Case Study Concept Using 5W2H Problem Solving Technique

We always dream big and sometimes need help figuring out how and where to start. As UX designers, we aim to empathize with the user and make a possible solution for them that will impact the business. So our role is to make both companies and users benefit. And it’s not an easy job for us. To become better designers, we must practice in real life to relate to everything as much as possible. It will help us make better decisions.

So Today, I will discuss the 5W2H (problem-solving technique) method. The 5W2H problem-solving approach involves asking questions to analyze a situation and identify possible solutions. I will describe how we can use that method to identify the problem and create viable solutions. And here is a series of questions. The questions are:

5W Questions

What?, Why?, Who?, Where?, and When?

2H Questions

How? and How much?

By asking and answering these questions, you can comprehensively analyze and understand a problem or situation and identify potential solutions.

So we got the idea that 5W2H is a problem-solving method, so let’s try to use that method in real life.

Background: Due to medical admission exams in Dhaka, Bangladesh, around 100 Thousand plus students are moving to Dhaka city temporarily. Most of them will stay there for approximately 24–48 hours.

Problem: As most bus/train ticket gets booked price of tickets also increases because of this situation. There’s also a problem with accommodating all these new people as hotel rooms get pre-booked. Health and safety are also significant concerns.

Constraint: People in this scenario are primarily from lower to middle-class backgrounds. Design a solution for this market.

So as we see, there is a scenario of a problem. Let’s use the 5W2H method to identify the user’s pain point.

The first question we will ask What is the problem or situation? Focusing on the problem first, not the solutions, is very important.

1. Dhaka is a megacity with a population of 10.2 million residents as of 2022 and over 22.4 million residents in Greater Dhaka. It is widely considered the world’s most densely populated built-up urban area. (Dhaka — Wikipedia)
2. Dhaka loses 3.2m working hours to traffic congestion daily. (Dhaka Tribune).
3. Over one lakh students take part in medical college admission tests (The Daily Star).
4. The exam is significant stress, and a long journey affects physical and mental health.
5. Girls’ harassment while using public transport.
6. A public or portable toilet doesn’t have better availability. (Only 103 public toilets for 1.78cr residents)
7. Transportation is weak for the disabled.
8. Local transportation price goes high.
9. Hotel or motel rooms are not maintained in suitable environments for both men and women. Security is the major problem.

I went to google to identify the current situation in Dhaka, so I did some journal research. I pointed out a few core problems for the next question. Here are some images of the case.

The Population of Dhaka (Source: The Daily Star)

File photo of a traffic jam in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune

Medical college admission test ( Source: Google)

Women face harassment in Dhaka public transport. ( Source: Online news portal)

This image doesn’t show any harassment, but you can guess.

Dhaka public toilet

Now we pointed out some problems. It’s time to Prioritize the problem.

1. Local transportation price goes high.
2. Girls’ harassment while using public transport.
3. Transportation is weak for disabled people.
4. A public or portable toilet doesn’t have better availability.
5. Hotel or motel rooms are not maintained in suitable environments for both men and women. Security is the major problem.
6. The exam is significant stress, and a long journey affects physical and mental health.

It’s time to define those problems. Now I will try to answer the following question to understand better.

1. Why is this the problem?
2. Who is affected by the problem or situation??
3. Where and When did the problem occur?

Why is this the problem?

1. Most middle-class families students attend public university exams like medical admission tests. (Financial problem)
2. Long-distance traveling costs a lot of money, and most students leave home 24h ago before the exams. It causes various mental and physical problems. (Process)
   a. Mental effects: Long travel before an exam can cause stress, anxiety, and fatigue, affecting a person’s ability to concentrate, remember information, and perform well. The unfamiliar surroundings and disruption of daily routines can also cause psychological stress.
   b. Physical effects: Long travel can cause physical fatigue, dehydration, and a weakened immune system, making a person more susceptible to illness. Prolonged sitting in cramped conditions can cause back pain, stiff neck, and headaches.
3. Of the candidates, 54 percent are women, and 46 percent are men. Female candidates typically outperform their male counterparts in the pass rate as well. Most of the time, girls face harassment while using public transport. (support)
4. Girls have a lot of limitations because of their physical health, so they feel insecure about using a public toilet. Also, the biggest problem is that most public toilet needs to be hygienic. (support)
5. They usually can’t afford a hotel room, so they try to stay hostel or in the hall room with relatives or friends. Staying in a hall room or a hostel, many students faced raging, affecting their minds. (support).

While finishing the google UX course, I learned a few pain point categories. I found three main types: Financial pain point, Process pain point, and Support pain point. Now that we know this is the problem. Now move forward with the following questions.

Who has facing that problem?

This problem is only not facing medical exam students. Instead, the People who went to Dhaka attended Medical exams, Public University exams, Government Jobs exams, and so on. Their age is between 17–33 years old.

By asking (who) questions, we can find the targeted audience.

Where and When did the problem occur?

Those problems occur in Dhaka city, and basically, it’s happened when people move to Dhaka to Attend specific exams. Still, in this study, we will focus more on medical exams.

Finally, we answered 5 questions out of 7, and now you understand how those questions will help you to identify the problem and also it will help you to define the issues.

So let’s start with 2H questions.

1. How can the problem or situation be solved?
2. How much will it cost to solve the problem or situation?

I want to use two more formats in this phase: How might we and How can we? (How can the problem or situation be solved?) This is a straightforward question, but we need to emphasize it more, and it will help us to align possible solutions.

How can the problem or situation be solved?

1. How might we improve the accessibility and affordability of public transportation for middle-class families who need to travel long distances for medical admission exams?
2. How might we develop practical guidance and communication strategies to help individuals avoid crowds and arrive at their exam locations on time?
3. How might we collaborate with universities or other organizations to provide safe and secure transportation options for female students traveling to attend medical admission exams?
4. How might we provide hygiene kits or resources for female students who need to use public toilets during long-distance travel for exams?
5. How might we help middle-class families with limited financial resources to reduce the cost of long-distance traveling before medical admission exams?
6. How might we alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with long-distance traveling before exams for students?
7. How can we provide mental health support and resources for students who experience stress, anxiety, or other mental health issues related to long-distance traveling before exams?
8. How can we ensure that accommodation options for students traveling to attend medical admission exams are safe, clean, and conducive to studying and preparing for the exam?
9. How can we provide financial assistance or scholarships to help offset the cost of long-distance travel and other expenses associated with attending medical admission exams for students from low-income families?

To generate those HMW or HCW questions, I took few help from Chat GPT, and the results were good enough. In this study, I’m not providing any solutions. It’s time-consuming for now. I hope to write another case study to give a possible solution.

Now the last or the slightest question is, How much?

How much? (How much will it cost to solve the problem or situation?)

We can answer this question after getting possible solutions.

Key takeaway

1. Focus on the problem first, not the solutions.
2. Validate the problem until you get the correct answer.
3. Take time and Reduce Bias.
4. You learned well known UX design framework and the Design Thinking process’s first 3 steps.

What (Empathize), Why, Who (Target audience), Where, and When (Define the problem), How (Ideate)

Conclusion: I am still learning and trying to explain how to use a simple method to identify, define, and Ideate. I hope that helps you to make your following case study. I made a Figjam file so you can practice clicking the link and duplicating the template. Don’t forget to hit the heart button and the follow button. If you like, please don’t forget to share your option in the comment box.

I will get back to you with another part.