Nice article at A List Apart on project management and the necessity of understanding of the problem that needs to be solved at the beginning, rather than the end, of a project.
The Problem, the Balloon, and the Four Bedroom House: A List Apart
Many project managers believe a project has a beginning and an end. Everything that happens within those parameters can be dealt with by a methodology and a good framework of processes. What they forget is the emotional core of a project and the questions that need to be asked: Why does this project exist? What benefits will it have? What features will express these benefits? How will it make users more efficient, effective, and happy?