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What How Why Method

The What-How-Why method is a tool to help analyze user observations in three parts: What (concrete observations), How (how tasks are performed), and Why (emotional drivers). Users' behaviors are first described objectively (What) before analyzing the process (How) and underlying psychological reasons (Why). This method provides deeper insights into users by moving from specific facts to broader interpretations.

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Khoa Nguyen
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90 views

What How Why Method

The What-How-Why method is a tool to help analyze user observations in three parts: What (concrete observations), How (how tasks are performed), and Why (emotional drivers). Users' behaviors are first described objectively (What) before analyzing the process (How) and underlying psychological reasons (Why). This method provides deeper insights into users by moving from specific facts to broader interpretations.

Uploaded by

Khoa Nguyen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What-How-Why Method

The What-How-Why method is a tool to help you dive further into your user observations
and derive deeper levels of understanding, and therefore empathy. With the What-How-
Why method, you start with concrete observations—the What—and from there move
to higher levels of abstraction—the How. You then finally arrive at the Why—i.e., the
emotional drivers behind people’s behaviors. This method is extremely useful if you
want to analyze images or videos you have taken while you observe your users.

You Should Divide Your Observations into Three


Sections: What, How and Why.
01: What 02: How 03: Why
In What, note down the In How, describe how the In Why, try to interpret the
details of what happens person you observe carries scene. Based on the What
during the user observation. out tasks. For instance, do and How observations,
What does the person they put in a great deal of you now need to guess the
do? What happens in the effort? Does the person emotional drivers behind
background? What does the frown or smile while they the person you observe.
person hold? Use adjectives carry out the task? Does They might frown while
to describe what happens the person use many ad they carry out a task
and try to be as concrete hoc tools to make the task because they are concerned
as possible. easier? Try to describe the they will hurt themself
emotional impact they in the process—which
experience as they perform means safety is a driver
the task. of their behaviors.

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Creative Commons BY-SA license: You are free to edit and redistribute this template, even for commercial use, as long as you give credit to the Interaction Design Foundation.
Also, if you remix, transform, or build upon this template, you must distribute it under the same CC BY-SA license.
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