This document outlines the BUILD process for identifying needs through human-centered entrepreneurship. It discusses conducting observations and interviews over several weeks to deeply understand individuals and systems. Needs are defined as things that could improve experiences related to physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem or self-actualization needs. Wants are desires that are unnecessary but fulfilling. The document emphasizes identifying needs before developing solutions and provides examples to distinguish needs-based versus wants-based approaches.

1. BUILD Labs

2. Needs Identification
Adapted from Daniel Mahatlane
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3. Needs Identification
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Week 1: Believe (Introduction)
Week 2: Believe/Understand (Observation)
Week 3: Understand (Interviews)
Week 4: Understand/Invent (Interview
2.0)
Week 5: Invent (Prototyping)
Week 6: Listen/Deliver (Prototyping)
Week 7: Deliver (Product Testing/Delivery)
Week 8: Deliver (Impact Assessment)

6. Human Centered Entrepreneurship: The BUILD Process

7. Understand:
Before designing solutions to meet needs of
the community, entrepreneurs must build
deep empathy to UNDERSTAND both
individuals they are designing for and the
system in which they reside.

8. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Theory in psychology that Abraham Maslow proposed in 1943 still holds relevance today. He identified that there
are a range of human needs that extend from most basic physical needs to safety to love/belonging to esteem to
self-actualization. Once one level is fulfilled, it enables people to seek the next level of fulfillment. Levels are:
Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, Self-actualization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs

9. What is a need?
Needs can be objective and physical, such as food,
or they can be subjective and psychological, such
as the need for self-esteem.
Needs are something that would improve one’s
experience that can be relate to physiology, safety,
love/belonging, esteem or self-actualization
A need is NOT a solution. A need is a general
phrasing from which MANY solutions can come.

10. What is a want?
Wants are tangible or intangible desires that are
inherently unnecessary, but seemingly fulfilling.
Wants are usually very narrow and often
misguided; as such, truly satisfying a want is
difficult. While needs can be met and satiated,
wants are typically unquenchable.
A want is a solution, though, if may not be the
best solution available.

11. Needs versus Wants

13. If Henry Ford asked:

14. Needs versus Wants
What People Wanted

15. What People Needed

16. "If I had asked people what they
wanted, they would have said faster
horses."
If Henry Ford had approached the
challenge with a solution based mindset
he would have found a way to make
horses faster.
But because he approached it with a needs
based mindset, he delivered a better
way to get from point A to B.

17. The Well Wishers

18. What is the need?

19. Needs
Wants

20. Approaches to Delivering Solutions
Need based mindset
Solution (Wants) based
• The need leads to multiple
solutions.
• Does not assume a single
solution.
• Provides “stickiest”
solutions and highest
demand
• Working within defined
parameters.
• Limited opportunities and
narrow solutions.
• Must adapt existing solutions
to the need.
• Solution is often a luxury,
limiting adoption

22. Girl Effect?

23. Copyright © African Leadership Academy, 2012