Week 3 Creating User Stories And User Journey Maps

Course 2 – Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, And Ideate

Week 3: Defining User Problems

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Defining User Problems INTRODUCTION

In this part of the Coursera Google UX Design Professional Certificate course, you’ll learn how to define user problems that require design solutions. Defining a problem is an essential step in the design process, as it allows you to create effective designs that address the needs and challenges of users. To begin, you will build a problem statement, a hypothesis statement and a value proposition.

As well as gaining an understanding of these tools for defining user problems, you will explore how psychology and human factors influence design decisions. By the end of this section, you will have gained the knowledge necessary to create thoughtful designs that are based on user insights and research results.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the steps to scope design problems
  • Build a problem statement
  • Define a value proposition
  • [Optional] Explain how psychology and human factors influence design
  • Build a hypothesis statement

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON HOW PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN FACTORS INFLUENCE DESIGN

1. Which of the following user stories is complete?

  • Income
  • Fear (CORRECT)
  • Prejudice (CORRECT)
  • Impatience (CORRECT)
  • Misjudgment (CORRECT)

Correct: Fear is a common human factor, and one of the variables humans bring to their product interactions. Other common human factors include but are not limited to prejudice, misjudgment, and impatience.

Correct: Prejudice is an example of a human factor and one of the variables humans bring to their product interactions. Other common human factors include but are not limited to fear, misjudgment, and impatience.

Correct: Impatience is another example of a human factor  and one of the variables humans bring to their product interactions. Other common human factors include but are not limited to prejudice, misjudgment, and fear.

Correct: Misjudgment is a common human factor  and one of the variables humans bring to their product interactions. Other common human factors include but are not limited to prejudice, fear, and impatience.

2. Consider the psychological concepts explored in this lesson. Which of the following is an example of a mental model?

  • Parking a car in a garage
  • Using a key to turn the ignition of a car to start it (CORRECT)
  • Driving a car

Correct: We can predict the car will start because of the key turning the ignition.

3. Fill in the blank: You test a new children’s game with a group of users. Some are able to reach the end of the game, while others quit after a few turns. The children who are able to finish the game enjoy the experience because of the positive _____.

  • reinforcement
  • feedback loop (CORRECT)
  • value proposition
  • human outcome

Correct: The children who finished the game had a positive feedback loop, or outcome.

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WEEKLY CHALLENGE 3: DEFINE USER PROBLEMS

1. What is the key attribute of a strong problem statement?

  • Design-focused
  • Action-oriented
  • Open-ended
  • Human-centered (CORRECT)

Correct: A strong problem statement should be human-centered.

2. Can an effective problem statement help UX designers set benchmarks for success?

  • Yes. Problem statements explain the user’s need, which helps designers benchmark a successful design solution. (CORRECT)
  • No. Problem statements address the process of solving a design problem, and do not address how to set success benchmarks.
  • Sometimes. Problem statements may address benchmarks for success later in the design process, after prototype development and user testing.

Correct: Problem statements can help UX designers set benchmarks for success. If the design goal is to boil water, for example, you know you are successful when you notice bubbles and steam. A problem statement establishes this kind of target.

3. After crafting a problem statement, a designer begins to brainstorm design solutions. They should document these in a hypothesis statement, which reflects their best educated guess on what the solution to the design problem might be.

  • True (CORRECT)
  • False

Correct: A hypothesis statement reflects the designer’s best educated guess on what they think the solution to a design problem might be.

4. In the 5 W’s framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. These questions allow designers to address a problem from what perspective?

  • The problem’s perspective
  • The developer’s perspective
  • The user’s perspective (CORRECT)
  • The design team’s perspective

Correct: In order to design a solution that fits the needs of their users, UX designers need to understand the problem from the user’s point of view. The five “w” questions help designers describe the full context of the problem from the user’s perspective.

5. In the 5 W’s framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. Which of the following is an example of a good “who” question?

