It's not just about solving a problem, and I'll reiterate what Guy Kawasaki says (whereby solving a problem is 2):
1) "Increase the quality of life. Make people more productive or their lives easier or more enjoyable."
2) "Right a wrong. A variant on the above. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem."
3) "Prevent the end of something good. Preserve something classic or historical. Save the whales."
So it's more about creating a value proposition, in which solving a problem is only part of that proposition. Thus, building something people will use entails a carrot and stick: carrot for being used, and stick for not being used. Simply solving a problem can ignore other benefits.. ideally, it's about replacing the system that created the problem in the first place that needed to be resolved (thus solving a set of problems and potential problems). Solving 1 problem only is a good start, but having a vision to lay on top of that can provide extra inspiration.
1) "Increase the quality of life. Make people more productive or their lives easier or more enjoyable."
2) "Right a wrong. A variant on the above. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem."
3) "Prevent the end of something good. Preserve something classic or historical. Save the whales."
So it's more about creating a value proposition, in which solving a problem is only part of that proposition. Thus, building something people will use entails a carrot and stick: carrot for being used, and stick for not being used. Simply solving a problem can ignore other benefits.. ideally, it's about replacing the system that created the problem in the first place that needed to be resolved (thus solving a set of problems and potential problems). Solving 1 problem only is a good start, but having a vision to lay on top of that can provide extra inspiration.
http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/guykawasa...