Who Is This For? Defining Your First 1,000 True Users

Start Here: Why You Need Specific Users, Not 'Everyone'

Step 1: Think in Jobs, Not Just Demographics

Activity: Write 3 Job Statements

Use this space (or your notebook) to write three job statements for your app.

Follow this pattern:

• "When I am [situation], I want to [action] so I can [result]."

Examples:

• "When I am on the bus going to campus, I want to quickly check my tasks so I can use the ride well."
• "When I sit down to study at night, I want a simple plan so I can avoid scrolling social media."

Now do it:

1. Think of 3 real situations where someone might use your app.
2. For each, write one sentence using the pattern.
3. After writing, underline or highlight the result part (the "so I can..."). That is the real motivation.

Reflection questions:

• Which job feels most painful or urgent?
• Which job happens most often in real life?

You will use these answers to narrow down your first 1,000 users in later steps.

Step 2: Turn Jobs Into Concrete User Segments

Example: From Vague Users to Two Clear Segments

Step 3: Understand Usage Contexts (Mobile vs Web, On-the-go vs At-desk)

Activity: Map Contexts for Your Top Segment

Choose the one segment you are most interested in right now.

Answer these questions for that segment:

1. Where are they most often when using your app?

• Options to consider: bus, train, dorm room, library, office, kitchen, gym, etc.

1. What device are they using?

• Mostly phone?
• Mostly laptop/desktop?
• A mix? If so, for which tasks?

1. How long is a typical session?

• Under 30 seconds
• 1–5 minutes
• 10+ minutes

1. How are they feeling in that moment?

• Rushed, bored, stressed, relaxed?

Write 2–3 sentences like:

• "Working students mainly use the app on their phones on the bus home after a shift. They are tired and only have 2–3 minutes."

This will help you later when you design screens and write marketing text.

Optional challenge:

• Note one thing you would remove from your app idea because it does not fit this context (for example, long forms on a tiny screen).

Step 4: Do Simple User Research (Without a Big Budget)

Activity: Extract Problems From a Fake Review

Read this fake app store review for a study app and then answer the questions.

"I am a first-year student working 20 hours a week. I tried this app to organize my assignments, but it expects me to sit at my laptop and plan everything for the whole week. That never happens. Most days I only have a few minutes on the bus to campus. I just want the app to tell me the next best thing to work on. Also, the notifications come at random times and I usually ignore them."

Questions (answer in your own words):

1. What job-to-be-done is this person describing?
2. What context are they in when they want to use the app?
3. What are two problems they have with the current app?
4. What motivation do you see behind their complaints?

Pause and write your answers. Then compare:

Possible answers:

1. Job: "When I have a few minutes, I want to know the next best assignment to work on."
2. Context: On the bus, on mobile, short sessions.
3. Problems: Requires long weekly planning at a laptop; notifications are random and easy to ignore.
4. Motivation: They want to stay on top of work despite a busy schedule, with minimal planning effort.

Quick Check: Identifying a Strong Target Segment

Test your understanding of what makes a strong initial target segment.

Step 5: Prioritize 1–2 Primary Segments for Launch

You might see many possible segments, but for your first version, focus on one or two. This makes your product and marketing much clearer.

To choose, score each segment (from 1 to 5) on:

1. Pain level: How painful is the problem for them?
2. Frequency: How often do they face this job?
3. Access: How easy is it for you to reach and talk to them? (Are they around you at university, online communities, etc.)

Activity:

1. List 2–3 segments you wrote earlier.
2. For each, give a score 1–5 for pain, frequency, and access.
3. Add up the scores.
4. Pick the top 1–2 segments as your launch focus.

Example:

• Working students on tight schedules: Pain 5, Frequency 4, Access 4 → Total 13
• International first-years: Pain 4, Frequency 3, Access 2 → Total 9

In this example, you would launch for working students on tight schedules.

Write one sentence:

"For launch, we are focusing on: [your chosen segment]."

Step 6: Write Your Ideal Early Adopter Profile

Now you will write a short, concrete profile of your ideal early adopter.

Keep it to 5–7 sentences. Include:

1. Who they are (life stage, role)
2. Their main job-to-be-done
3. Their typical context (device, place, time)
4. Their main frustration today
5. What success looks like for them

Template you can copy:

"[Name] is a [age range] [role/life stage]. They [brief situation]. Their main struggle is [biggest pain]. When [situation trigger], they want to [job-to-be-done] so they can [result]. They usually use [device] while [context]. If our app works, they will feel [emotion] because [success outcome]."

Example:

"Alex is a 19–22 year old first-year nursing student. They work 15–20 hours a week in a part-time job and commute by bus. Their main struggle is staying on top of assignments without spending hours planning. When they sit on the bus after work, they want to quickly see the next best task to work on so they can feel in control. They usually use their phone during 10–15 minute gaps. If our app works, they will feel calmer and more confident because they always know what to do next without complex planning."

Now write your own profile using the template.

Review Key Terms

Use these flashcards to review the core ideas from this module.