The Define phase is the second stage of the Design Thinking process, where insights gathered during the Empathize phase are analyzed and synthesized to form a clear and actionable problem statement. This phase focuses on identifying the real user needs and challenges that require innovative solutions. Designers organize observations, detect patterns, and convert them into meaningful insights. The goal is to create a focused direction for idea generation by defining a precise “Point of View” (POV) that captures the user, their needs, and the reasons behind them. Effective methods in this phase include Storytelling, Critical Items Diagram, and Defining Success.
- Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful method in the Define phase that helps designers make sense of complex user data by presenting it through narratives. It transforms research findings into relatable human stories, allowing teams to emotionally connect with users’ experiences. Storytelling highlights key events, user emotions, challenges, and motivations in a sequence, helping identify pain points and design opportunities. It encourages empathy and ensures that all team members share a common understanding of the user’s journey. By framing user insights in story form, designers can communicate the “why” behind problems effectively. In the Define phase, storytelling builds a compelling foundation for the problem statement and inspires creative ideation. It turns abstract data into meaningful insights that guide human-centered innovation.
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Critical Items Diagram
A Critical Items Diagram is a visual tool used in the Define phase to organize, prioritize, and analyze essential elements of the problem identified during user research. It helps designers identify key factors—such as user needs, pain points, system constraints, and environmental influences—that are critical to solving the design challenge. These items are mapped visually to show relationships, dependencies, and importance levels. By analyzing how these factors interact, teams can identify areas with the greatest design impact. The diagram supports structured thinking and helps refine complex information into a focused, actionable problem statement. In the Define phase, the Critical Items Diagram ensures that designers focus on what truly matters, align their efforts with user priorities, and lay the groundwork for developing effective, targeted, and innovative solutions.
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Define Success
Define Success is a strategic method used in the Define phase to set clear goals and success criteria for the design project. After analyzing user insights, designers and stakeholders collaboratively establish what successful outcomes should look like—both from the user’s perspective and the organization’s. This method involves defining measurable indicators such as usability, satisfaction, efficiency, or emotional engagement. It ensures alignment between the design team’s objectives and user expectations. By defining success early, teams gain clarity on the direction, scope, and evaluation of potential solutions. This approach prevents scope creep and provides a benchmark for testing prototypes later. In the Define phase, Defining Success transforms empathy-driven insights into actionable goals, ensuring that the design process remains purposeful, user-centered, and outcome-oriented throughout all subsequent stages of innovation.