To provide the right products and services we must have an understanding of individual people's needs. I created this series of images to show how with limited research it might seem like we are meeting the needs of our users. However, as we further identify and research everyone that will be using the product, so might our understanding of how well the product works for the users.
A stakeholder may ask us to build or purchase a solution for a problem they have identified. After the solution is implemented, they seem very happy with the outcome.
As we learn more about the users and get more pieces to the puzzle, we start to see a different picture. The requested solution worked well for the stakeholder that requested it, but for the end user it was inflicted on, it may not be working so well.
As we start to see the whole picture, we notice that overwhelmingly the solution is not working well for 75% of the people that have to use it. Had User Research been conducted at the start of the project it likely would have confirmed a poor return on investment and that the project wasn't needed.
These images were included my Presentation on User Experience given at Kansas State University.