Number	User Statement	Desired Functional Outcome	Desired Emotional Outcome	Problem Identified	Heuristic Violated	Severity Rating	Actionable Recommendation	Implemented solution
1	"It takes too long to find the file I need." "I spend too much time looking for specific files." "I need more specific search options." "I need to filter results to find what I'm looking for quickly." "Navigating through our files is a maze." "It's hard to find what I need quickly."	I need this solved so that I can save time and effort in file management, searching, and navigation.	because solving this will make me feel more efficient, in control, and less frustrated.	Difficulty in locating specific files or items. Need for fine-tuning and enhancing search results.	Match between system and the real world	3	Implement more intuitive search functions and file categorization.	Advanced Search Functionality, File and Folder Filters, Advanced Filter Options, Search and Filtering Options, Hierarchical File Structure Display, Dashboard Overview
2	"I can't remember the specifics of each file." "What's the resolution and format of this image?" "I need to see all the details about this file at a glance." "I need more details about these files." "What's the resolution and frame rate of this video?" "I need to know the format and codec of these media files."	I need this solved so that I can easily access and display comprehensive file information.	because solving this will make me feel more informed, efficient, and in control of my files.	Lack of clarity about file details. Requirement for comprehensive file information.	Visibility of system status	2	Include a feature to display file details (like format, resolution) on hover or in a file's properties.	Detailed Item Information, File Metadata Display, Detailed File Metadata, Resolution and Frame Rate, Audio Information Display, File Format and Codec Info
6	"Managing lots of files at once is tedious." "Organizing files should be easier and more intuitive."	I need this solved so that I can simplify bulk file management and streamline organization for efficiency.	because solving this will make me feel less overwhelmed, more in control, and productive.	Streamlining file management processes.	Efficiency and simplicity	3	Simplify the user interface for easier file management.	Bulk File Operations, Drag-and-Drop File Management
9	"Where is this file stored and where is it going?" "Where exactly is this file stored?"	I need this solved so that I can accurately track file locations and destinations.	because solving this will make me feel more in control and aware of file movements.	Tracking file locations and storage.	Visibility of system status	2	Display clear information about file storage locations and destinations.	Source and Destination Sites, Space and Site Information
5	"I wish I could see what's in a file without opening it." "I want to quickly access a particular folder or file."	I need this solved so that I can preview file contents and access specific items quickly and effortlessly.	because solving this will make me feel more efficient and in control of my file interactions.	Allowing quick file content view without opening them.	Recognition rather than recall	2	Integrate file preview options directly in the file browsing interface.	File Preview Capability, Folder and File Selection
8	"Which specific job does this task belong to?" "Which job does this file belong to?"	I need this solved so that I can accurately assign tasks and files to the appropriate personnel.	because solving this will make me feel more organized and efficient in task and file management.	Identifying and managing tasks and files.	Match between system and the real world	2	Tag files with relevant job or project information for easy identification.	Job Type and Identification, Job Type and Number
7	"How far along is the hydration process for this file?" "I need to know if my files are ready for use." "Is this file ready to use or still processing?"	I need this solved so that I can track the status of file processing and determine if files are ready for use.	because solving this will make me feel more informed and confident about using files when needed.	Monitoring file readiness and progress.	Visibility of system status	2	Implement status indicators for file processing stages.	File Hydration Percentage, File Hydration Status, Hydration Status Indicators
3	"How many results match my search?"	I need this solved so that I can assess the relevance and scope of my search results.	because solving this will make me feel more confident in the search outcome.	Need to gauge search effectiveness.	User control and freedom	1	Provide a clear count of search results.	Results Count Display
4	"I want to start my search over with new filters."	I need this solved so that I can refine my search criteria easily.	because solving this will make me feel in control and able to customize my searches.	Resetting search criteria.	Flexibility and efficiency of use	3	Add options to modify search filters without starting over.	Clear All Filters/Selections
10	"How many types of each file format do we have?"	I need this solved so that I can categorize and manage file formats efficiently.	because solving this will make me feel organized and well-informed about file types.	Understanding data distribution and analytics.	User control and freedom	1	Provide a summary or report feature for file formats in use.	Analytics and Item Count
11	"I'm never sure if my files are up-to-date or not."	I need this solved so that I can easily check file version and freshness.	because solving this will make me feel more confident in using current files.	Informing about file synchronization status.	Visibility of system status	2	Include file version control and update notifications.	Status Indicators for File Synchronization
12	"How much storage space do I have left?"	I need this solved so that I can monitor available storage capacity.	because solving this will make me feel secure and prepared regarding storage.	Providing insights into storage utilization.	Visibility of system status	2	Display current storage usage and capacity.	Data Usage and Storage Metrics
13	"I need to control who can access certain files."	I need this solved so that I can manage file access and security.	because solving this will make me feel in control and secure about file sharing.	Addressing security and access control concerns.	User control and freedom	3	Implement robust access control settings for file management.	User Access and Permission Settings
14	"I wish the interface were more flexible to my needs."	I need this solved so that I can customize the interface for efficiency.	because solving this will make me feel empowered and comfortable using the system.	Allowing UI customization for user preferences.	Flexibility and efficiency of use	3	Design a more adaptable and customizable user interface.	Customizable User Interface
15	"I miss important updates in the system."	I need this solved so that I can stay informed about system changes.	because solving this will make me feel more connected and updated.	Keeping users informed about system updates.	Visibility of system status	2	Create a dedicated notification center for system updates.	Real-time Notifications and Alerts
16	"Will this file work on a different platform?"	I need this solved so that I can assess file compatibility easily.	because solving this will make me feel confident about file usage across platforms.	Ensuring compatibility across different platforms.	Consistency and standards	3	Ensure compatibility and provide clear guidelines for cross-platform usage.	Multi-platform Compatibility Indicators
17	"Switching between cloud and local storage is a hassle."	I need this solved so that I can seamlessly manage files across storage types.	because solving this will make me feel less frustrated and more efficient in file handling.	Streamlining integration between storage solutions.	User control and freedom	3	Streamline the process for switching between cloud and local storage.	Cloud and Local Storage Integration
18	"I need specific reports for my data analysis."	I need this solved so that I can generate targeted reports for analysis.	because solving this will make me feel well-equipped for data analysis.	Facilitating tailored data reporting.	Flexibility and efficiency of use	2	Include customizable report generation features.	Customizable Data Reports
19	"I couldn't find what I was looking for."	I need this solved so that I can quickly and accurately locate files.	because solving this will make me feel relieved and successful in my searches.	Ineffective and imprecise search results.	Match between system and the real world	3	Improve search algorithms for better relevance and accuracy.	Upgraded the search algorithm for more accurate and relevant results.
