Improving Mobility and Understanding User Needs: Insights from Behavioral Economics and User Interviews

Improving Mobility and Understanding User Needs: Insights from Behavioral Economics and User Interviews

Introduction:

In today's article, we will explore how the principles of behavioral economics can be leveraged to improve mobility for adults with stroke. Additionally, we will delve into the importance of conducting user interviews and asking the right questions to gain valuable insights. By combining these two approaches, we can develop innovative solutions that address user needs effectively.

Leveraging Behavioral Economics:

The study titled "Leveraging insights from behavioral economics to improve mobility for adults with stroke: Design and rationale of the BE Mobile clinical trial" highlights the use of gamification in helping participants achieve their daily step goals. By implementing loss-framed points and levels, the trial aims to motivate individuals and enhance their adherence to the set goals.

Gamification has been proven to be an effective strategy in various domains, including healthcare. By incorporating elements of competition and rewards, individuals are more likely to engage in activities that contribute to their overall well-being. This approach can be extended to other populations and health conditions, fostering positive behavioral changes.

User Interviews: Unveiling User Needs

Understanding user needs is crucial in developing products and solutions that truly resonate with the target audience. Conducting user interviews is a valuable method to gain insights into their pain points and motivations. The YC Startup Library provides a set of five great questions to ask during early customer interviews, which can help extract important information.

• 1. "What is the hardest part about doing the thing that you're trying to solve?"

This question aims to identify the specific challenges users face when trying to solve a particular problem. By understanding the difficulties they encounter, we can design solutions that directly address these pain points.

• 2. "Tell me about the last time that you encountered this problem."

Asking users about their recent experiences with the problem provides real-life examples that can guide product development. By overlaying our solution on these instances, we can assess its potential effectiveness in similar circumstances.

• 3. "What, if anything, have you done to try to solve this problem?"

This question helps determine if users are actively seeking solutions to the problem we aim to solve. Additionally, it allows us to identify existing competition and differentiate our product from other solutions in the market.

Extracting Numerical Answers:

During user interviews, it is beneficial to extract numerical answers that provide concrete data about the customer's situation. Three key facts to uncover are:

• 1. How much does this problem cost them today?

Understanding the financial impact of the problem allows us to assess the potential value of our solution. By quantifying the costs associated with the problem, we can emphasize the cost-effectiveness of our product.

• 2. How frequently do they encounter this problem?

Knowing the frequency of the problem occurrence helps us gauge the level of urgency and the need for a timely solution. It also allows us to tailor our product to address specific usage patterns.

• 3. How much revenue do they stand to earn or spend on solving this problem?

Determining the potential financial gains or expenses tied to solving the problem aids in evaluating the market potential and the willingness of customers to invest in our solution.

Actionable Advice:

Before concluding, let's provide three actionable advice based on the insights gained from behavioral economics and user interviews:

• 1. Incorporate gamification elements into your product or solution to motivate users and enhance engagement. By tapping into the competitive nature of individuals, you can drive behavioral changes effectively.

• 2. Devote ample time and effort to conduct user interviews and ask relevant questions. Understanding user needs and pain points is essential in developing impactful and user-centric solutions.

• 3. Extract numerical answers during user interviews to gain concrete data about the problem's impact and the potential value of your solution. This information will guide your product development strategy and help you position your offering effectively.

Conclusion:

By combining insights from behavioral economics and user interviews, we can develop innovative solutions that address user needs and foster positive behavioral changes. Leveraging gamification and asking the right questions during interviews provide valuable inputs for designing impactful products. Remember to incorporate these strategies and take action to create solutions that truly resonate with your target audience.