As designers we need to produce solutions to problems, and designs that meet the user's fundamental personal human needs. These can be viewed through the categories of Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social needs.

This is a different way of looking at the needs laid down in Maslow's Hierarchy of needs.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a psychological theory of motivation which states that five categories of human needs dictate an individual's behavior and form the limits of their capacities.

Those needs are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.