Existing Soultions

Why Analyse Existing Solutions?¶

If you are designing a study app, you might analyse apps like Quizlet or Notion to see how they manage user accounts, store data, and present information. By comparing their strengths and weaknesses, you can design a better solution that meets user needs more effectively. This process helps identify what works well, what doesn’t, and what could be improved.

In summary, we assess existing solutions to:

• Understand how similar problems have been solved

• Identify effective features and common design flaws

• Determine user needs and expectations

• Recognise constraints such as cost, technology, or accessibility

• Gather ideas to inform and improve new solutions

• Ensure the new solution is innovative, efficient, and meets success criteria

Existing Solutions Analysis Process¶

To assess existing solutions to an identified problem we:

• Investigate how similar problems have been solved in existing digital products, systems, or processes.

• Analyse their structure, interface, and functionality to identify effective and ineffective elements.

• Evaluate how well they meet user needs, usability principles (accessibility, safety, utility, learnability, effectiveness), and success criteria.

• Examine constraints, data handling, and the personal, social, and economic impacts of each solution.

• Use systems and design thinking to compare relationships between users, components, and outcomes.

• Summarise findings to inform what features, functions, or design choices should be adapted, improved, or avoided in your own digital solution.

Existing Solutions Analysis Table¶

To present this information we use the Existing Solutions Analysis Table, as below: