structured need statement: "A way to [PROBLEM] in [POPULATION] in order to [OUTCOME]"
  • Supporting evidence and validation notes
  • Key stakeholders to validate with
  • Identified insights about why the need is unmet

Example​

AI:   Do you already have a need statement or draft, or are you
      starting fresh?

You:  We need an app for cardiac rehab patients

AI:   That sounds like a solution — let's work backward to the
      underlying problem. What's happening with cardiac rehab
      patients that isn't working today?

You:  They don't stick with their exercise programs after discharge

AI:   Good — that's the problem space. Which patients specifically?
      Post-MI? Post-CABG? Heart failure? And at what point after
      discharge does adherence drop off?

      ...

AI:   Here's your refined need statement:
      "A way to sustain exercise adherence in post-discharge
      cardiac rehabilitation patients in order to reduce
      30-day readmission rates and improve functional recovery."

Limitations​

  • Does not write the statement for you — requires your active participation
  • If you skip quality checks, tracks them as "skipped-step risks" in the output