DEFINE PHASE
Introduction to Define Phase
• The Define phase is a crucial bridge between identifying problems and generating
solutions.
• It ensures clarity and focus by defining the core problem statement precisely.
• Employs a user-centric approach by deeply understanding user needs and pain
points.
• Aligns project goals with user insights and business objectives.
• Involves iterative cycles of problem definition and refinement based on feedback.
• Sets the foundation for brainstorming and ideation by providing a clear problem
statement to solve creatively.
Definition of Define Phase in Design Thinking
• Defines core problems precisely, forming the basis for solution
ideation.
• Provides clarity and direction in the design process.
• Incorporates user-centric insights and data analysis.
• Aligns project goals with user needs and business objectives.
• Involves iterative refinement based on ongoing feedback.
• Facilitates creative problem-solving and solution development.
Importance of Problem Definition in Innovation
• Guides teams towards relevant and impactful solutions.
• Reduces resource waste and minimizes project risks.
• Sparks creativity by framing specific challenges.
• Aligns stakeholders and team members on project objectives.
• Supports iterative improvement and solution validation.
• Sets a foundation for user-centric innovation and design thinking.
Overview of Define Phase Steps
• Identifies and defines core problems or challenges.
• Analyzes user research data and insights.
• Develops detailed user personas.
• Crafts clear and actionable problem statements.
• Frames opportunities for innovation based on user needs.
• Iteratively refines problem definitions based on ongoing insights.
Why is the define stage so important?
• The define stage ensures you fully understand the goal of your design
project. It helps you to articulate your design problem, and provides a clear-
cut objective to work towards. A meaningful, actionable problem statement
will steer you in the right direction, helping you to kick-start the ideation
process (see Stage Three of the Design Thinking process) and work your
way towards a solution.
• Without a well-defined problem statement, it’s hard to know what you’re
aiming for. Your work will lack focus, and the final design will suffer. Not
only that: in the absence of a clear problem statement, it’s extremely
difficult to explain to stakeholders and team members exactly what you are
trying to achieve.
Analysis and Synthesis
Contd.
• Analysis is about breaking down complex concepts and problems into
smaller, easier-to-understand constituents. We do that, for instance,
during the first stage of the Design Thinking process, the Empathise
stage, when we observe and document details that relate to our users.
Synthesis, on the other hand, involves creatively piecing the puzzle
together to form whole ideas. This happens during the Define stage
when we organise, interpret, and make sense of the data we have
gathered to create a problem statement.
What Makes a Good Problem Statement?
• A problem statement is important to a Design Thinking project,
because it will guide you and your team and provides a focus on the
specific needs that you have uncovered. It also creates a sense of
possibility and optimism that allows team members to spark off ideas
in the Ideation stage, which is the third and following stage in the
Design Thinking process. A good problem statement should thus have
the following traits. It should be:
Contd.
• Human-centered. This requires you to frame your problem statement
according to specific users, their needs and the insights that your team
has gained in the Empathise phase. The problem statement should be
about the people the team is trying to help, rather than focusing on
technology, monetary returns or product specifications.
Contd.
• Broad enough for creative freedom. This means that the problem
statement should not focus too narrowly on a specific method
regarding the implementation of the solution. The problem statement
should also not list technical requirements, as this would unnecessarily
restrict the team and prevent them from exploring areas that might
bring unexpected value and insight to the project.
Contd.
• Narrow enough to make it manageable. On the other hand, a
problem statement such as , “Improve the human condition,” is too
broad and will likely cause team members to easily feel daunted.
Problem statements should have sufficient constraints to make the
project manageable.
How to Define a Problem Statement
• Empathy Mapping
Contd.
• An empathy map consists of four quadrants laid out on a board, paper
or table, which reflect the four key traits that the users
demonstrated/possessed during the observation stage. The four
quadrants refer to what the users: Said, Did, Thought, and Felt.
Determining what the users said and did are relatively easy; however,
determining what they thought and felt is based on careful observation
of how they behaved and responded to certain activities, suggestions,
conversations etc. (including subtle cues such as body language
displayed and the tone of voice used).
Point Of View – Problem Statement
Contd.
• A Point Of view (POV) is a meaningful and actionable problem statement, which will
allow you to ideate in a goal-oriented manner. Your POV captures your design vision by
defining the RIGHT challenge to address in the ideation sessions. A POV involves
reframing a design challenge into an actionable problem statement. You articulate a POV
by combining your knowledge about the user you are designing for, his or her needs and
the insights which you’ve come to know in your research or Empathise mode. Your POV
should be an actionable problem statement that will drive the rest of your design work.
• You articulate a POV by combining these three elements – user, need, and insight. You
can articulate your POV by inserting your information about your user, the needs and
your insights in the following sentence:
• [User . . . (descriptive)] needs [need . . . (verb)] because [insight. . . (compelling)]
“How Might We” Questions
• When you’ve defined your design challenge in a POV, you can start to generate
ideas to solve your design challenge. You can start using your POV by asking a
specific question starting with: “How Might We” or “in what ways might we”.
How Might We (HMW) questions are questions that have the potential to spark
ideation sessions such as brainstorms. They should be broad enough for a wide
range of solutions, but narrow enough that specific solutions can be created for
them. “How Might We” questions should be based on the observations you’ve
gathered in the Empathise stage of the Design Thinking process.
• For example, you have observed that youths tend not to watch TV
programs on the TV at home, some questions which can guide and
spark your ideation session could be:
• How might we make TV more social, so youths feel more engaged?