20	"Exact names are hard to remember."	I need this solved so that I can find files using attributes other than exact names.	because solving this will make me feel less reliant on memory and more efficient in searches.	Over-dependence on exact match searches.	Recognition rather than recall	3	Incorporate fuzzy search to accommodate partial or approximate file names.	Implemented partial and fuzzy search capabilities for user convenience.
21	"I wanted to search by date or file type."	I need this solved so that I can filter and search files by date or type effectively.	because solving this will make me feel in control of my searches and file organization.	Limited search filtering options.	User control and freedom	2	Add advanced search options including date and file type filters.	Added advanced search filters for file type, date, size, and more.
22	"Typing one wrong letter returned no results."	I need this solved so that I can have a more forgiving and intuitive search experience.	because solving this will make me feel less frustrated and more confident in my searches.	Lack of tolerance for typos in search queries.	Error prevention	3	Implement spell-check and suggest correct terms in search queries.	Introduced typo-tolerance in search functionality for better accuracy.
23	"The search results' order didn't make sense."	I need this solved so that I can receive search results in a logical and relevant order.	because solving this will make me feel more organized and informed during searches.	Unclear logic in search result ranking.	Consistency and standards	2	Enhance the logic behind the ordering of search results for consistency.	Provided clear explanations for search result rankings and added sorting options.
24	"I often repeat the same searches."	I need this solved so that I can easily access and reuse previous search queries.	because solving this will make me feel more efficient and save time in repetitive tasks.	Inability to save and revisit past searches.	Efficiency and simplicity	2	Provide an option to save and repeat common searches.	Launched a feature to save frequent searches and access them easily.
25	"Using the search feature was confusing."	I need this solved so that I can have a clear and user-friendly search experience.	because solving this will make me feel less frustrated and more comfortable using the feature.	Complex and non-intuitive search interface.	User control and freedom	3	Simplify the search interface	Simplified the search interface and added helpful tips for users.
26	"Searching took too long."	I need this solved so that I can receive search results quickly and efficiently.	because solving this will make me feel more productive and less impatient during searches.	Slow search response times.	Efficiency and simplicity	3	Optimize search engine performance for faster results.	Optimized backend for faster search responses and real-time results.
27	"I need to search within documents, not just titles."	I need this solved so that I can search for content within files, not just file titles.	because solving this will make me feel more precise and comprehensive in my searches.	Limited search scope to file titles only.	Flexibility and efficiency of use	3	Enable in-document search capabilities.	Implemented full-text search within documents for comprehensive results.
28	"There were too many irrelevant results."	I need this solved so that I can receive search results that are more relevant and accurate.	because solving this will make me feel less overwhelmed and more confident in search outcomes.	Poor search result relevance and accuracy.	User control and freedom	2	Refine search algorithms to filter out irrelevant results.	Refined search algorithms to enhance the relevance of search results.
29	"I lost my previous search results."	I need this solved so that I can access and refer back to my previous search results.	because solving this will make me feel more organized and able to revisit important findings.	No search history or backtracking functionality.	User control and freedom	2	Implement a feature to save and revisit past search results.	Added search history and backtracking features for user convenience.
30	"Finding files shared with me was hard."	I need this solved so that I can easily locate files that have been shared with me.	because solving this will make me feel more efficient and collaborative in file sharing.	Difficulty in searching for shared files.	Match between system and the real world	2	Enhance visibility and categorization of shared files.	Enabled specific search filters for shared and collaborative files.
31	"The search didn't understand my queries well."	I need this solved so that I can have a search feature that better understands and interprets my queries.	because solving this will make me feel less frustrated and more confident in search accuracy.	Ineffective handling of natural language queries.	Error prevention	3	Improve natural language processing for more accurate search query understanding.	Incorporated natural language processing for more intuitive search queries.
32	"I wish I could search using tags or keywords."	I need this solved so that I can search and categorize files using tags and keywords.	because solving this will make me feel more organized and efficient in file management.	Absence of tag or keyword-based search functionality.	User control and freedom	3	Introduce tag-based or keyword-based search functionalities.	Introduced the ability to tag files and search by tags or keywords.
33	"The search results weren't updating as I typed."	I need this solved so that I can receive real-time search results as I type, providing instant feedback.	because solving this will make me feel more connected and efficient during searches.	Static search results without dynamic updating.	Visibility of system status	2	Ensure real-time update of search results as queries are typed.	Implemented dynamic search results that update in real-time as users type.

Search flow - Research report | Heuristics | Features | Desired outcomes