MISw2

Welcome to week two. Now that you've

explored what makes a problem

worth solving, it's time to zoom

in on who you're solving it for and

why it matters. This week's

assignment helps you define your

target user, the problem they face,

and the questions you'll need to answer

to validate your idea. Every great product

starts with a clear understanding

of the user. Before you build anything,

you need to define the person experiencing

the problem and uncover what's at stake

for them emotionally, functionally, or

socially. this assignment sets the foundation for

your customer discovery interviews in week

three you'll write a one to two page apa

formatted word document that includes four

key parts one a clear description of your

target persona who they are and why you chose

them two a well-defined problem they face

something meaningful and specific three an

explanation of why this problem matters to

them. What's the impact? Four. And finally,

two to three open -ended research

questions you'll explore in your customer

interviews next week. To do well, avoid

generic answers. Be thoughtful

and specific. Think about your user's

real-world context and pain points,

and write in a clear professional tone

using APA formatting. When you're ready,

submit your one to two-page Word document

in Canvas. This is the first major

step in building a product that truly

meets a user need.

Week 2: Project Paper 

PROJECT: For my current project, I’m exploring issues related to supply chain visibility and efficiency in manufacturing.

Introduction

This assignment is based on the Weeks 1 and 2 lessons and is intended to prepare you for conducting real-world interviews in Week 3. Focus on forming a clear, research-driven hypothesis about who your customer is and what challenge they’re facing.

Review the following video for this assignment. (VideoTranscript attached)

Instructions

Draft a one- to two-page APA-formatted Word document that defines your initial user persona, outlines the core problem your product or service is designed to solve, and identifies the key questions you’ll explore in your upcoming customer discovery efforts. Your paper should include the following.

1. Persona Overview - Describe the primary user you believe is experiencing the problem your product will solve.

· Include demographic details (age, occupation, lifestyle, etc.).

· Provide context for when and how they encounter the problem.

· Explain why this persona was chosen.

2. Problem Statement - Clearly define the most important problem your user faces.

· What are they trying to do that is difficult, frustrating, or inefficient?

· Focus on a single, meaningful challenge—not a broad list.

3. Why This Problem Matters - Explain why this is the most important problem for this user.

· What emotional, functional, or social impact does it have on them?

· Why is this worth solving now?

4. Key Research Questions - List 2–3 open-ended research questions you plan to ask in your customer discovery interviews.

· These should help you test your assumptions about the problem.

· Questions should explore behavior, pain points, or context, not solutions.

Tips for Success

· Use APA formatting for structure, citations (if used), and clarity.

· Bullet your research questions for easy reading.

· Don’t describe your solution yet—stay focused on the user and problem.

· Use clear, concise language and professional tone.