From Understanding the User to Shaping the Experience

From Need to Problem Identification, Storytelling Tools and User Journey Mapping

The success of a product or service is not solely dependent on its technical excellence or innovation. What makes the difference is its ability to respond to the real problems of the user. This is possible through direct understanding and a systematic process of empathy. Understanding the need begins with defining the right problem and becomes strategic with storytelling and journey mapping.

From Need to Problem Identification: Seeing the Unseen

User-expressed needs often remain on the surface. A user who says, “I want a faster application,” may actually be expressing a desire to control their time rather than speed. Therefore, needs need to be addressed in a cultural and behavioral context, not just as demands.

3 Qualitative Questions for Deep Dive Analysis:

1. What is the real motivation behind this behavior?

   (Time, trust, comfort?)

   
   

2. What is important to achieve for this user?

   (Task, social approval?)

   
   

3. Why is the current solution not enough?

   (Complexity, emotional disconnect?)

Problem Definition Example (With How Might We Technique):

Instead of “We want to make it easier for users to discover products”, “How can we ensure that users can discover products comfortably without feeling lost during the shopping process?”

Such formulations direct design teams to more creative and user-friendly solutions.

Storytelling Tools: Getting Into Users’ Daily Lives

Another powerful way to truly understand users is to treat their lives as a story. Storytelling is not just a presentation tool, it’s also a method of analysis.

Available Tools and Example Uses:

🎭 Persona Story:

Tell us about a day of a persona. How does he wake up in the morning, which device does he use, how does he go to work? At what moment does he come into contact with the product/service?

Example: Elif wakes up at 7:30 in the morning with her alarm. She gets her kids ready for school while drinking her coffee. She uses voice commands to navigate in traffic. When she gets to work, she opens the time management application but gets confused again in the interface...

📔 User Diary:

With data from real users, record your feelings during the process of using the product/service day by day.

“Monday morning: I opened the app for the first time. The recording screen took a long time. I thought about going back, but I kept trying…”

📽️ Storyboard:

Tell the user’s experience journey scene by scene with drawings, infographics, or digital drawings.

Scene 1: Awakening, Scene 2: Discovering the product, Scene 3: First problem in use, Scene 4: Searching for alternatives, Scene 5: Solution and satisfaction

User Journey Map: Extending the Experience to the Whole

A user journey map details all the steps a user goes through to achieve a specific goal. Each step includes emotions, problems, expectations, and touchpoints. With this map, not only functionality but also the emotional experience becomes visible.

Journey Map Preparation Process:

1. Select the target user: Match with Persona.

2. Extract process steps: Determine the steps the user takes from point A to point Z.

3. Add emotional tone to each step: What does he feel, what does he hope for?

4. Determine problems and opportunities: Where is he failing? Where is there potential?

5. Place touchpoints: Write down the channels and interaction tools in each step.

Map Example (Simplified):

Step	Action	Emotion	Touchpoint	Problem/ Opportunity
1	Downloads app	Excited	App Store	First impressions matter
2	Creates account	Impatient	Sign up screen	Complex forms
3	Explores features	Undecided	Home screen	Lack of guidance
4	Makes first purchase	Secure	Checkout page	Fast delivery opportunity

Touchpoints: Micro Moments, Macro Impacts

User experience is not limited to the in-app experience. Every small contact with a brand leaves a mark. These contacts can be both digital and physical, direct and indirect.

Touchpoint Examples:

• Website, mobile app, social media account

• Advertisements, email notifications, call center

• Packaging, delivery, return process

• Reviews, customer forums, user support

Improvement Suggestions:

• Analyze each touchpoint with empathy.

• Focus on areas where feedback is collected frequently.

• Increase consistency across touchpoints: Language, design, messaging.

Conclusion: Improving the Experience by Breaking It Down

Improving the user experience is about understanding the needs, defining the problem correctly, and delivering value at all touchpoints. Tools like storytelling, journey maps, and touchpoint analysis don’t just analyze the experience, they create a culture of empathy at every level of the organization.

When we understand not just what the user is doing, but why they are doing it, we start designing “meaningful experiences” instead of “ordinary products.”