  • Who is likely to use the product?
  • Who is experiencing the problem? (CORRECT)
  • Who has given up on meeting their needs?
  • Who has pain points for which there are limited design solutions?

Correct: Designers need to know their users to create a successful solution. For instance, this might include considering what a particular user is looking for given their personal background.

6. Imagine that a designer is ready to build a value proposition for their new mobile app. To start, they need to conduct research that answers which of the following questions? Select all that apply.

  • How much should the product cost?
  • What target users should I design for?
  • Why should the user care? (CORRECT)
  • What does the product do? (CORRECT)

Correct: The product offerings may be clear to the designer, but they need to consider the user when building a value proposition. To do that, they need to articulate what the product does and why users should care.

Correct: The product offerings may be clear to the designer, but they need to consider the user when building a value proposition. To do that, they need to articulate what the product does and why users should care.

7. A designer is developing the value proposition for a product. Should they consider what is valuable to the user?

  • Yes. The goal is to identify what’s truly valuable to the user, and connect benefits and features to actual user needs. (CORRECT)
  • No. The goal is to develop value propositions that are different from the competition, and to ensure features and benefits exceed those of competitors.
  • Sometimes. The goal is to balance the needs of users with design best practices, and target designs to users most likely to appreciate them.

Correct: A designer should connect features and benefits with the needs of their users. The goal is to identify what’s truly valuable to the user, and not just a cool feature that users didn’t ask for.

8. What is true about the scope of a strong problem statement? Select all that apply.

  • It is specific enough that the design solution is apparent
  • It is targeted enough that one solution can solve the problem
  • It is narrow enough that it can be solved by a design solution (CORRECT)
  • It is broad enough to allow for some creative freedom (CORRECT)

Correct: A strong problem statement should be broad enough to allow for some creative freedom, but narrow enough that it can actually be solved by a design solution.

Correct: A strong problem statement should be broad enough to allow for some creative freedom, but narrow enough that it can actually be solved by a design solution.

9. A problem statement follows a simple formula. It starts with the name of the user, a short description of the user’s characteristics, and which of the following components? Select all that apply.

  • Outline of the user’s experience with the design
  • Summary of the user’s demographic profile
  • Description of the user’s need (CORRECT)
  • Explanation of why the user has the need (CORRECT)

Correct: A problem statement also includes a description of the user’s need, and an explanation of why they have that need.

Correct: A problem statement also includes a description of the user’s need, and an explanation of why they have that need.

10. Beyond establishing goals, what can effective problem statements help UX designers do? Select all that apply.

  • Identify target users
  • Define deliverables (CORRECT)
  • Understand constraints (CORRECT)
  • Set benchmarks for success (CORRECT)

Correct: Problem statements can help UX designers define deliverables. They also address the benchmark for deliverables, so designers know what the solution will produce.

Correct: Problem statements can help UX designers understand constraints, since they explain what keeps users from satisfying their needs.

Correct: Problem statements can help UX designers set benchmarks for success. If the design goal is to boil water, for example, you know you are successful when you notice bubbles and steam. A problem statement establishes this kind of target.

11. After crafting a problem statement, a designer begins to brainstorm design solutions that may solve the user’s problem. How should the designer document possible design solutions?

  • In a hypothesis statement (CORRECT)
  • In a mind map
  • In a success benchmark
  • In a research plan

Correct: A hypothesis statement captures the designer’s best educated guess on what they think the solution to a design problem might be.

12.  Which of the “w” questions (who, what, when, where, or why) is missing from the following problem statement?

The user, Shandel, is a fine arts enthusiast that lives in a major city. Shandel goes to museums several times a month. They want an easy way to secure timed museum tickets. The product Shandel uses to secure tickets requires advance purchase, so they get frustrated when they try to spontaneously book tickets to popular exhibits. Shandel wants to be able to easily book tickets in the app, in real time on weekend afternoons, without advance planning.

  • When
  • What
  • Where (CORRECT)
  • Why

Correct: The user statement doesn’t specify where the problem occurs. Does Shandel use the app while walking around the city, or while sitting on their couch at home?

