Defining problems

Defining problems

1. Two ways to define problem: Interpretation, and synthesis

2. Need to understand

   • Patterns
   • Cause of the problem
   • Consequences
   • Aspects that can be altered
   • Can generate new forms of knowledge
     • Values
     • Goals
     • Who we are designing this for
       • Can be captured through personas, and scenarios
         • Personas: Fictional characters that are used to describe various people we are designing for
         • Scenarios: Describe how a person would achieve a particular goal
         • One persona, or scenario wouldn't be sufficient. Should create as many as required in order to fully capture the problem, situation, people, etc.

3. After defining goals, personas, scenarios, we now explain the problem to others

   • An argument can be used to achieve this. Might be similar to the scenario but, an argument is mainly used to say that the problem is real, and important