Part 1: Framing the problem - JTBD, 5 Whys, HMW, first principles

Module 4 · Sat 1 Aug

Research is only useful once you turn it into a sharp problem: who the user is, what the pain is, how big the impact is, and why now. Good product work is the right problem, for the right user, at the right time.

Jobs To Be Done (JTBD): what job is the customer "hiring" the product to do? Class example - guitar: people learn guitar for stress relief, self-expression, discipline, identity or to look cool. If the real job is discipline, maybe the answer is a gym routine, not a guitar. Keep asking why until you hit the deeper goal.

• 5 Whys = diagnose the root cause. How Might We = turn that diagnosis into a solution prompt.
• Systems thinking = trace connected causes and feedback loops (class examples: Twitter, marketplaces).
• First principles = rebuild from basic truths (batteries and rockets). Use it when the problem is ambiguous or strategic.

Class example - wallet preload (e.g. paying into an app wallet first): it adds friction on the first order, but leftover balance pulls users back - top-up → spend → top-up. Companies choose retention over first-order conversion on purpose.

What to optimise for depends on the job: design-first when looks and identity drive the buy, utility-first when performance matters, validation-first when it's about status. Wallets and subscriptions add upfront friction but boost repeat use. And prioritisation is part analysis, part politics - pick the problem with the best leverage, not the loudest request.