Define: User Needs

User Needs AI Skill Define Area · User Needs Block · Decision Map 1. What the Skill Does The User Needs skill helps teams understand what users really need before building solutions or features. It works inside the Define area of Glare’s Decision Map. This is where teams get clear on the real problem before starting research, testing, or development. The skill breaks user needs into five simple categories. Teams move through them in order to find where the experience first breaks. Higher needs cannot fix basic problems. A product can look polished, but if users cannot find it, trust it, or use it, it still fails. Category Core Question Need Types Basics Can I use it easily? Usable, Useful, Findable, Accessible Trust Do I believe it works? Credible, Secure, Reliable, Intuitive Personal Does it fit my needs? Inclusive, Adaptable, Connected, Insightful Impact Does it make a difference? Valuable, Sustainable, Efficient, Scalable Feelings Does it inspire me? Desirable, Delightful, Engaging, Empowering Within each category, the skill maps to 22 specific need types — each with a definition, key diagnostic questions, associated signal types, example metrics, and a common failure mode. This makes every named need testable, not just descriptive. Core Validation Rule What users say is not always what they really need. People often ask for things that sound helpful, but their behavior shows a different problem. The rule is simple: If users say they need something but do not use it in practice, it is likely a preference, not a real need. Always compare what users say with what they actually do. Example Users say they want a simpler layout. But testing shows they leave when they cannot find their balance quickly. The real problem is not the layout. The real problem is findability. If the team only changes the visuals, the main problem stays unsolved. 2. Business Benefit Clear user needs help teams understand what actually matters to users before building. This helps teams: find the real problem faster focus on what users actually need avoid solving the wrong thing separate needs from preferences make better product decisions User needs become easier to validate, measure, and improve over time. 3. Skill Output When used correctly, the skill creates a clear needs brief for a product or workflow. The brief shows: which user needs matter most whether the problem is a real need or preference which UX metrics measure success where the experience first breaks The example below shows how this works for a mobile banking dashboard. Field Example Output (Mobile Banking Dashboard) Need Type Findable (Basics) → Credible (Trust) → Valuable (Impact) User Need Statement Users need to locate their balance and recent transactions within one tap so they feel in control of their money — without questioning whether the figures are up to date. Want vs. Need Validation Users say they want a simpler layout. Observed behavior shows they abandon sessions when balance data is more than 2 taps away — confirming Findable is the foundational gap, not aesthetics. Metric Tie First-click success on balance → Task completion rate → Session abandonment rate Failure Mode to Watch Jumping to Feelings (delight, animation) before the Basics category (Findable/Accessible) is confirmed working. Next Step Handoff → glare-define-ux-metrics to select the measurable indicators for each named need The output connects directly to the other Define blocks: Audience helps identify who has the need most Collecting helps gather evidence UX Metrics helps measure success It also helps guide Concepts and Hunches in the Measure area. 4. Prompt Strategies The prompts below show different ways to use this skill. Each example uses a mobile banking dashboard update. Prompt 1- Diagnostic Entry: Start from a symptom "We're updating our mobile banking dashboard and our session data shows users abandon within 30 seconds without completing any action. Using the glare-define-user-needs skill, walk the five need categories in order and identify where the experience is most likely breaking down. For each category, name the specific need type that is failing and describe what observed behavior would confirm it." Why this works: Starting with user behavior helps teams find the real problem first. It stops teams from fixing visuals when the real issue is usability or trust. Best for: finding problems after launch sprint reviews redesign discussions without evidence Prompt 2- Validation Entry: Pressure-test a stated need "Our product team believes the mobile banking dashboard needs to feel more personalized — users have said they want the app to remember their preferences. Using glare-define-user-needs, apply the want-vs-need validation rule to this claim. Tell me whether personalization is a genuine need or a stated want, which need type it maps to if real, and what foundational needs must be confirmed before we invest in it." Why this works: Teams often confuse preferences with real user needs. This helps validate whether the problem is real before building new features. Best for: roadmap planning sprint planning reviewing feature requests without user evidence Prompt 3- Metric Bridge Entry: Connect named needs to measurable outcomes "For our mobile banking dashboard update, we have identified three active need types: Findable (users cannot locate transaction history in under two taps), Credible (users question whether balance figures are current), and Valuable (returning users do not feel the dashboard helps them make better financial decisions). Using glare-define-user-needs, map each need type to its primary metric family, name the specific metrics to track for each, and flag the most common failure mode we should watch for during usability testing." Why this works: The user needs are already defined, so the prompt focuses on how to measure them. It helps teams connect user needs to clear UX metrics. Best for: test planning design handoffs metric planning leadership reviews Glare Framework · glare-define-user-needs · Define Area Handoffs: glare-define-audience · glare-define-collecting · glare-define-ux-metrics · glare-design-signals