13. Consider the following scenario:

A designer starts to develop the value proposition for their new mobile photo app. First, they describe the product’s features and benefits, which include free unlimited photo storage and social media integration. Then, they explain the value of the product, and hone in on the features that create real value for users.

What are the next steps the designer needs to take to develop a value proposition? Select all that apply

  • Connect the features and benefits with the needs of users (CORRECT)
  •  Begin market research to set a product price
  •  Review the official value proposition list (CORRECT)
  •  Conduct user research to identify pain points

14. What are the next steps the designer needs to take to develop a value proposition? Select all that apply.

  • Conduct user research to identify pain points
  • Begin market research to set a product price
  • Connect the features and benefits with the needs of users (CORRECT)
  • Review the official value proposition list (CORRECT)

Correct: In the third step of developing value propositions, the designer takes the personas they’ve developed and pairs each with a value proposition that meets their biggest pain point. Finally, the designer reviews the official value proposition list.

Correct: In the third step of developing value propositions, the designer takes the personas they’ve developed and pairs each with a value proposition that meets their biggest pain point. Finally, the designer reviews the official value proposition list.

15. Fill in the blank: A problem statement is a(n) _____.

  • clear description of the user’s need that should be addresses (CORRECT)
  • educated guess about what the solution to a design problem might be
  • set of constraints identified in the user research plan
  • actionable series of steps captured in an empathy map

Correct: A problem statement is a clear description of the user’s need that should be addressed. Problem statements align the team on which user problem to focus on and give everyone a clear goal.

16. In the 5 W’s framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. What are the benefits of answering the five “w” questions when crafting a problem statement?

  • Users can pose questions to researchers, to help align on design decisions
  • Researchers can empathize with the user, while clearly defining the user problem (CORRECT)
  • Users can share feedback with researchers using open-ended statements
  • Researchers can craft potential user problems from a designer’s point of view

Correct: Answering these questions allows researchers to empathize with the user, while clearly defining the user problem that a UX design team needs to solve. This is important because it keeps the user front-and-center.

17. Consider the following scenario:

A designer starts to develop the value proposition for their new mobile photo app. First, they create a list of the product’s features and benefits. Second, they explain the value of the product. They identify that their main feature—free unlimited photo storage—resolves the major pain point for users. They pair a user persona with this value proposition and determine that it delivers real value.

What is the next step the designer needs to take to develop a value proposition?

  • Revise user personas based on the value proposition
  • Release a beta version of the app to collect user feedback
  • Begin market research to set a product price
  • Review the official value proposition list (CORRECT)

Correct: In the final step, the designer reviews the official value proposition list, and identifies the app’s unique value proposition.

18. Which of the following is an example of a good problem statement?

  • Avery needs a doorbell camera to monitor activity in the neighborhood.
  • Jordan is a teacher who needs to record lessons for students who missed them during regular class time. (CORRECT)
  • Lynn is a project manager who needs to streamline communication across all departments.

Correct: In this statement, the user’s name, characteristics, need, and the reason for the need have been clearly defined.

19. What is the human factor?

  • The lack of patience and need for analogies.
  • The internal maps that allow humans to predict how something will work.
  • The range of variables humans bring to their product interactions. (CORRECT)
  • The outcome a user gets at the end of a process.

Correct: The human factor refers to the range of variables humans bring to their product interactions. Common human factors that inform design include but are not limited to limited concentration, impatience, fears, prejudices, and limited memory.

20. Fill in the blank: To write a problem statement, you include the name of the user, their characteristics, and a description of _____.

  • the user’s target demographic
  • the user’s need (CORRECT)
  • the user’s preferred product features
  • the user’s design expectations

Correct: A problem statement starts with the name of the user and a short description of the user’s characteristics. Next, it includes a description of the user’s need, and an explanation of why they have that need.

