Define the problem

Problem Statement

A problem statement is used to identify and frame the problem to be explored and solved, as well as to communicate the discovery’s scope and focus. Create a Problem Statement as the starting point using

• Who is having the problem?
• What is the problem?
• When does this happen?
• Where does it happen?
• Why are we doing it?

Problem Statements in UX Discovery

Jobs To Be Done

This is our main design tool at C&R.

It is a powerful way to facilitate team conversation and discovery when designing products. They are meant to cut right to the job to be done by eliminating distractions. The job story encourages the product’s design process to focus on context, causality and motivations instead of assumptions, subjectiveness, personas and implementations.

When (Situation)... I want to (Motivation)... So I can (Outcome)...

The Jobs-To-Be-Done Methodology

Affinity mapping

Affinity diagramming has long been used in business to organize large sets of ideas into clusters. In UX, the method is used to organize research findings or to sort design ideas in ideation workshops.
Affinity Diagramming for Collaboratively Sorting UX Findings and Design Ideas

Point-of-View statements

Problem statements are commonly used in the Define stage of design thinking to help you accomplish this goal—and Point of View (POV) statements are one specific type of problem statement. As described by the Interaction Design Foundation, “A good POV will allow you to ideate and solve your design challenge in a goal-oriented manner in which you keep a focus on your users, their needs, and your insights about them.
Understanding Point of View Statements

Define the challenge

Create a pitch

When starting a design project, it is helpful to keep these stages in mind to guide you through the design process.

We should have a goal for our new project and what will success look like. This can be as short as a paragraph. Think of it as your billboard that communicates the idea to the team.

Define objectives

When we have completed these job stories, we can ask ourselves how we are going to solve the problem. We use the 5Ws again but in our own context.

• Who is it for?
• Why are we doing it?
• What are we doing?
• When are we doing?
• Where is it going?

Project scoping

Project scope is a way to set boundaries on your project and define exactly what goals, deadlines, and project deliverables you’ll be working towards. By clarifying your project scope, you can ensure you hit your project goals and objectives without delay or overwork.
The quick guide to defining project scope

How might we

Constructing how-might-we questions generates creative solutions while keeping teams focused on the right problems to solve.
Using “How Might We” Questions to Ideate on the Right Problems

Dot vote

By placing colored dots, participants in UX workshops, activities, or collaborative sessions individually vote on the importance of design ideas, features, usability findings, and anything else that requires prioritization.
Dot Voting: A Simple Decision-Making and Prioritizing Technique in UX

Ideation

Lightning demos

A lightning demo is basically an exercise in stealing and adapting. In the first round you'll give to participants about 20-30 minutes to search for three services, products or company that have solved similar problems that the one you are looking for ideas. For each of the competitor the person has to create a little visual summary of what are the interesting elements we could steal.
Lightning demos

Brainstorming through research

Usually, brainstorming is a qualitative research method performed with the objective of generating as many fresh and creative ideas as possible, collectively from the participants. Furthermore, brainstorming can be both structured or unstructured and can be part of a workshop, a focus group or an unfocus group. Depending on the format chosen, there can be a facilitator or moderator to elicit information from this activity. In the absence of a facilitator, a researcher or observer can document all the ideas being generated to evaluate, shortlist and draft the results from session.
Brainstorming

Mind mapping

A mind map is a tool for the brain that captures the thinking that goes on inside your head. Mind mapping helps you think, collect knowledge, remember and create ideas. Most likely it will make you a better thinker.
Mind Mapping Basics

Sketching

Design studio

Design studios are UX workshops that combine ideation and design critique with idea prioritization and help teams collaborate and feel invested in the project.
Facilitating an Effective Design Studio Workshop

Group sketching

At the same time, participants sketch ideas together on a paper. Anyone can supplement or correct the other's idea with their own sketches. Different ideas are discussed and developed together. The most meaningful and useful solutions are put together to be used in the further course of the project.
Collaborative Sketching

Decide on a solution

Cynefin Framework

The central idea of the framework is to offer decision-makers a “sense of place” to view their perceptions in dealing with a situation or problem. Not all situations are equal, and this framework help.
Cynefin Framework: A Tool for Better Design

Screen/sketch gallery

Post individual solutions on the wall

Present and critique

A design critique refers to analysing a design, and giving feedback on whether it meets its objectives.
Design Critiques: Encourage a Positive Culture to Improve Products

Dot vote and pick one solution

By placing colored dots, participants in UX workshops, activities, or collaborative sessions individually vote on the importance of design ideas, features, usability findings, and anything else that requires prioritisation.
A Simple Decision-Making and Prioritising Technique

Map out the journey

What is the user's journey and their needs? Map out a persona, trigger, steps and obstacles. These also go onto create the acceptance criteria for handover to the development team.
Our Hero: Storymapping the user experience