Three Questions All Designers Should Ask

Designing is synonymous with problem solving. Great design starts by clearly defining the problem you are attempting to solve. Whether you are designing a product, a digital app or website, or even a physical space, start by asking (and answering) three simple, yet important questions.

What is it?
What does your product do? Imagine you have a finished product and you are ready to launch. Now describe your product to the world in a single tweet?

Who is it for?
Who will use your product? What group of people are most likely to benefit from using your product? Be specific. Who are these people? Give them names and roles as they would have in the real world.

What can they do with it?
What can these people do with your product? Describe what specific tasks and actions they can perform using your product.

If you are working on a team, have all members answer these questions individually first. Designing a useful product requires a clear understanding of the problem you are attempting to solve, the people who will use your solution, and what they can do with it.