What's your process for anticipating user needs?

Start by understanding the users preferences, behaviors, and pain points. This forms the foundation for a design that truly meets their needs. Stay abreast of current design trends and technological advancements. This knowledge aids in creating products that align with contemporary expectations. valuate products from competitors. Identify what works well and areas where improvements can be made. This provides insights into market expectations. Establish mechanisms for collecting and analyzing user feedback throughout the design and manufacturing phases. This iterative process ensures continuous improvement based on real user experiences. Anticipate potential scenarios in which the product will be used.

How to anticipate user needs? My go to approach is to create user journey maps, with collected experiential and behavioral data. The data collected from the different channels are used to create a journey map: needs, painpoints, frustrations, goals, experiences, emotions, reactions, what stimulates them and what depresses them, etc. Essentially, the journey map draws together user experiences from the collected data above. This exercise is fluid and recommend that we measure, visualize and monitor user experience periodically from the many channels we use.

Researching the context is highly dependent on industry and user base, but for low-density, high-value industries (heavy industries, aerospace etc.) I have seen two main routes that regularly lead to success: First, the organization should always keep track of where the industry is heading by following publications, industry conferences etc. Second, a level of informed experimentation (particularly A/B experimentation) is a good option where such is allowed. The organization can then analyse the results of the experimentation and derive useful insights.

We need to understand the users perspectives, not just end users, all people involved in the project. Preparing immersive context to investigate through forms and interviewes. I think to explore the lifestyle, backgrounds, and references is the main focus to project the future of design, because each person has a expectations and desires of development and we have layers to achieve in the projects.

Establish robust mechanisms for collecting and analyzing user feedback. This can be through surveys, interviews, or usability testing. Identifying pain points and preferences directly from users guides iterative improvements. Leverage data analytics tools to mine patterns and trends from user interactions. This provides quantitative insights into user behaviors, helping identify potential issues. Study competitors and market trends. Understanding what works well and what doesn't in existing solutions can reveal areas for improvement. Foster collaboration between design, manufacturing, and customer support teams. Insights from post-purchase interactions can highlight unanticipated user needs or challenges.

Sometimes we design to solution one specfic problem, whether in cause or effect. But if we look at problems as patterns we have a possibility to understand pain points in a holistic perspective. Using CSD Matrix and Top Insights we have a base to explore these problems.

Implement small-scale pilot programs to observe how the product performs in a live environment. This offers practical validation of assumptions and informs necessary adjustments. Conduct hands-on testing with real users interacting with prototypes. This direct feedback is invaluable for validating assumptions and understanding actual user experiences. Utilize data analytics tools to gather quantitative insights. Monitor user engagement metrics and analyze patterns to validate or adjust assumptions. Implement an iterative prototyping process. As assumptions are tested and refined, continuously update prototypes to align with validated user needs.

In my experience to split our development in steps, we optmizing resources, such as time and money. Start with POC's and prototyping in low fidelity and adoptions metrics and datas as parameters we establish the necessary validations. In the other hand to connect with users and clients in specifics points to create and take decisions is very important to move forward with the project.

Through my experience in kitchen cabinet design, the MoSCoW analysis ensures a focused approach, emphasizing essential aspects while allowing for flexibility and innovation in meeting user expectations. Must-Haves (M): Identify critical features that are non-negotiable for user satisfaction, such as durable materials. Should-Haves (S): Prioritize requirements that significantly enhance user experience but aren't deal-breakers. For instance, innovative hardware. Could-Haves (C): Consider desirable features that would add value but are not essential. This might include aesthetic choices like unique finishes. Won't-Haves (W): Exclude features that, while interesting, don't align with the core user needs or exceed resource constraints.

Prioritize the requirements it's interesting to take a backlog notes. I've used Eisenhower Matrix, Now, Next and Later, and Impact / Effort matrix to rank the features and identify Why, What and When to develop. Within these analyzes it's important to connect timing with business costs.

Three main point that I've used in the projects it's Forms, Details and CMF. And to increase my pace process, AI is a great tool to make things tangible. After that, we need to keep our focus on craft through function and aesthetics. The Design solution must create in a systemic perspective. If we put de product in differents contexts, we explore possibilities and get some feedbacks to improve products. To create a great design solution we need to make a lot of mistakes.

Begin by brainstorming ideas with a keen focus on user experience. Consider functionality, aesthetics, and ergonomics to create a holistic design. Develop prototypes based on initial designs. Test these prototypes extensively to gather user feedback. This iterative process ensures refinement aligned with actual user preferences. Choose materials not only for durability but also for their sensory impact. Consider textures, finishes, and colors that resonate with the target users. Explore innovative technologies, such as smart storage solutions or integrated lighting, to enhance the user experience and align with contemporary trends.

Anticipation depends on deep understanding of the users in their context. Ways to build anticipation capabilities: 1. Contextual research 2. Tag along sessions with users (see them use the product- or in digital world session replay) 3. Deep dive and building motivation breakdown for users - ‘why’ they are doing what they are doing. Jobs to be done is a great tool for that. 4. Finally a deep ideation based on understanding of users context, needs, motivation, and wants - to look for unmet needs that can be filled. This will allow us as designers to anticipate user needs sooner than sometimes users themselves can.