behoeftestudies

Behoeftestudies, literally "needs studies" in Dutch, is an interdisciplinary field that investigates the needs, preferences, and constraints of people, organizations, and communities to inform policy making, program design, and service delivery. The term encompasses needs assessment and analysis and is related to user research, market research, and social policy analysis. Practitioners draw on sociology, psychology, public administration, economics, anthropology, and design thinking to identify priorities and allocate resources.

Researchers use mixed-method designs. Quantitative tools include surveys and indicators to measure the prevalence and importance of needs. Qualitative methods include interviews, focus groups, ethnography, and participatory workshops to uncover context, motivations, and barriers. Stakeholder mapping, gap analysis, and prioritization techniques help translate findings into actionable recommendations while weighing feasibility and equity. Ethics, data privacy, and cultural sensitivity are central concerns.

Applications span public policy planning, health and social care, education, housing and urban development, and technology or product development. In health care, needs studies guide service redesign; in urban planning, they inform housing and transport; in product design, they align features with user requirements.

History and influence: the approach evolved from public administration and social research traditions and has become central to human-centered design and UX research. Critics note challenges in capturing latent needs, avoiding bias, and keeping pace with changing conditions.