21. How can an effective problem statement help a UX designer establish goals?

  • By reviewing previous design iterations, and why these did not meet user needs
  • By telling the designer what the user really needs, which defines the goal clearly (CORRECT)
  • By explaining findings from user research, which establishes a hypothesis
  • By explaining how target users currently satisfy their needs, which sets a benchmark

Correct: An effective problem statement tells the designer what the user really needs and defines the goal clearly. This helps everyone on the design team focus on the same thing.

22. Which of the “w” questions (who, what, when, where, or why) is missing from the following problem statement?

The user, Avery, is a fine arts enthusiast that lives in a major city. Avery goes to museums several times a month. Avery wants an easy way to secure timed museum tickets. Avery wants to buy tickets on their smartphone, while on-the-go exploring the city on weekend afternoons.

  • When
  • Where
  • What
  • Why (CORRECT)

Correct: The statement covers who the user is, where they interact with the product, and what they want. There is no information about the why, so the designer does not learn how the problem (wanting an easy way to purchase museum tickets) affects the user’s experience and life.

23. A designer reaches the final stage of building value propositions. They review their official value proposition list. Using this list, how can they make sure their product stands out from the competition? Select the two that apply.

  • Schedule a round of user research to validate their value propositions
  • Create new value propositions to align with the competitor’s product
  • Identify their product’s unique value propositions (CORRECT)
  • Remove value propositions that are offered by competitors (CORRECT)

Correct: After narrowing a list to match features with actual user needs, the designer can review the list of value propositions the product offers. From that list, they can highlight the unique features that competitors do not offer. This helps their product stand out from the competition.

24. What action should you take when you identify a pain point in your product?

  • Define the problem as something that your UX team can solve (CORRECT)
  • Ask your team to collaborate on a list of possible user needs
  • Create more user personas to understand who your users are
  • Write user stories again to find out what users need from your product

Correct: This is where the five “w” questions can help. When you ask these questions, you get the answers you need to empathize with the user and solve the user’s problem.

25. Which of the “w” questions (who, what, when, where, or why) is missing from the following problem statement?

An adult wants an easy way to secure timed museum tickets while on-the-go, strolling around the city. The app they use to secure tickets requires advance purchase, so they get frustrated when they try to spontaneously book tickets to popular exhibits. They want to be able to easily book tickets in the app, in real time on weekend afternoons, without advance planning.

  • When
  • Why
  • Who (CORRECT)
  • Where

Correct: All we learn about the user is that they’re an adult. The problem statement does not offer any details about the user or their background, so it would be challenging to create a successful solution for this user.

26. Imagine that a designer is ready to build a value proposition for their new mobile app. To start, they clearly explain the offering the product provides to users. Which value proposition research question does this answer?

  • What does the product do? (CORRECT)
  • What features should the product include?
  • What target users should the design consider?
  • Why should the user care?

Correct: The product offerings may be clear to the designer, but they need to consider the user when building a value proposition. To do that, they need to articulate what the product does and why users should care.

27. Which of the following is an example of a strong problem statement?

  • Users browse in the mobile app store because they may want to purchase a mobile game or productivity app.
  • Kwame has lots of friends in his address book, and he is confused about how to organize his contacts when he gets a new phone.
  • Lawrence is a painter who needs a way to find the best deals on art supplies, because he wants to save money on the cost of his materials. (CORRECT)
  • Sadia is a technology enthusiast that uses desktop and mobile devices, and wants to stay up-to-date on the most relevant technology releases.

Correct: A problem statement starts with the name of the user and a short description of the user’s characteristics. Next, it includes a description of the user’s need, and an explanation of why they have that need.

28. In the 5 W’s framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. Which of the following is an example of a good “where” question?

  • Where does the user go after they experience the problem?
  • Where is the product that the user frequently uses located?
  • Where does the user want to be when they experience the problem?
  • Where is the user when they are using the product? (CORRECT)

Correct: It is important to consider where the user experiences their problem. For instance, is it in a noisy public environment? Does it occur while users are at home? Physical context matters.