• How might we enable TV programs to be watched anywhere, at anytime?
• How might we make watching TV at home more exciting?
Why-How Laddering
• For this reason, during the Define stage designers seek to define the problem, and
will generally ask why. Designers will use why to progress to the top of the so-
called Why-How Ladder where the ultimate aim is to find out how you can solve
one or more problems. Your How Might We questions will help you move from
the Define stage and into the next stage in Design Thinking, the Ideation stage,
where you start looking for specific innovative solutions. In other words you could
say that the Why-How Laddering starts with asking Why to work out How they
can solve the specific problem or design challenge.
Space Saturate and Group and Affinity Diagrams – Clustering
and Bundling Ideas and Facts
• In space saturate and group, designers collate their observations and findings into
one place, to create a collage of experiences, thoughts, insights, and stories. The
term 'saturate' describes the way in which the entire team covers or saturates the
display with their collective images, notes, observations, data, experiences,
interviews, thoughts, insights, and stories in order to create a wall of information
to inform the problem-defining process. It will then be possible to draw
connections between these individual elements, or nodes, to connect the dots, and
to develop new and deeper insights, which help define the problem(s) and develop
potential solutions. In other words: go from analysis to synthesis.
Step 1 - Identify User Pain Points
• Use various research methods to gather insights into user pain points.
• Collect qualitative and quantitative data to understand user experiences
comprehensively.
• Immersion in user environments aids in identifying latent pain points and unmet
needs.
• Develop user personas to gain insights into diverse user groups and their
challenges.
• Analyze and synthesize research findings to identify recurring pain points and
themes.
• Document user stories to capture specific instances of pain points and challenges.
Step 2 - Synthesize Research Findings
• Use data analysis techniques to synthesize research data effectively.
• Extract meaningful insights and patterns from qualitative and quantitative
data sets.
• Identify commonalities, trends, and outliers in user data to identify key pain
points.
• Rank pain points based on severity, frequency, and impact on user
experience.
• Involve cross-functional teams in data analysis to gain diverse perspectives.
• Use visual aids such as charts or diagrams to present synthesized findings
effectively.
Step 3 - Define Problem Boundaries
• Clearly define the scope and boundaries of the problem statement.
• Ensure the problem statement focuses on specific user pain points without
being too broad.
• Consider resource constraints, time limitations, and technical
considerations.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define problem boundaries aligned with
project goals.
• Establish measurable success criteria to evaluate potential solutions against.
• Iteratively refine problem boundaries based on ongoing insights and project
progress.
Step 4 - Craft Problem Statements
• Craft problem statements that are clear, concise, and easily understood by all
stakeholders.
• Frame problem statements using language that reflects user perspectives and experiences.
• Ensure problem statements are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-
bound (SMART).
• Base problem statements on validated user insights rather than assumptions.
• Iterate on problem statements based on feedback from stakeholders and user validation.
• Prioritize problem statements based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with project
goals.
Step 5 - Align with User Needs
• Ensure problem statements address core user needs, pain points, and aspirations.
• Validate problem statements against user personas to ensure alignment with user
profiles.
• Consider the entire user journey to identify touchpoints and critical pain points.
• Integrate user feedback and validation into refining problem statements.
• Validate problem statements through user testing, surveys, or focus groups.
• Continuously refine and improve problem statements based on evolving user
insights and project requirements.
Step 6 - Evaluate and Refine
• Gather feedback from stakeholders, team members, and users on problem
statements.
• Evaluate problem statements against SMART criteria and project objectives.
• Incorporate feedback and insights to refine problem statements iteratively.
• Test problem statements through rapid prototyping to validate assumptions.
• Involve users in problem statement review sessions to gather real-time
feedback.
• Finalize problem statements based on iterative refinements and stakeholder
consensus.
Problem Statement Example 1
• Problem Statement: "Decreasing Customer Retention Rates in
Online Retail"
• Explanation: Online retail faces a challenge with declining customer
retention rates due to increased competition and changing customer
preferences. The problem statement aims to address strategies for
enhancing customer loyalty and retention through personalized
experiences and targeted marketing campaigns.
Problem Statement Example 2
• Problem Statement: "Optimizing Supply Chain Efficiency in
Manufacturing"
• Explanation: Manufacturing industries struggle with inefficiencies in
supply chain management, leading to delays and increased costs. This
problem statement focuses on streamlining supply chain processes,
reducing lead times, and improving inventory management to enhance
overall operational efficiency.
Problem Statement Example 3
• Problem Statement: "Improving Accessibility in Urban
Transportation"
• Explanation: Urban areas face challenges with transportation
accessibility, especially for elderly or differently-abled individuals.
This problem statement addresses the need for accessible public
transportation options, infrastructure improvements, and innovative
mobility solutions to ensure inclusivity and convenience for all
citizens.
Problem Statement Example 4
• Problem Statement: "Enhancing Data Security in Healthcare
Systems"
• Explanation: Healthcare systems encounter cybersecurity threats and
data breaches, jeopardizing patient privacy and system integrity. This
problem statement focuses on implementing robust data security
measures, employee training programs, and compliance frameworks to
safeguard sensitive healthcare information effectively.
Problem Statement Example 5
• Problem Statement: "Reducing Food Waste in Supply Chains"
• Explanation: Food supply chains experience significant food wastage
at various stages, from production to distribution and retail. This
problem statement addresses strategies such as improved inventory
management, packaging innovations, and partnerships with food banks
to minimize food waste and promote sustainability in supply chains.
Thank You