Use Cases
A hypothetical example of use cases, the nuance involved, and how to use them.
As with all things in the Product Management space, the concept of a use case is nuanced and specific to how the organization’s broader product development system operates.
I think I both struggle and thrive in this environment given that objectivity in problem-solving is the primary outcome, but subjectivity and freedom of movement are key in the approach and tactics employed. If there is no single right way of doing this, how do I know that I am doing it right?
A simplistic analogy would look something like this: “Here is the hill we need to climb, these are the obstacles between us and the top of the hill, and here is the proposed path to navigate our way up there.” If we think of use cases as the tactics and procedures that direct our navigation, this analogy is useful in both describing and validating the necessity of subjectivity when defining our use cases. This would also validate the wide range of appropriate granularity when employing effective use cases as the distance to summit, significance of obstacles, and available modes of transportation are all extremely case specific as well.
In other words, the granularity of the use case seems to vary with the complexity of the problem to be solved.
Sticking with our hill climbing analogy, let's use a hypothetical hiking gear manufacturer as our example product suite. Let's say the PM has been tasked with creating a hiking backpack that meets the needs of a strenuous backcountry climb yet is simple and general enough to be used as a daily all-purpose bag. It needs to be easy to use and minimize the intimidation factor for the light case users, lightweight enough to be considered for a rigorous hike and build in specific functionality for comfort, weight distribution, and appropriate access to specialized compartments considering the breadth of use. Sounds like a lot of use cases, right?
Let's break some down.
Persona 1: The Gear Guy.
Use Case A: Gear Guy wants a backpack that is generally useful but will extend its capabilities if needed. Useful in his day-to-day life like family trips to the park, carrying his laptop to work, and as a carry-on for the occasional weekend getaway.
Use Case B: The bag needs to have compartments for organization. One big pocket to dig through won't cut it. Quick access for his phone, keys, and wallet large enough space for a weekend's worth of clothes, and a padded sleeve to secure his laptop are must-haves.
Use Case C: Specific features like rain flaps or bright colors for visibility are not desirable. The bag must be useful for day-to-day activities and look the part too.
Persona 2: The Hobbyist Hiker
Use Case A: Hobbyist Hiker needs a bag durable enough for all trails at her local state parks. Brush, rain, thrown in and out of her vehicle, it needs to hold up to anything she might throw at it without wearing out in a year.
Use Case B: Attachments. Hobby Hiker always brings her dog with her on hikes. The backpack needs attachment points on the outside of the bag to easily hold odd-shaped objects like a dog bowl, training treat pouch, and retractable leash, enabling quick access without dirtying up the inside of the pack.
Persona 3: The Weekend Adventurer
Use Case A: The Weekend Adventurer doesn’t mess around. Three-day weekend to climb a series of fourteeners in Colorado? Yes. Week-long backpacking trip around Zion National Park? On the books. A two-day canoe trip to fish the boundary waters? Mapped. This guy needs a serious backpack he can count on in any situation or climate.
Use Case B: Safety. The Weekend Adventurer’s durability expectations are the same as the Hobby Hiker and the Gear Guy, but the stakes are much higher. If the bottom blows out of the backpack while the Hobby Hiker is two miles down a trail, she might have to set it down and make a couple of trips back to the car. Not ideal but not a big deal. If the same happens to the Weekend Adventurer at 13,000 feet of elevation with a weather front moving in, the impact could be much more dangerous. Understanding the difference between doing a thing and doing it well is key.
Use Case C: Weight. A backpack that will survive a fall off a cliff would absolutely check the durability box but if it weighs 30 pounds nobody will touch it. The extra weight may be a minimal factor for the Gear Guy toting it through the park with his kids, but an extra ten pounds really add up on that week-long hike through Zion.
Clearly, there is a lot more to the story of designing a quality backpack than one may assume, and why it is so important for our hypothetical PM to do their due diligence when thinking through the use cases for their product. A good PM will define these use cases by thinking through the relevant personas and planning for the edge cases. A great PM will go the extra mile and hold user interviews, iterate through rigorous product testing, and validate through personal experience.
Designing for use cases leads to an objectively successful product. Designing through use cases navigates the subjective side of good vs great.