29. Which of the “w” questions (who, what, when, where, or why) is missing from the following problem statement?

The user, Shandel, is a fine arts enthusiast that lives in a major city. Shandel goes to museums several times a month. They want an easy way to secure timed museum tickets. The product Shandel uses to secure tickets requires advance purchase, so they get frustrated when they try to spontaneously book tickets to popular exhibits. Shandel wants to be able to easily book tickets in the app, in real time on weekend afternoons, without advance planning.

  • When
  • Where (CORRECT)
  • What
  • Why

Correct: The user statement doesn’t specify where the problem occurs. Does Shandel use the app while walking around the city, or while sitting on their couch at home?

30. A designer is developing the value proposition for a product. How can they connect the features and benefits of a product to the needs of their users?

  • Select features that meet design best practices and test these with real users
  • Test the app prototype with designers to learn if features meet common user problems
  • Pair user personas with value propositions that meet their greatest pain points (CORRECT)
  • Provide as many features as possible, so that benefits reach the most diverse audience

Correct: The goal is to identify what’s truly valuable to the user. To determine value, the designer takes the personas they’ve developed and pairs each persona with a value proposition that meets their greatest pain point.

31. In the 5 W’s framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. Which of the following is an example of a good “why” question?

  • Why has the problem not yet been solved?
  • Why is the problem worth a designer’s time?
  • Why is the problem important? (CORRECT)
  • Why is the user in the target group?

32. Imagine that a designer is ready to build a value proposition for their new photo organizing app. To start, they clearly describe how the product addresses users’ pain points. Which value proposition research question does this answer?

  • What target users should the design consider?
  • What does the product do on the backend?
  • What features should the product include?
  • Why should the user care? (CORRECT)

33. Imagine that a designer starts to develop the value proposition for their new mobile photo app. For the first step, they list all of the app’s benefits and features, like free unlimited photo storage and social media integration. What is the second step the designer needs to take?

  • Develop a high-fidelity prototype of the app
  • Explain the value of the product (CORRECT)
  • Review the official value proposition list
  • Create user personas for the target user group

34. A team of designers has started working on a problem statement for a project. They have defined the user’s need as well as an explanation of why the user has that need. What other components are missing from the problem statement that they should include? Select all that apply.

  • User’s preferred product features
  • User demographic
  • User name (CORRECT)
  • User characteristics (CORRECT)

35. Before writing a problem statement, what do you need to identify for your user?

  • Attempted solutions
  • Possible solutions
  • Pain points (CORRECT)
  • Problem points

36. In the 5 W’s framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. Which of the following is an example of a good “why” question?

  • Why is the problem worth a designer’s time?
  • Why is the user in the target group?
  • Why is the problem important?
  • Why has the problem not yet been solved? (CORRECT)

37.  In the 5 Ws framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. Which of the following is an example of a good “when” question?

  • When does the problem occur? (CORRECT)
  • When will the problem be solved?
  • When can the research begin?
  • When does the project need to be completed?

38. You are writing a value proposition for a mobile app. You can already answer the question: “why should the user care?” What is another important question that you will need to answer to build the value proposition?

  • What does the product do? (CORRECT)
  • Who will be an early adopter?
  • What target users should I design for?
  • How much should the product cost?

39. A UX designer is writing a problem statement. They have already included the name of the user, user characteristics, and a description of the user’s need. What component is missing from the problem statement that the designer should also include?

  • Summary of the user’s demographic profile
  • Outline of the user’s experience with the design
  • Explanation of why the user has the need (CORRECT)
  • Analysis of potential solutions

40. A UX designer is explaining the benefits of a problem statement to a client. They have mentioned that it establishes goals, sets the benchmark for success, and defines deliverables. What else can effective problem statements help UX designers do?

  • Understand constraints (CORRECT)
  • Estimate project cost
  • Summarize likely solutions
  • Identify target users

41. When writing a problem statement, which of the following are benefits of using the 5 Ws and H framework? Select all that apply.

