ENTECH30:
Technopreneurship
MECHELLE D. BALBOA, MBA
Faculty, Business Administration
WEEK 4
PROBLEM-SOLUTION FIT
MECHELLE D. BALBOA, MBA
Faculty, Business Administration
At the end of the chapter, students should be able to:
[Link] study about customer discovery process
[Link] discover customer empathy map
[Link] learn about customer profiling
Week 4_Technopreneurship
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
LO: Problem Identification
Week 4_Technopreneurship
When Tech Fails: The
Problem-Solution Fit
This presentation explores how lack of problem-
solution fit can lead to technological failures. We'll
look at key examples from history, examine why
these products failed, and draw valuable lessons for
future innovation.
Problem-Solution Fit:
The Cornerstone of Success
Defining the Problem Crafting the Solution
Clearly identify the need or pain point you're Develop a product or service that directly
trying to solve. This includes understanding the addresses the identified problem in a way that is
target audience and their specific challenges. both effective and desirable to users.
Google Glass: A Leap Too
Far
Technological Privacy Concerns
Limitations
Concerns over user privacy
Early models had limited and the potential for
functionality, short battery life, surveillance.
and a bulky design.
Lack of Killer Apps
No compelling applications emerged to justify the cost and novelty
of the device.
Segway: A Niche Product
1 Initial Hype
Promised to revolutionize personal
transportation but struggled to gain
mainstream appeal.
2 Limited Use Cases
Primarily adopted in niche markets like
security and tourism, rather than everyday
commuting.
3 High Cost
The price was a barrier for many potential users.
Windows Phone: A Smartphone Struggle
Lack of Apps Market Dominance Hardware Limitations
Limited app ecosystem Apple and Android already had Windows Phone devices often
compared to iOS and Android, a significant market share, lacked the same hardware
hindering user adoption. making it difficult for Windows specifications and features as
Phone to compete. their competitors.
3D TV: A Format That Didn't Stick
Lack of Content
Limited 3D content available, discouraging consumer adoption.
Technical Challenges
3D TV sets were expensive, required special glasses, and could cause
2 eye strain.
Consumer Interest
The novelty of 3D faded quickly, as consumers found it
3 inconvenient and unnecessary.
Lessons Learned: Achieving Problem-
Solution Fit
The success of any technology depends on its ability to solve a real problem in a way that
resonates with users.
Clear problem identification, user research, and ongoing market analysis are crucial for
ensuring successful product development.
STEP 2: CUSTOMER DISCOVERY
LO: Interview with your target customers
Week 4_Technopreneurship
Customer Discovery
Key Concept Staying Lean
Customer Discovery is about asking It's a core part of the Lean Startup
questions, gathering insights, and testing methodology, emphasizing rapid learning
assumptions to validate your ideas. learning and pivoting based customer
customer feedback.
Why is Customer Discovery Crucial?
1 Product-Market Fit 2 Reduced Risk 3 Customer-Centric Approach
Ensures your product or service Validates your idea before Helps you build products that
service addresses a real market investing significant time and that are truly valuable and meet
market need and is desired by and resources, minimizing the meet customer expectations
by potential customers. the risk of failure. expectations
4-Step Customer Discovery Framework
1 Define a Hypothesis
Clearly state your problem and proposed solution in a concise and
concise and specific manner.
2 Define Assumptions
Identify key assumptions about your idea, target market, and
customer needs.
3 Ask (Good) Questions
Engage with potential customers to gain insights, using open-ended
open-ended questions to understand their pain points and
preferences.
4 Evaluate and Refine
Analyze the feedback you gathered, identify areas for improvement,
improvement, and iterate on your idea.
Types of Customer Discovery
Methods
In-Person Virtual
• Interviews • Surveys
• Focus Groups • Virtual Interviews
• Observation/Ethnographic • Virtual Focus Groups
Research • Video Surveys
• Online Observation
Continuously Question
Question Assumptions
Assumptions
Ongoing Process Innovation
Customer Discovery is not a Embrace the opportunity to
not a one-time event. It's an discover new insights and
an ongoing process of pivot your strategy based on
gathering feedback and what you learn.
adapting to changing market
market needs.
STEP 3: CUSTOMER PROFILING
LO: Customer Empathy Map
Week 4_Technopreneurship
Understanding Your
Users: A Guide to
Customer Empathy Maps
“You are not the user.”
The Importance of User Empathy
The phrase “You are not the user” is a crucial reminder for anyone working on a product. It emphasizes that our own
perspectives and experiences may differ significantly from those of our target audience. Truly understanding user
needs, and tailoring products, accordingly, is essential for success.
User-Centric Design Meeting Business Goals
Prioritize user needs and preferences in all design Balancing user needs with business objectives to
design decisions. objectives to create sustainable products.
Introducing the Customer Empathy
Map
Customer empathy maps are a powerful tool that allows us to visualize and understand user
understand user perspectives. Developed by Dave Gray, they consist of four quadrants that
quadrants that capture user thoughts, feelings, actions, and spoken words.
Says Thinks
Direct quotes from users gathered Brainstormed ideas about user
through research. motivations and priorities.
Does Feels
Observations of user actions and User emotions and experiences while
interactions with the product. using the product.
Example:
“I want a feature that allows me to enter my credit card
information as fast as possible.”
Example:
“This process takes way too long.”
Example:
“The user opened a new window to look
for additional information.”
Example:
“The pages load slowly. I wonder if
this is indicative of the quality of the
product.”
Steps to Create a Customer Empathy Map
Set Goals and Expectations 1
Define the purpose and scope of the empathy map, and target user
personas.
2 Gather Previous Research
Review existing user research data, including interviews, surveys, and
surveys, and analytics.
Create Notes for Each Quadrant 3
Brainstorm and document observations, quotes, and insights about
insights about users.
4 Cluster Results
Identify themes and patterns across the quadrants to gain a holistic
holistic understanding.
Publish and Socialize 5
Share the empathy map with the team and stakeholders to foster a
foster a shared understanding.
Benefits of Customer Empathy
Maps
Customer empathy maps provide numerous benefits for product teams by fostering user-
centric thinking and improving communication. By understanding user perspectives, teams
can create more effective and user-friendly products.
1 Enhanced User 2 Improved Product Design
Understanding
Develops a deeper understanding of Guides product development
user needs, motivations, and decisions by prioritizing user
frustrations. experience.
3 Enhanced Communication
Fosters shared understanding among team members and stakeholders.
The Power of Continuous Empathy
User Research
1 Conduct ongoing user research to gather fresh insights.
Feedback Analysis
2
Review user feedback, reviews, and social media mentions.
Empathy Map Updates
3 Regularly update empathy maps to reflect changing
changing user needs.
Customer Empathy Map Example
This example demonstrates how a customer empathy map can capture user thoughts, feelings, actions, and words. This visual representation
allows the team to better understand their users and inform future product decisions.
Feels Does Thinks Says
Frustrated, overwhelmed. Navigates the website, fills out Wants a streamlined checkout "The checkout process is too
out forms. process. complicated."
Questions or
clarifications?
Thank you and
God bless! ☺