Defining the problem space

What is a problem space?

According to WritingCommons, a problem space is described as:

“The Problem Space is the problem and everything associated with the problem, including such things as the history of the problem; the stakeholders (those who benefit from the problem, those who contribute to the problem, and those who feel the problem most deeply, as pain).”

It is important to determine the problem space, so that you can work on a proper solution to the problem.

 

What is the problem space for my website?

The problem space for my website is that the Users need a resource which can be used to educate them on how art history pieces can inspire modern day website designs. The problem is, it is hard to find examples all in one place. It may also be hard for a design beginner to understand the advanced details of design, so they may feel intimidated by other resources which may automatically assume that all users can understand the technicalities. Users may feel more inclined to give up when researching, either due to being bored, confused, or uninspired.

How can I create a solution for these problems?

To create a solution space to the problem space, I can do a few things to make sure my website caters to users needs, and provides a good solution.

First, I will need to do some research and begin to understand who my users are. I can then begin to research other websites and analyse what works and what doesn’t. Finally, I can then use this information to form a website which caters to a range of needs and personality types. I can then go back and test my website on a small group of users for feedback, before making final refinements.

The end goal would be to have a website which successfully erases the users’ problems, and instead replaces them with a clear, clarified solution. 

Once you define the problem space, it is easier to form a solution.

What would be a success?

A success would be a website which is helpful for my users and easy to use. It would have features which help the user to follow a journey through the website and helps them find the information they are looking for. 

A successful website would also be able to keep the viewers from closing the tab or clicking away. To make sure this doesn’t happen, I am going to use Jakob’s Law. Jakob’s Law proves that users like familiarity and shows that users react better to websites that are similar to ones they have used before (LawsOfUX, nd). I will look at websites like my own and then bring in common elements to my own website so that the users can feel familiar and do not want to click away.

References:

LawsOfUX (nd) Jakob’s Law [Article]. Available online: https://lawsofux.com/jakobs-law/ [Accessed: 15.04.2023]

WritingCommons (nd) Problem Space, Solution Space [Article]. Available online: https://writingcommons.org/section/rhetoric/rhetorical-situation/occasion-exigency/problem-space/#:~:text=The%20Problem%20Space%20is%20the,most%20deeply%2C%20as%20pain). [Accessed: 15.04.2023]

Unknown (nd) Problem Space Diagram [Image]. Available online: https://cdn.sanity.io/images/hgftikht/production/625d5e0b4203d920426e1e2252c034c4b3e1978a-1444×536.png?w=1280&h=475&fit=crop [Accessed: 15.04.2023]