4.5 – Needs Analysis

Defining the needs of the customer by distilling or narrowing down the data and insights from your primary research.

To run a good business, you have to create value for your customers. That means you need to understand and fulfill the customer’s needs. Customers don’t value products and services that don’t fulfill their needs. By understanding various kinds of needs, you can find ways to set your business apart from your competitors.

Review your notes from your interviews and field observations, and write down insights (things that reveal the customer’s pains, wants, beliefs, values, habits, etc.). Consider any deeper motivations that may exist behind what people say or do on the surface. It’s helpful to write each new insight on a separate sticky note.

Group the insights according common themes or patterns across all your interviews and observations. If you’ve used sticky notes, place all of them on a large sheet of paper and see which ones fit together. Move them around into themes or patterns. Then, label each group using larger sticky notes or a marker.

Based on your findings, summarize the common themes into a sentence or two to describe the key needs. Write these down on a larger sticky note. Don’t forget to consider the social, physical, emotional, and communication needs.

• SOCIAL NEED – What does the customer need from relationships with the people around them?
• PHYSICAL NEED – What does the customer need on a functional and practical level?
• EMOTIONAL NEED – What does the customer need emotionally?
• COMMUNICATION NEED – What information or knowledge does the customer need?

Add any quotes that may give more context to the needs.