By Dr. WANG Ming-min

Many people experience a period of career uncertainty after working for a while, feeling that opportunities in the market or workplace are dwindling. In the workplace, identifying and creating needs are core competencies for enhancing personal value and driving organizational development; they are professional qualities that every professional needs to master.

Discovering needs essentially involves using a systematic approach to identify the real pain points of users or the market that have not yet been met.

We need to learn to distinguish between surface desires and deep-seated needs. Users often propose specific solutions ("I want a faster horse"), but the real need lies in the underlying problem ("to get to the destination faster"). Henry Ford saw this deep-seated need, which is why he invented the automobile rather than raising a faster horse.

The five-step framework for uncovering needs is a relatively practical method:

(1)Define direction and assumptions: Identify the target user group and the scenarios of interest, and propose preliminary assumptions;

(2)Immersive observation and listening: Through user interviews, on-site observation, becoming a user, etc., to gain a deep understanding of real behavior;

(3)Extensive data collection and analysis: Expand the sample size by using methods such as questionnaires, secondary data, and data analysis;

(4)Analysis and Insight: Use tools such as affinity diagrams, user personas, and journey maps to transform information into demand insights.

(5)Verification and iteration: Continuously verify and optimize the understanding of requirements through MVP testing and rapid feedback loop.

There are also some practical tools and techniques that can help you quickly identify opportunities and needs.

(1)5 Whys analysis method: Ask 5 whys in a row to get to the root of the problem.

(2)Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD): Think about what tasks users "hire" your product to accomplish.

(3)User scenario map: Analyze who, under what circumstances, what problems they encounter, what goals they want to achieve, and how they are doing it now.

(4)KANO model: It divides demand into essential, expected, attractive, indifferent and reverse demand, and prioritizes satisfying high-value demand.

Creating demand is not about passively catering to existing needs, but about stimulating latent user demand through innovative means, and even creating entirely new market spaces. As Steve Jobs said, "Consumers never know what they really need."

Creating demand cannot be done in isolation. We can avoid becoming disconnected from the market through market research, user experience design, continuous innovation, and cross-industry collaboration.

We can also create new demand based on comparison: by comparing and analyzing performance, features, user needs, cost-effectiveness, and technological innovation, we can discover new opportunities.

From proactively seeking change to groundbreaking transformation: from continuous improvement to revolutionary innovation, achieving leapfrog development. For example, streaming music services have disrupted the traditional record sales model.

Create group demand: Identify the target user group and stimulate group consumption through differentiated design, high-quality service, building a user community, and promoting word-of-mouth marketing.

See the demand within the threat: Turn the threat from competitors into an opportunity, and discover the needs that are not being met by competitors.

In the workplace, the ability to identify and create demand is directly related to personal value and career development.

By analyzing personal strengths (skills, knowledge, experience, personality traits) and market demands (industry trends, job requirements, competitive landscape), you can find the intersection between the two and determine your optimal position in the workplace. This is a key method for finding your indispensability.

It's important to understand that your value in the workplace isn't determined by your hobbies and talents, but by what you can do for others and what value you can generate. The only reason for a promotion is if you best meet the needs of the person with the authority to decide on promotions.

By identifying the organization's real needs and proactively proposing solutions, value can be created. This requires continuous learning of new skills, expanding one's network, and improving emotional management abilities to maintain competitiveness in a rapidly changing workplace.

In the process of discovering and creating demand, the following pitfalls should be avoided:

(1)Listen to what is said but not what is done: What users say and what they actually do may be completely different.

(2)Sample bias: Asking only friends around you cannot represent all users.

(3)Confirmation bias: Only collect information that can prove one’s original idea and ignore contrary evidence.

(4)Confusing "needs" with "solutions": The solutions proposed by users may not be the best. We need to think about the underlying issues.

Discovering and creating demand are core competencies in the workplace, requiring systematic thinking and continuous practice. By deeply understanding users' real pain points and combining this with innovative methods to stimulate latent demand, you can not only create value for the organization but also significantly enhance your individual career competitiveness. Remember, true demand insight begins with honesty with yourself and ends with empathy for others.