Whether you’re part of a tech-services company creating bespoke solutions for clients or a member of an in-house dev team designing a new tool for colleagues, it’s important to remember that, while you’re the expert in “how,” the end users you’re building for are the experts in “what” and “why.” Before any work is started, it’s essential to dig down and discover the precise issue(s) the end users need you to solve.
This can be a tricky task when working with people who aren’t themselves proficient in technology. It’s up to you, as the expert, to help them pinpoint and articulate the pain points you’ll be tackling for them. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share the top topics they’re interested in and the direct questions they ask when building services for non-tech specialists.
1. Current Workarounds And Manual Fixes
I say, “Walk me through your current process step by step, including workarounds and manual fixes.” This walkthrough reveals the real pain points, unofficial workflows and hidden requirements that formal specifications often miss. It helps me identify what users actually do versus what they say they do, leading to solutions that solve genuine problems rather than assumed ones. – Bhushan Parikh, Get Digital Velocity, LLC
2. Current Bottlenecks
An important question for us is, “Where are your current bottlenecks?” We build AI solutions for companies, and most clients are trying to find ways to use AI in some fashion. The best strategy for us is to help them identify where their bottlenecks are right now—with or without the involvement of AI. This problem-focused approach removes the tech barrier and brings the problem down to the operational level. – Peter Benei, Intercept Scale
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3. Current Users
We ask, “Who are your users, and do you want to augment their abilities or automate their tasks? If augmenting, what super skills will the solution provide to make users superusers? If automating, will the solution eliminate humans from the loop (like a robotaxi) or minimize their involvement (like an advanced driving assistant)?” These questions bridge the gap between technical possibilities and users’ practical needs. – Serge Haziyev, SoftServe Inc.
4. Specific Business Problems
An essential foundation for creating impactful solutions is asking, “What specific business problems are you facing, and how do they manifest in your interaction with current systems?” This question uncovers both strategic objectives and practical challenges. By addressing insights, solutions can resolve real pain points, align with business goals and elevate the user experience. – Cristian Munoz, Mercado Livre
5. Their Ideal Workflow
“If this solution magically worked perfectly tomorrow, what would your day look like?” This unique question prompts clients to envision their ideal workflow, revealing expectations, priorities and pain points. It bridges the gap between abstract needs and practical implementation, helping to design a solution that aligns seamlessly with their goals and daily tasks. – Mammon Baloch, Starlight Retail Inc.
6. Success Criteria
The question, “How do you determine the success criteria for this solution?” brings out the “why” behind the requirements, which is usually the real need. As the real gaps in need emerge, it also helps solidify the real, tangible value that the solution will bring to the business. A well-informed gap versus value comparison is key for increasing the likelihood of success. – Ramendra (Ram) Singh, Night Market (Horizon Media)
7. End Users’ Biggest Challenge
I ask, “What’s the biggest challenge your end user is facing right now?” This question helps me uncover the “job to be done” by focusing on the core problem. It’s insightful because it shifts the conversation from assumptions about solutions to understanding the real needs driving demand, ensuring a more impactful outcome. – Rick Kelly, Fuel Cycle
8. How They’ll Measure Success
A question I ask non-tech clients is, “What’s the specific problem you’re looking to solve, and how will you measure success?” This is insightful because it focuses on understanding the client’s underlying needs, not just the technical solution. Framing the conversation around outcomes and success metrics ensures we align the technology with their real goals and drives better results. – Dax Grant, Global Transform
9. Processes That Could Be Automated
It’s helpful to ask, “If you could automate any process affecting your workflow, what would it be and what pain points would this address?” Automated technology is fundamental in creating efficiencies, reducing decision fatigue and maximizing ROI. Identify areas of improvement and recommend practical solutions that align with strategic company goals. – Brad Smith, Paycom
10. Desired Benefits
“Looking into the future, this new solution is deployed and working effectively. What benefit(s) has it provided to you and your team?” Stakeholders sometimes have very different ideas of what a successful solution looks like. This question helps us gauge what success looks like when the project is completed. – Robert Martin, Oil City Iron Works, Inc.
11. The Scale, Frequency And Impact Of The Problem
It is important to understand the scale, frequency and impact of the problem to determine the kind of solution to build. This is critical for defining the priority of the problem, identifying the potential set of solutions to resolve it and understanding the workflow required to address the issue completely. – Satnam Singh, CBRE
12. Previous Attempts At A Solution
I like to ask a simple question: “Why hasn’t this problem been solved before now?” If the customer is aware of the issue, they’ve likely tried to address it before but haven’t succeeded. To ensure the success of your project, it’s crucial to understand why previous solutions failed. This insight helps you avoid repeating mistakes and create a more effective, tailored approach. – Darko Pavic, Fiscal Solutions
13. Feedback Or Complaints Received
We ask, “What feedback or complaints have you received about this problem?” By bringing up specific past feedback, we capture external perspectives, revealing nuances that clients might overlook. This helps ensure the solution aligns not only with internal goals, but also with user expectations. – Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech
14. Their ‘5 Whys’
Once a solution is suggested, it’s good to explore whether it’s the correct one by digging into the “5 Whys.” If the solution was proposed to increase revenue, ask, “Why will this solution increase revenue?” If the answer is, “Because it will be easier for customers to check out,” ask why they are having trouble checking out now. Asking follow-up questions five times often leads to the actual core issue, which may have a simpler solution. – Luke Wallace, Bottle Rocket
15. What Would Make Their Customers Happy
I always ask, “What would make your customers happy? If your customers are also businesses, what would make their customers happy?” You will sometimes get “it depends” for an answer, and you will likely go down a few rabbit holes, but in the end, these questions foster reflection and deeper, richer conversations. I have even had customers redo their business plans, pivot and reposition themselves in the market. – Syam Adusumilli, GroundGame Health
16. Who Will Use The Solution The Most
“Who will spend the most time with the solution?” A department head, purchasing manager or IT employee often acts as a liaison between the end users and the technical implementers. Finding out who the power user is might allow you to get their input and, thus, feedback from the person most likely to encounter all the issues and frustrations. – Kevin Korte, Univention
17. Frequency And Context Of Use
I would ask, “How often will you or your team use this solution, and in what situations?” It helps you gain an understanding of usage patterns and ensure the solution is practical and aligned with operational needs. – Manasi Sharma, Microsoft
18. Needed Customization And Flexibility
My first question is, “What level of customization and flexibility do you require?” This helps me to gauge the project’s complexity and the effort that will be needed for development and maintenance. Another important question is, “How do you want to handle future changes or evolving business processes?” By understanding these details, we can set realistic expectations, allocate resources, prioritize features and mitigate risks. – Sarath Babu Yalavarthi, AT&T
19. Their Typical Day Or Week
“Can you walk me through a typical day or week and highlight the specific pain points or challenges you encounter that you believe technology could alleviate?” By understanding the nuances of their daily challenges, we can tailor our solution to their exact needs. This ensures we’re not just building a product, but a solution that truly transforms their business. – Brian Sathianathan, Iterate.ai
20. What’s Keeping Them Up At Night
I ask, “What challenges keep you up at night related to this area?” This question cuts straight to the core issues they face, revealing the pain points they may not think to mention up front. It gives us a deeper understanding of the problem, ensuring we design a solution that tackles their most pressing needs. – Katerina Axelsson, Tastry