Design Thinking: Assignment 1

on Identifying User Needs

Submission deadline: 04-01-2022

Individual Presentations (5 minute. Only talk. No PPT): 5th and 7th Jan 2022

Part-1

(Use as much space as necessary for each answer)

1. Translate the following customer statements about a student book bag into proper needs
statements:

"See how the leather on the bottom of the bag is all scratched; it’s ugly."

"This bag is my life; if I lose it I’m in big trouble."

"There’s nothing worse than a banana that’s been crushed by the edge of a textbook."

"I never use both straps on my backpack; I just sling it over one shoulder."

Answer:

a. The quality of leather is poor. It gets scratches soon and looks ugly. So, the good quality
leather should be used or some other material should be used.
b. Life span of bag should be long, because the bag is very important for the user.
c. The space in bag is very less.
d. There is waste of money and material in attaching two straps, only one strap will also be
ok.

Q2. Using a camera, document (3-5 distinct pictures) user frustration with an everyday task
of your own choice. Identify frustrations and difficulties encountered by these people.
Identify latent customer needs.

Q3. Observe someone performing an everyday task. (Ideally, you should choose a task for
which you can observe different users performing the task repeatedly.) Identify frustrations
and difficulties encountered by these people. Identify the latent customer needs.

Answer:
Below are some frustrations of the user they face in day today life
1. Water Bottle: Many times, there is leak in cap of water bottle
The user needs a water bottle with well equipped cap which should not leak
 2.Tooth paste Tube: 1) Many a times the tooth paste tube gets a crack or breaks at
the cap and all the toothpaste gets wasted.
2)The tube also gets crack at corners.
3)After the toothpaste is near to get over user is unable to use the last drop of it.

3. Pencil: 1) Lead of the pencil breaks many times when small children use it.
2) The wood of the pencil is so hard that sometimes the sharpener blade becomes blunt.

4. Charger: 1) There is a problem in carrying the charger and the user have to wrap it
around and due to it many times the cable breaks off.
2)The charger cable is too short and there is problem when the socket is far.
 Part-2: Mini Project
Prepare a report by following the five-step process of identifying the needs of a user (for
which you need to conduct the interviews, make observations, and perform data analysis).
Choose a user group and follow the five-step process. The details of entire process including
the execution details are to be included in the report. Templates for the following five-steps
are shown below for a case study of design of a thermostat (Ref: Ulrich, Karl T., Eppinger,
Steve D., and Yang, Maria C., Product Design and Development. 7th ed., McGraw-Hill
Education, 2020.).
1. Gather raw data from customers.
2. Interpret the raw data in terms of customer needs.
3. Organize the needs into a hierarchy of primary, secondary, and (if necessary) tertiary
needs.
4. Establish the relative importance of the needs.
5. Reflect on the results and the process.
Topic/Domain: Water Bottle
Step 1 and 2: Gather raw data from the user (State the applicable techniques used to
collect data, mention any other if applicable) – add more rows in the tables as necessary

User 1
User name: Jayshree Patil
Occupation: House Wife
Other relevant details:
Date: 26/12/2021
Currently uses : Bislery use and throw Bottle.
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Typical Uses Can carry water, juice, There are many uses of the bottle
shakes and all things I wish along with carrying water
to.
Likes- Current Model I can clean the bottle easily. The bottle is easily Cleanable
Dislikes- Current Model 1. Dirt collected on the 1.The structure of bottle is
walls complex that it becomes dirty.

2. Takes time to pour the 2.The mouth of Bottle is small

water and due to which it takes more
time to pour the water.
3. I face the problem to lift 3.The bottle is Heavy
 the weight of Bottle
Suggested Improvement It should be easy to pour The mouth should be big enough.
the water

User 2
User name: Kapil Mahendrakar
Occupation: Bank Cashier
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Dislikes 1. Water spills while User should be able to drink
drinking it while travelling water by touching his
in Bus or Car when brakes mouth but inside water
are applied should not get
contaminated
2. Face difficulty in cleaning Structure of Bottles is
the Bottle complex it should be plain
3.Cannot store hot water in Plastic Bottles melt
plastic Bottle it gets melted
4. Hot water becomes cold Heat Transfer is easy inside
soon and outside the bottle

User 3
User name: Mohan Jadhav
Occupation: School Teacher
Other relevant details:
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Likes Water doesn’t leak from Cap is tight enough
the bottle
Dislikes 1. A type of bad smell Water should not give bad
comes from water after smell
storing it for more time
2. I have to open the whole There should be an easy
cap for drinking water way to drink rather than
opening whole cap
 3. Water gets cooled soon There should not be heat
after storing it transfer in bottle
4.Bottle gets deformed Bottle should be strong
easily and it is not good to enough
handle
Suggested Improvement Bottle should not be of There should be adjustable
fixed volume volume of bottle

User 4
User name: Prakash Damkondwar
Occupation: Teacher
Other relevant details:
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Likes Cap does not break Cap is strong enough and is
capable of withstanding
external forces
Dislikes 1. Base of the Bottle gets a 1. Base of the bottle is thin
hole and bottle is of no use and gets damaged
2. Dirt enters inside the 2. cap is not airtight and
bottle even after closing the allows dirt to enter the bottle
cap
3. Cap is not turnable 3. Cap is not smooth and gets
stuck to the bottle
Suggested Improvement Bottle should be thin Bottle should be easy to
handle and carry

