Applying Product Thinking to Deeply Uncover User Needs

Introduction

In many work situations, teams encounter repeated problems such as implementing dozens of requirements that are later ignored, or having to repeatedly modify features because the business side’s real needs are unclear. This article adopts a “product thinking” perspective to show how to deeply excavate user needs, helping teams understand users better and formulate reasonable requirements.

1. Product Thinking in Everyday Life

Using a hot‑pot dining scenario, the article illustrates typical user pain points: where spicy and non‑spicy diners sit, how flavors mix between broths, and differing boiling points of soups. By redesigning the product (the dining setup), these issues can be solved—seating arrangements become self‑evident, broth mixing is avoided, and both broths can be boiled simultaneously. Similar observations apply to seat designs in trains or airports.

2. Product Thinking Logic

The core logic consists of three elements:

User : Identify the target audience (external users or internal staff), understand their characteristics, and segment them based on objective data such as surveys, behavior, or preferences.

Demand (Pain Point) : Derive user needs from observed behaviors; avoid inventing needs from imagination. Empathy and data‑driven analysis are essential.

Solution : Translate needs into concrete functional points while considering user experience, which varies across individuals but should be evaluated at the group level.

3. Deeply Digging User Needs

To avoid “imagined” requirements, the article proposes a three‑step loop: Ask → Think → Experience . Continuous questioning of users, reflective thinking, and direct experience (empathy) help uncover true needs.

Case Study – Intelligent Customer Service Project

Three development phases are described:

Version 1.0 : Simple FAQ recommendation based on user queries; limited impact.

Version 2.0 : Added a knowledge base for answer storage; reduced manual input but adoption was low due to inconsistent scripts among agents.

Version 3.0 : Integrated a chatbot that handles ~70% of inquiries, automatically escalates complex cases to human agents, and shortens response time.

The final product follows the refined six‑character “product thinking logic” (User‑Demand‑Solution) and demonstrates measurable efficiency gains.

Conclusion

The article summarizes that product thinking consists of identifying users, their demands, and appropriate solutions. Deeply excavating user needs follows the “Ask, Think, Experience” loop, encouraging habit‑forming analytical thinking and competitive analysis.