This week in class, we built on our discovery research and moved into the Define phase of the design process. We focused on how to frame our design challenges clearly, using tools like problem statements and 'How Might We' questions. We also explored important design principles such as Hick’s Law, cognitive load, and good practices around onboarding and offboarding for users.

<aside> 👩🏻‍🦱

I found this session really insightful. It helped me understand the importance of clearly defining the problem before jumping to solutions. Although I was already aware of a lot of these UX strategies, the idea of journey mapping stood out as something new to me. I’m excited to start applying this method in my future projects, as I can already see how powerful it is for uncovering user pain points and designing more thoughtful experiences.

</aside>

The Importance of Framing the Right Problem in UX

“Successful problem solving requires finding the right solution to the right problem. We fail more o#en because we solve the wrong problem than because we get the wrong solution to the right problem.” – Russell L. Ackoff

A Real-World Example of Bad Problem Framing

This article I looked at offers a compelling analysis of the Amazon Fire Phone's failure, highlighting critical lessons in product design and user experience. It underscores the importance of understanding user needs and avoiding assumptions in the design process.

Weekend Reading Vol. 17 — The Amazon Fire Phone & Scaling Failure

Key Takeaways:

1. User-Centered Design: Amazon's approach with the Fire Phone was heavily influenced by internal assumptions rather than actual user research. This led to features that didn't resonate with consumers, emphasising the need for empathy and user involvement in the design process.
2. Market Understanding: The Fire Phone entered a saturated market without offering significant advantages over competitors. Its high price point and lack of compelling features made it unappealing to potential users.
3. Learning from Failure: Despite the setback, Amazon demonstrated resilience by learning from the Fire Phone's shortcomings. They applied these lessons to future products, showcasing the value of embracing failure as a learning opportunity.

<aside> 👩🏻‍🦱

As a designer, this case study reinforces the importance of grounding design decisions in real user needs rather than assumptions. It serves as a reminder that failure, while challenging, can be a powerful catalyst for growth and innovation when approached with a learning mindset. In my own work, I aim to incorporate these lessons by prioritising user research and being open to feedback, ensuring that the solutions I design truly address the problems users face.

</aside>

Class Task

This week, we focused on framing our design challenge properly before jumping into ideas. In our task, we worked through several structured steps:

<aside> 👩🏻‍🦱

I found this task really useful because it forced me to slow down and really think about the root of the problem, not just jump into creating features. It was interesting how rewording the 'How Might We' questions helped me stay more open to creative ideas, instead of accidentally narrowing the solution too early. I was already aware of some research and ideation methods from earlier classes, but this was my first time really getting hands-on with proper framing techniques. I found it super interesting, and I’m excited to start using these tools properly in my future projects. I can already see how much clearer and more focused my ideas will be if I keep doing this at the start of every project!

</aside>