Define

What is Define?

Define (Defining the problem) is the second stage in the Design Thinking process, after gathering information and understanding the user in the Empathize stage. The goal of the Define stage is to synthesize everything you have observed and learned to clearly identify the core problem that users are facing.

In other words, this is when you turn empathy into action: transforming data from user research into a design challenge or a problem statement that is clear and focused.

Why is the Define stage necessary?

If you do not correctly identify the problem, any solutions proposed afterwards – no matter how creative or beautiful – may miss the point.

This stage helps:

• Avoid designing based on vague assumptions

• Provide clear direction for ideas and solutions in the following stages

• Focus on the real needs of users instead of merely following stakeholder demands

How to Define correctly?

Some common methods:

• Write a Problem Statement: "User [who], needs [what], because [real reason]."

• Build a Point of View (POV): a specific perspective based on insights from users

• Use Empathy Maps and User Journeys to identify clear pain points

For example

After interviewing many users of a food ordering app, you find that they do not struggle with the dish selection step, but rather have difficulty tracking their orders after payment. If you do not Define carefully, you may waste time redesigning the menu – while the real issue lies in the delivery tracking experience.

The Problem Statement at this point could be:

Busy users need a clear way to track their orders and receive real-time updates, because they do not want to be passive and lose control after placing an order.

Why is the Define stage important?

Define helps you stand firm on the foundation of empathy, to correctly identify design goals. When there is a clear problem, you and your team can propose focused, effective, and valuable solutions for users.