The 2025 State of AI-assisted Software Development report from DORA introduces the DORA AI Capabilities Model as a way to make the “AI as an amplifier” insight actionable, outlining the technical and cultural capabilities that help organisations get positive performance gains from AI rather than simply accelerating existing dysfunction. Among those capabilities, User-Centric Focus stands out — because it’s the one that keeps teams moving in the right direction and because DORA research² shows that teams who focus on the user have 40% higher organisational performance and significantly higher job satisfaction.

Understanding and defining real user needs is a pivotal step in the User Needs Mapping process. A clearly defined user need is more than a description of pain - it's a shared lens for more effective decision-making. When teams focus on the underlying progress the user is trying to make - rather than the requests they happen to express - everything becomes clearer: priorities, dependencies, feasibility, and ultimately, value.