  • It allows you to hypothesize a clear description of the user’s need.
  • It allows you to identify user pain points.
  • It helps you describe the full context of the problem from the user’s perspective. (CORRECT)
  • It helps you write out who the user is. (CORRECT)

42. The user, Kelly, is a jazz music lover living in Paris. They attend a jazz concert most weeks. Kelly wants an easy way to find out about new artists and purchase tickets to their shows, even the same day of the show. Currently, Kelly uses multiple different products to find artists and buy tickets to various music venues on week nights, and it can be a lot to manage. 

Which part of the problem statement above represents the what in the 5 “w” questions?

  • Easily purchasing tickets to shows, including the same day of a show
  • App user Kelly
  • Tickets to shows of new jazz artists (CORRECT)
  • On week nights
  • Various music venues

43. A designer is ready to build a value proposition for their new photo organizing app. To start, they clearly describe how the product addresses users’ pain points and they clearly explain the offering that the product provides users. What is the next thing the designer should do?

  • Discuss the value proposition with potential customers
  • Write hypothetical value propositions
  • Determine the features and benefits in competitors’ products
  • Describe the product’s features and benefits (CORRECT)

44. A designer starts to develop the value proposition for their new mobile photo app. For the first step, they list all of the app’s benefits and features, like free unlimited photo storage and social media integration. What is the second step the designer needs to take?

  • Explain the value of the product (CORRECT)
  • Review the stakeholder value proposition list
  • Create user personas for the target user group
  • Develop a high-fidelity prototype of the app

45. A team of UX designers write an if/then statement that defines the best guess they have about a potential solution to their problem statement. What is another name for this if/then statement?

  • Guess statement
  • Hypothesis statement (CORRECT)
  • Solution statement
  • Goal statement

46. In the 5 Ws framework, researchers ask five “w” questions based on who, what, when, where, and why. Which of the following is an example of a good “what” question?

  • What type of user will use this product?
  • What is currently working well?
  • What solutions have failed in the past?
  • What are the pain points you’re trying to solve? (CORRECT)

47. A designer starts to develop the value proposition for their new video streaming app. First, they describe the product’s features and benefits, which include simple video monetization and commenting. What is the second step the designer needs to take?

  • Explain the value of the product
  • Review the stakeholder value proposition list (CORRECT)
  • Develop a high-fidelity mockup of the app
  • Create user stories for the target user group

48. Which of the following is an example of a strong problem statement?

  • Sadia is a technology enthusiast that uses desktop and mobile devices, and wants to stay up-to-date on the most relevant technology releases.
  • Users browse in the mobile app store because they may want to purchase a mobile game or productivity app.
  • Lawrence is a painter who needs a way to find the best deals on art supplies, because he wants to save money on the cost of his materials. (CORRECT)
  • Kwame has lots of friends in his address book, and he is confused about how to organize his contacts when he gets a new phone.

49. The user, Avery, is a fine arts enthusiast. The product Avery uses to secure museum tickets to view fine art requires advanced purchase, so Avery gets frustrated when they try to spontaneously book tickets to popular exhibits. Avery wants to be able to easily book tickets in the app at museums with popular exhibits in real time on weekend afternoons without advanced planning.

Which part of the problem statement above represents the why in the 5 “w” questions?

  •  On weekend afternoons
  • At museums with popular exhibits
  • Museum tickets
  • Booking tickets without advanced planning (CORRECT)
  • Avery, a fine arts enthusiast

Defining User Problems CONCLUSION

With the problem statement, hypothesis statement, and value proposition in hand, you’ll be ready to move on to ideation in the next phase of the design process. You now have a solid foundation for designing solutions that users will love because they are based on a deep understanding of users’ needs.

If you want to learn more about employing psychology and human factors principles in your designs, consider taking our course “User Psychology and Human Factors Principles for Designers.” Don’t wait; sign up today at Coursera!

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