Unit 1 - Step 3 - Select Specific User Problem (Focus)

User - male, 19 years old, student 

• a student who is often late for his morning class 

focus?

• morning or bedtime routine
  advice to finding problems / opportunities 
  
  

  • General notes from video 
  • examine how someone sets to work / why they came to work? values that drive them to work (motivation) 
  • find gaps in the user's knowledge / understanding  where there could be a solution 
  • analyze how they feel about what they are doing 
  • present your ideas .. they may not even be aware of possibilities that you see 

  
  

  • Specific example - student 
  • reinforce what he values / goal that he is striving for 
  • make it visual
  • make it a priority never to be forgotten 
  • (i.e. Accounting graduate 2020 - accountant 2022 made into a logo; posted in the car) 
  • negotiate with father for supporting you in achieving your goal, lessen or shift work commitment so you can get more sleep 
  • share logo; include him in logo .. a partner 
  • learn simple time management techniques - to maximize already limited time.. carve out time for you and your needs 

  
  

  1. Take out your notes and your completed Interview Template. Reflect on the interview and what you learned about your user. What stood out to you? 

  • What are some specific problems that the interview revealed?
  • gaps in user experience 
  • negotiating
  • self / time management; respect for what you value (i.e. prayer, family)
  • goal orientation / visualization 

  
  

  • Think about gaps in the user’s experience, meaning areas where the user could benefit from a solution.
  • negotiating w/ people to earn their support / respect
  • manage time .. too many demands ..
  • manage distractions / time killers / technology 
  • clarify purpose / long term goal to ensure you make it your focus 

  
  

  • Consider areas for exploration that especially resonate with you. 
  • negotiating w/ people to earn their support / respect 
  • father / brother 
  • need for sleep and time to achieve your goal
  • manage time .. too many demands.. in too short a time
  • learn ways to prioritize so that you address your needs / goals first .... cost / benefit analysis 
  • task lists 
  • deadlines
  • manage distractions / time killers / technology  
  • identify where you are losing time
  • phone calls 
  • mobile phone chatting 
  • gaming 
  • clarify purpose / long term goal to ensure you make it your focus
  • visualize .. manifest it so it is always around you
  • logo 
  • poster 
  • shared with father / brother   

  
  

  • Key takeaways are what designers often call these revealed problems, gaps, and areas for exploration.

  
  

  2. Write at least five key takeaways on sticky notes (or just small pieces of paper). (padlet)

  • Make sure all of the information is in front of you.
  • Cluster sticky notes with similar ideas on them to look for patterns or recurring threads. 
  • Check out the takeaways from our example interview. You can use the same template to organize your thoughts. 
  •  

  3. From these takeaways, identify specific problems your user has.

  • sleep deprived
  • long distance to drive to and from class 
  • risking accident driving without enough sleep
  • risking losing the term due to lateness or absences from class
  • demands being made of him with work when he gets back from school .. thus late to bed  

  4. Select one specific problem you want to design a solution for using one or more of the following criteria (or others that you come up with) to make your selection: most urgent, most interesting, most unexpected, time, materials, desired outcomes, etc. 

  • most urgent? 
  • sleep deprivation

  
  5. Capture that problem in a problem statement.  Example: User’s food gets cold on her way to work.
  
  

  • user is sleep deprived yet driving long distances and risking losing the school term