Customer input is always interesting -- but to make it useful, you need to standardize its structure and analyze its content. Following these rules will help you tease out what users are really telling you about your next big opportunity.
1. Job statements must state the task, activity or goal the customer is trying to get done.2. All statements must be free from solutions and specifications -- and stable over time.3. All statements must not include words that will cause ambiguity or confusion, e.g., certain adjectives and adverbs, pronouns, process words, jargon, acronyms, etc.4. All statements must be specific without sacrificing brevity.5. All statements must follow the rules of proper grammar.6. Do not use different terms to describe the same item, activity, etc. from statement to statement; be consistent in language.7. All statements must have a consistent structure, content and format.8. Job statements must be introduced with an action verb.9. Job statements must relate to a predefined demographic and context.10. Outcome statements must relate to the primary job of interest (the job under study) and not to ancillary jobs.11. Outcome statements must be introduced with only one of two words: minimize (90%) or increase (10%).12. Outcome statements must contain a metric (time, likelihood, number) so performance can be measured.13. Examples added to the end of a statement for purposes of clarification must be similarly and consistently formatted.14. All statements must be usable in all downstream activities, e.g., questionnaires, for deployment, etc.