Tools and Techniques for User-Centered Design

Empathy maps visualize user attitudes and behaviors. They divide observations into four quadrants: Says, Thinks, Does, and Feels. This tool uncovers user needs that they might not express directly, leading to more user-centered solutions.

This tool breaks down products/services in terms of the value they offer. It maps customer profile to value map, ensuring that the product fits customer's jobs, pains, and gains, thus enhancing product-market fit.

Customer Journey Maps detail every step a user takes with a product/service. It often reveals complex emotional states and pain points at each stage, leading to targeted improvements within the user experience.

Prototypes range from low to high fidelity. Low-fidelity prototypes, such as paper sketches, are quick and cheap, fostering early feedback. High-fidelity ones closely resemble the final product, useful for user testing and stakeholder buy-in.

Storyboards are a sequence of drawings representing user interaction with a product. They convey a product’s story, capturing the emotional journey, which can be pivotal in understanding the context of use and user needs.

Assumption testing involves identifying and testing key hypotheses about your product or service. It prevents teams from investing in the wrong features and helps prioritize development based on evidence and user validation.

Effective brainstorming sessions are structured for diversity and volume of ideas. Using techniques like 'worst possible idea' can liberate creativity. Surprisingly, constraints often increase creative output by focusing ideation.