From Insights to POV Statements: Defining Problems Through App Reviews
In user experience design, defining the problems is one of the most critical steps in the design thinking process. As Aaron Benjamin explains, “It’s important to define a problem statement to measure how well your solution solves it.”
I analyzed app reviews to practice reframing complaints into actionable problem statements. After selecting three apps—TikTok, Canvas, and Netflix—I looked for three “Positive,” three “Negative,” and three “Suggestive” reviews for each of them. From these reviews, I grouped and interpreted users’ needs, articulating them into Point of View (POV) statements.
To craft a POV, you must combine three elements: user, need, and insight. This process turns the observations collected in the Empathize stage into human-centered problem statements.
TikTok: Content Creators vs. Everyday Users
Quick summary of TikTok
TikTok reviews reflected two different kinds of users: content creators and everyday users. Content creators voiced frustrations with limited hashtags, glitches in the location tagging feature, and weak business account tools. These issues directly impacted their account’s visibility and engagement. Everyday users, however, were more concerned with interface design. Several mentioned frustrations with cluttered layouts, missing search functionality in Collections, and limited ways to organize saved content. These reviews highlight TikTok’s need to balance creator-focused features with a simpler, intuitive interface for casual users.
POV#1: A social media content creator who values analytics and reach needs reliable account tools because glitches, limited hashtags, and unreliable location tagging reduce the visibility and performance of their posts.
POV#2: A daily user who values efficiency and organization needs a more intuitive app design because cluttered features like the “Find similar” button and the lack of search in “Collections” make it hard to manage and enjoy content.
Canvas: Students and Learning Flow
Quick summary of Canvas
Reviews for Canvas centered around stability, organization, and usability. Positive comments praised the To Do List layout and the option to toggle between Dark and Light mode. Negative reviews, on the other hand, pointed to glitches, inconsistent notifications, and frustration with frequent layout updates. Many of these reviews came from students, showing how much they rely on Canvas for structure and consistency. Yet, technical problems and missing features disrupted their learning experience and created stress.
POV#1: A student who values structure and consistency needs a stable and intuitive app interface because glitches and inconsistent layouts make it harder to stay on top of coursework.
POV#2: A student who studies across multiple devices needs seamless syncing because losing saved work and missing features like marking tasks “Done” disrupts learning flow and adds unnecessary stress.
Netflix: Navigation and Family Accessibility
Quick summary of Netflix
Netflix reviews varied across everyday users and families. Many appreciated the wide range of content, notifications for new releases, and the easy ability to switch into Kids Mode. However, negative reviews raised concerns about rising subscription costs, restrictions on account sharing, and confusion about design choices such as the removal of the sidebar tool. Suggestive reviews often echoed these pain points by calling for more affordable pricing, fixes to household sharing, and easier navigation. These findings revealed how daily users and families prioritize different aspects of the services—from simplicity and affordability to personalization and accessibility.
POV#1: A daily user who values simplicity and quick navigation needs a clearer, more consistent app layout because design changes, like removing the sidebar and search tools, make it harder to browse and find content.
POV#2: A parent who values ease and personalization needs streamlined family-friendly options because features like “Kids Profile” and a wide range of content directly impact the whole family’s viewing experience.
Conclusion
This process showed how user reviews can be transformed into actionable insights through the POV method. By analysing positive, negative, and suggestive reviews, I was able to identify common frustrations and reframe them into meaningful, human-centered problem statements. Defining the problem is a crucial stage in the design thinking process: rather than treating complaints as obstacles, this approach reframes them as opportunities for creativity and innovation.
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