Actionable Futures
AF - Motivations
Go beyond stated user needs to uncover the real "why." Surface-level requests often hide deeper motivations. For example, "I want it faster" could mean "I'm anxious about deadlines." Understanding these motivations helps you focus your efforts. Often, the obvious solution won't address the actual need.
Duration
30 mins
Group Size
4-8
Category
Actionable Futures
Difficulty
Easy
- Uncover the deeper "why" behind user needs and behaviors.
- Distinguish between surface requests and underlying motivations.
- Identify emotional drivers influencing decisions.
- Create shared understanding of user values.
- Motivations mapped.
- Understood actor drivers.
- Foundation for behavior design.
Choosing User Statements: Pick specific, behavioral statements, not vague feelings. "I wish it saved my work automatically" is better than "I want it to be easier." Actions are better than opinions. The more specific, the richer the analysis.
Avoiding Projection: People project their motivations. Watch for "I think they want..." Redirect to evidence: "What did they say?" or "What behavior did we observe?" Understand users, don't confirm assumptions. Ask: "What makes you think that?"
Going Deep Enough: The first answer is often wrong. "They want it to be faster" isn't a motivation. Keep asking why. Three levels deep usually reveals the real drivers.
Handling Disagreement: Different motivations for the same behavior are useful. Don't resolve it quickly. Maybe you have different segments or the behavior serves multiple needs. Explore the disagreement before forcing consensus.
Emotional vs. Functional: Teams gravitate to functional motivations. Push for emotional ones: feeling competent, avoiding embarrassment, gaining status, reducing anxiety. Emotional motivations are often stronger.
Distinguishing Motivation from Method: "They want better notifications" is a method, not a motivation. The motivation might be "they want to feel in control." Ask: if we gave them this method, what need would it satisfy?
Segment Indicators: Wildly different motivations may indicate different user segments. Power users might be motivated by status, new users by reducing anxiety. Solutions need to address different motivations.
Connecting to Product Decisions: The exercise is pointless if it doesn't change decisions. Ask: "Given these motivations, what should we do differently?" Sometimes it's repositioning, sometimes it's solving a different problem. Motivations should drive action. I've seen teams struggle to get past the surface level, so be patient and persistent with the 'why' questions.
Avoiding Projection: People project their motivations. Watch for "I think they want..." Redirect to evidence: "What did they say?" or "What behavior did we observe?" Understand users, don't confirm assumptions. Ask: "What makes you think that?"
Going Deep Enough: The first answer is often wrong. "They want it to be faster" isn't a motivation. Keep asking why. Three levels deep usually reveals the real drivers.
Handling Disagreement: Different motivations for the same behavior are useful. Don't resolve it quickly. Maybe you have different segments or the behavior serves multiple needs. Explore the disagreement before forcing consensus.
Emotional vs. Functional: Teams gravitate to functional motivations. Push for emotional ones: feeling competent, avoiding embarrassment, gaining status, reducing anxiety. Emotional motivations are often stronger.
Distinguishing Motivation from Method: "They want better notifications" is a method, not a motivation. The motivation might be "they want to feel in control." Ask: if we gave them this method, what need would it satisfy?
Segment Indicators: Wildly different motivations may indicate different user segments. Power users might be motivated by status, new users by reducing anxiety. Solutions need to address different motivations.
Connecting to Product Decisions: The exercise is pointless if it doesn't change decisions. Ask: "Given these motivations, what should we do differently?" Sometimes it's repositioning, sometimes it's solving a different problem. Motivations should drive action. I've seen teams struggle to get past the surface level, so be patient and persistent with the 'why' questions.
Start the conversation
Be the first to share your thoughts, experiences, or questions!