user-needs
/layers:user-needs
Assumes /layers:intro has been loaded for framework context.
User needs are what we think users are trying to achieve, and why — an interpretation built on observed behaviour and domain knowledge, not a direct capture of reality. This layer sits between the messy raw material of observation and the deliberate decisions of the solution space.
In OST terms, the outputs here are opportunities: needs (what users want to achieve), pains (what's causing friction), and desires (improvements they'd value). All three are valid inputs; elicit all three.
Decisions this layer needs to make:
- Who exactly are the users whose needs we're defining — and in what situation?
- What jobs are they trying to do — functional, emotional, and social?
- Which needs are grounded in evidence, and which are assumptions?
- Which needs matter most, and why?
Methods:
| Method | When |
|---|---|
| Job stories (JTBD) | Default. Situation → motivation → outcome. Keeps solutions out; forces specificity through the "When" clause. |
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