Strategic Definition Package (Milestone 1)

1. Overview

In Week 1, you wrote a "Kickoff Brief" based on assumptions. In Week 2, you gathered research (Personas/Empathy Maps). Now, it is time to synthesize that work into a formal Project Contract.

This is not just a homework assignment; this is the "North Star" document for your entire semester. Every design decision you make in weeks 5–15 will be measured against the requirements you define here.

Nomenclature

While the term Strategic Definition Package is not universally standard in industry, its components are commonly used—just under different names depending on the field:

• In Service Design and Design Thinking, it's often referred to as a:

  • Problem Framing Document

  • Design Brief

  • Project Charter

  • Service Design Blueprint (at later stages)

• In consulting, UX, or strategic innovation work:

  • Opportunity Framing

  • Strategic Brief

  • Business Case Definition

• In project management or enterprise transformation:

  • Project Initiation Document (PID)

  • Statement of Work (SOW) with problem framin

2. Learning Objectives

• Synthesize Research: Translate user insights (from Assignment 2) into concrete project requirements.

• Eliminate Ambiguity: Replace subjective "fluff" words with verifiable, testable success metrics.

• Define Scope Boundaries: Explicitly define what is out of scope to prevent project drift.

• Frame the Problem: Craft a "How Might We" statement that focuses on the user need, not the feature solution.

3. The Deliverable

You will submit a single PDF named Lastname_Firstname_StrategyPackage.pdf containing the following four sections:

Section A: The Revised Project Brief (1 Page)

Rewrite your Week 1 brief. It must now include:

• Refined Problem Summary: Updated based on your research.

• Segmented Audience: No "General Public." Define the Primary and Secondary users specifically (e.g., "Commuter Students" vs. "Campus Residents").

• 3 SMART Objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

  • Bad objective example: "Make the app easy to use."

  • Good objective example: "Reduce the time to find a parking spot from 10 minutes to 3 minutes."

Section B: The "Anti-Scope" List (The Boundary)

Create a bulleted list of at least 3 specific features or areas that are OUT OF SCOPE for this project.

• Why? You cannot build everything in 15 weeks. Defining what you are not doing is just as important as defining what you are doing.

Example: "We are designing the Student View only. We are NOT designing the Admin/Faculty view."

Section C: The "Ambiguity Defense" (Reflection)

Identify 3 specific words you removed from your Week 1 Draft because they were "fluff" or ambiguous (e.g., "fun," "modern," "intuitive").

Format:

• Word Removed: [e.g., "Fast"]

• Why it failed: [e.g., "Fast is subjective. It didn't give me a target."]

• Replacement Requirement: [e.g., "The homepage must load in under 2 seconds."]

Section D: The Final Problem Statement

Write your final "How Might We" (HMW) statement. This should be the single sentence that drives your ideation in the next module.

Structure: "How might we [Action] for [Target User] so that [Desired Outcome]?"

Grading Approach For This Assignment

This assignment evaluates the clarity and depth of your strategic thinking—not just technical polish. I am primarily looking for strong problem framing, clear directional intent, and thoughtful constraint-setting. While measurable precision (SMART rigor) strengthens your work, developing strategic understanding is the core goal at this stage. Clear, well-reasoned problem definition will earn strong credit even if formal metrics can be refined further.

Grading Rubric