User 5
User name: Yogesh Bejgamwar
Occupation: Businessman
Other relevant details:
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Likes Cold water doesn’t get Bottle doesn’t allow the heat
warm soon to enter into it
Dislikes 1. When kept in sunlight the 1. Due to direct sunlight
water becomes dirty passage through the bottle
the water becomes
unhealthy
2. Salt in water sticks to 2. Bottle has a texture which
bottle and becomes dirty makes salt to stick easily
3. Water in thin bottle gets 3. Walls of bottle are thin so
warm soon heat transfer is easy
Suggested Improvement There should be a User should be able to drink
mechanism so that same water easily without mouth
bottle can be used by contact. So that sharing of
another person also in Bottle will not spread Corona
COVID situation also

User 6
User name: Shailesh Ullewar
Occupation: Councillor of our Taluka
Other relevant details:
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Likes Bottle is easy to keep Base of Bottle is good so
anywhere that it is stable on the
surface
Dislikes 1. Bottle breaks with little 1. Bottle is tough so it
pressure breaks
2. A little pressure on bottle 2. Bottle is not strong
deforms it and cap comes enough so that it can
out and water spills withstand the pressure
3. Often a cracking sound 3. Thin walls produce
from Bottle cracking sound when
pressed
Cap should not have sharp
Suggested Improvement Cap should be easy to clean inner edges as nothing can
reach it to clean it.

User 7
User name: Swapnil Swami
Occupation: Engineer
Other relevant details:
Question/Prompt Customer statement/ Interpreted Need
 Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
situation/ Secondary
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Likes Bottle doesn’t break after Bottle is strong
falling
Dislikes 1. Cap mostly is lost or gets Cap should remain attached
damaged to bottle
2. Material of bottle should Plastic is hazardous to
change environment and our health

User 8
User name:
Occupation: Lawyer
Other relevant details:
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Like Bottle fits in side-cover of Radius of Bottle is small so
Bag fits in bag
Dislikes 1. Long Bottle is hard to 1. Height of Bottle is large
carry so is not adjustable
2. Glucose Powder doesn’t 2. There should be a
mix properly when I shake it mechanism so that the
contents in the bottle get
mixed well
Suggested Improvement I should be able to hold the User holds the bottle in
bottle upright middle part of it and it is
tilted so there should be
something to which user
can hold and bottle remains
upright

User 9
User name: Sai Kerle
Occupation: Engineer
Other relevant details:
Question/Prompt Customer statement/ Interpreted Need
 Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
situation/ Secondary
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Dislikes 1. Most bottles come in 1Lt 1. Volume of bottle should
pack and doesn’t fulfil the be adjustable like we get
need of different conditions lunch boxes of adjustable
size
2.Bottle gets melted when 2. Bottle cannot withstand
hot water is stored in it the temperature of hot
water

User 10
User name: Deepa Bhosle
Occupation: Government Employee
Other relevant details:
Customer statement/
Observation/ Immersion
-You engaging in the
Question/Prompt situation/ Secondary Interpreted Need
research – from other
sources. Indicate as
appropriate
Dislikes 1. Mechanism like Fake Company reuse
something should go inside thrown bottles without
the bottle and should not cleaning and processing so
come out bottle should directly go to
recycle
2. Water becomes unsafe Oxygen level in water
for drinking after keeping it should not decrease or
packed for many days water should remain
aerated
3. Plastic is injurious to Some plastic from bottle
health dissolves in water

(Add more user tables, if necessary, if you have approached more than 10 potential users.
You can copy the above and paste the same)
Step 3 and 4: Organize/Group the related needs statements together in each table and
state the importance of each need statement on scale of 1 to 5 under each category.

Need Statement 1: Storage of drinks

Primary Needs 1. Water stored should not become smelly after time
2. Water should not loose oxygen or should remain
 oxygen rich
Secondary Needs 1. Temperature of drink should not change for more
time
2. Dirt should not enter the bottle

Latent Needs 1. Plastic should not dissolve in water

Need Statement 2: Handling of Bottle

Primary Needs 1.Water should not leak
Secondary Needs 1.Bottle should be lower height
2. bottle should be easy to clean
Latent Needs 1. Volume of Bottle should be Adjustable according to
the situation

Need Statement 3: Storing of Bottle

Primary Needs 1. Cap of Bottle should on detach from bottle and be
lost
Secondary Needs 1. Weight of bottle be less
Latent Needs 1. Bottle should be reusable by fake companies

(Add more table by copying and pasting the above for more need statements)
Step 5: Reflect on the results and the process
Summarize the results into two groups: important needs and the latent needs provided as
an example.
Important Needs (order from most important to less important):
1. Water should not become unhealthy
2. Dirt should not enter the bottle
3. Bottle should be easily cleanable
4. Hot water should not become cold and cold water should not become cold
5. Bottle should be strong and not break

Latent Needs (order from most important to less important):

1. Cap should be attached to bottle
2. No need to open whole cap for drinking water
3. Glucose powder or other drinks should be easily mixed on shaking
4. Bottle should have handle to hold it upright
5. It should take less time to pour water