Build Goal Statements-Boss Your Way to Success
A goal statement is one or two sentences that describe a product and its benefits for the user.
In this article we will explain why they are crucial and you need them when designing a product or service.
At a high level, goal statements cover who the product will serve, what the product will do, and why the product solves the user’s need.
Let’s explore how you can create a goal statement for your own design project.
Revisit your problem statement.
We’ve looked at creating a problem statement in this article.
In a nutshell the problem statement clearly defines the problem your user is having.
Clearly you need to understand the problem that users are facing otherwise you are just shooting darts in the dark hoping not to hit your roommate.
Problem statements typically follow this structure:
[USER NAME] is a [CHARACTERISTICS] who needs [WHAT THEY NEED] because [INSIGHT]
For example:
Sarah is a young professional who needs to sign up for a gym class because the spaces fill up quickly and she needs to plan her weeks.
Goal Statement transitions from identifying the problem to defining the goal
To create a goal statement, you can start by identifying the “who” of your user. This can be done by using the information you’ve gathered from your personas.
Personas provide a snapshot of your users and their needs, goals, and pain points.
By understanding who your users are, you can create a goal statement that is tailored to their specific needs.
Next, you can look at the “what” of your user’s story. User stories provide a way of understanding the user’s journey through your product or service.
By examining the user’s story, you can identify the specific actions and behaviours that are necessary to achieve the desired outcome. This can help you create a goal statement that is specific and actionable.
Finally, you can explore the “why” of your user’s behaviour by examining the empathy map and user journey maps.
Empathy maps provide a way of understanding the user’s emotional state and motivations, while user journey maps provide a visual representation of the user’s experience with your product or service.
By examining these maps, you can identify the underlying reasons why your users behave the way they do, and use this information to create a goal statement that is aligned with their needs and desires.
At this point, it’s time to transition from the problem that users are facing to the solution we can design to meet their needs. This can be a single, specific goal or a greater idea that you’ve chosen to be the focus of your design.
Remember, the goal statement should be just one or two sentences that describes the product and its benefits for the user. Your goal statement needs to address the problem that you identified earlier in the problem statement.
What’s a strong goal statement?
- Describes a specific action users can take or what the product will do.
- Defines who the action will affect.
- States the positive impact of the action or why the product solves the user’s need.
- Outlines success in measurable terms.
Use this template
Our [PRODUCT] will let users [PERFORM SPECIFIC ACTIONS- IE THE WHAT- which will affect [WHO THE ACTION WHILL AFFECT-THE WHO] by [DESCRIBE HOW THE ACTION WILL POSITIVELY AFFECT USERS, THE WHY].
We will measure effectiveness by [DESCRIBE HOW YOU WILL MEASURE THE IMPACT]
Template in action:
Language learning app
Our language learning app will let users perform specific actions such as choosing a conversation partner, scheduling a time to speak, and practicing speaking with a native speaker.
These actions will affect language learners who are looking to improve their speaking skills by providing them with real-world conversation practice.
By practicing speaking with native speakers, users will gain confidence in their ability to communicate effectively in the language they are learning.
This will positively affect users by helping them achieve their language learning goals, leading to better career opportunities and an overall improvement in their quality of life.
We will measure effectiveness by tracking the number of conversation practice sessions completed by users and their self-reported improvement in speaking skills through in-app surveys.
Project Management Tool
Our project management tool will let users perform specific actions such as assigning tasks, setting deadlines, and tracking progress. T
hese actions will affect project managers who are looking to streamline their team’s workflow and increase productivity. By using our tool, project managers can assign tasks to team members more efficiently, track their progress, and make adjustments as needed.
This will positively affect users by helping them achieve their project goals more effectively, reducing stress and burnout, and improving team collaboration.
We will measure effectiveness by tracking the completion rate of tasks, the time it takes to complete tasks, and the user’s overall satisfaction with the tool through in-app surveys.
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