Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving field that offers many opportunities and challenges for product managers, developers, researchers, and users. AI products and projects often involve complex problems, data, algorithms, and systems that require careful analysis, design, testing, and evaluation. How can you ensure that your AI products and projects meet the needs and expectations of your users or customers, solve the problems or opportunities that you are trying to address, and deliver the value or impact that you are aiming for?
One possible way is to use the 5WH questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. These are also known as the journalistic questions because they are often used by journalists to gather information and write stories. In this blog post, we will explore how you can use the 5WH questions to improve your AI products and projects.
Who
The first question you need to ask is Who. Who are your users or customers of your AI product or project? Who are you designing or developing for? Who are you trying to reach or influence? Who are the stakeholders involved in the problem or solution?
By asking Who, you can define your target audience, segment them into different groups, identify their characteristics, demographics, preferences, behaviors, motivations, and pain points. You can also understand the roles and relationships of different people involved in the problem or solution, such as users, customers, providers, partners, competitors, regulators, etc.
Some examples of Who questions are:
Who are the potential users or customers of your AI product or project?
Who are the current users or customers of your AI product or project?
Who are the users or customers of your competitors’ AI products or projects?
Who are the decision-makers, influencers, or gatekeepers in the adoption or usage of your AI product or project?
Who are the beneficiaries or affected parties of your AI product or project?
Who are the collaborators or contributors to your AI product or project?
What
The second question you need to ask is What. What are the needs, wants, goals, expectations, and challenges of your users or customers of your AI product or project? What are the problems or opportunities that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project? What are the features, benefits, or value propositions of your AI product or project? What are the alternatives or substitutes that your users or customers can choose from?
By asking What, you can discover the problems or opportunities that your users or customers face, the solutions that they seek or use, the value that they perceive or receive, and the gaps that exist between their needs and the current offerings. You can also define the scope, objectives, and requirements of your AI product or project, and compare it with the existing or potential competitors.
Some examples of What questions are:
What are the main needs, wants, goals, expectations, and challenges of your users or customers of your AI product or project?
What are the problems or opportunities that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project?
What are the features, benefits, or value propositions of your AI product or project?
What are the alternatives or substitutes that your users or customers can choose from instead of your AI product or project?
What are the advantages or disadvantages of your AI product or project compared to the alternatives or substitutes?
When
The third question you need to ask is When. When do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project? When do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project? When do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
By asking When, you can understand the timing, frequency, duration, and urgency of your users’ or customers’ needs, wants, behaviors, and decisions. You can also identify the triggers, cues, or contexts that influence or affect their needs, wants, behaviors, and decisions. You can also plan the launch, promotion, or delivery of your AI product or project according to the optimal time or season.
Some examples of When questions are:
When do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project?
When do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project?
When do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
When are the best or worst times or seasons to launch, promote, or deliver your AI product or project?
When are the peak or off-peak periods or cycles for your AI product or project?
Where
The fourth question you need to ask is Where. Where do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project? Where do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project? Where do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
By asking Where, you can understand the location, environment, or channel of your users’ or customers’ needs, wants, behaviors, and decisions. You can also identify the opportunities or constraints that the location, environment, or channel presents for your AI product or project. You can also choose the best or most appropriate location, environment, or channel to reach, engage, or serve your users or customers.
Some examples of Where questions are:
Where do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project?
Where do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project?
Where do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
Where are the best or most appropriate locations, environments, or channels to reach, engage, or serve your users or customers?
Where are the worst or least appropriate locations, environments, or channels to reach, engage, or serve your users or customers?
Why
The fifth question you need to ask is Why. Why do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project? Why do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project? Why do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
By asking Why, you can understand the reasons, motivations, emotions, or beliefs behind your users’ or customers’ needs, wants, behaviors, and decisions. You can also identify the drivers, barriers, or influences that affect their needs, wants, behaviors, and decisions. You can also create or communicate a compelling story, message, or vision that resonates with your users or customers.
Some examples of Why questions are:
Why do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project?
Why do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project?
Why do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
Why are they satisfied or dissatisfied with your AI product or project?
Why do they choose or reject your AI product or project over the alternatives or substitutes?
How
The sixth and final question you need to ask is How. How do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project? How do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project? How do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
By asking How, you can understand the process, method, or technique of your users’ or customers’ needs, wants, behaviors, and decisions. You can also identify the best practices, tips, or hacks that your users or customers use or recommend. You can also design or improve the user experience, user interface, or user journey of your AI product or project.
Some examples of How questions are:
How do your users or customers need, want, use, or buy your AI product or project?
How do they experience the problem or opportunity that you are trying to solve or address with your AI product or project?
How do they make the decision or take the action that you want them to make or take regarding your AI product or project?
How can you make your AI product or project easier, faster, cheaper, better, or more enjoyable for your users or customers?
How can you measure or evaluate the success or impact of your AI product or project?
The 5WH Questions template is a simple yet effective tool for organizing information based on the six essential questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. The template consists of six columns, each labeled with one of these questions and a corresponding icon. The template allows the user to write down answers to these questions in four rows, creating a comprehensive overview of any topic or event. The template can be used for various purposes, such as problem-solving, information gathering, storytelling, planning, or analysis. The template helps the user to cover all the important aspects of the topic or event, and to gain a deeper understanding of the situation and the problem. The template also facilitates clear communication and presentation of the information to others. The 5WH Questions template is a versatile and powerful tool that can be applied to any domain or context.
I hope this blog post has given you some ideas on how to use the 5WH questions to improve your AI products and projects. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.
Thank you for reading!
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