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Design Introduction to Product Design The Design Problem The Design Problem Review

Vipul V
Vipul V
1,138 Points
Posted by Vipul V
Vipul V
1,138 Points

Need explanation on one of the options present against the quiz

For this quiz, the available options are: a) good research b) a problem to solve c) an interested user d) all of these

To me, a) and b) option makes sense. For option c) "an interested user" , I'm doubtful. As what if we don't have an interested user, will we be able to make a good design or not? or If a good design has to be created, is there a need (dependency) on an interested user? Is it like that a good design can't be created without an interested user?

And finally how do we define the interest of a user? On what scale can we measure how much interested a user is? Should it be 'interested user' or 'target user'?

1 Answer

Kelly G
Kelly G
29,533 Points
Kelly G
Kelly G
29,533 Points

I think what they mean by an "interested user" here is someone who would use your product. I don't remember if it was mentioned in this particular course or a different one, but if you don't have a user, then you don't have a product as such. Technically, you can create good designs without an interested user, but you'll still need a design/product that meets the needs of a user, so that they actually utilise the product.

I don't think there's necessarily a scale as such for the degree of interest a user has in the product, because different users use products differently. For example, someone might use Treehouse be interested in just having an overview of a particular topic, whereas someone else might want to use it to have practice in a particular programming language. Both users are valid, and as such, Treehouse tries to cater for both users (as well as additional types of users). Ignoring one or the other, could be very limiting. By the same token, if there weren't people interested in learning to code or about design etc in the format Treehouse offers, Treehouse wouldn't have been a viable product.

"Interested user" isn't synonymous with "target user", because target users aren't necessarily interested users. I could have an idea for what I think is a fantastic product aimed at a particular target audience/user, but if they have no interest in actually using the product, then the product idea won't be a success.

Hope that helps!