Defining the Problem

When setting out to define my design problem I found an article that broke it down into for basic questions:

- Who is affected?

- What is the problem?

- Where does it happen?

- Why does it matter?

Since I haven't committed to a particular idea, I've tried to answer these questions in each of the three concepts I'm contemplating. First off let's tackle who is actually being affected by the problem:

- Skatepark Beginners (Concept 1): Newcomers to the skatepark who receive little or no guidance before entering.

- Snowboarding Accessibility (Concept 2): People in low income families or others who aren't financially well-off.

- Soccer Fan Guide (Concept 3): New fans to the premier league looking for a team to root for.

Next, what exactly is the problem for each of these categories?

- Skatepark Beginners (Concept 1): Kids and people new to skateboarding don't understand the inherent risks involved in skatepark use, both to themselves and others.

- Snowboarding Accessibility (Concept 2): Snowboarding has a huge barrier of entry and many families can't afford a lift ticket, let alone all the gear it takes to try the sport.

- Soccer Fan Guide (Concept 3):Rooting for a specific team always makes sports more enjoyable to watch. New soccer fans aren't familiar with areas of London, their fan bases, or their history.

Where are these design problems occurring ?

- Skatepark Beginners (Concept 1): At any sort of skatepark where there is traffic.

- Snowboarding Accessibility (Concept 2): Most towns and cities around larger ski areas, places like Colorado, Vermont, California, Washington, Oregon, and Canada.

- Soccer Fan Guide (Concept 3): Fans from the US is the largest demographic of new fans.

Why does this problem matter?

- Skatepark Beginners (Concept 1): Collisions at the skatepark are almost an everyday occurrence and I've witnessed a bunch of serious injuries resulting from a lack of understanding.

- Snowboarding Accessibility (Concept 2): The ski industry is recording declining number of participants and that number will only shrink further if new users aren't exposed to the sport.

- Soccer Fan Guide (Concept 3): It matters to the leagues themselves if they wish to keep growing their brand. Plus it matters to fans to have a horse in the race and be more passionate about a team.