Technological improvements and accessibility to electronic devices has resulted in a flourishing online teaching and learning mechanism. English writing is a fundamental ability that English learners must gain; however, it is also a demanding skill to master. Previous research has confirmed that learners were fond of English writing in a digital way and this improved their learning satisfaction, which came from effectively solving the difficulties and obstacles learners encountered in an online learning environment. Thus, it utilised a learner-centred approach to explore their needs. Accordingly, this research aims to identify learners’ needs in English writing courses to increase their learning effectiveness and motivation. This research employed an empathy map to collect data on learners’ needs to provide insight into the real needs of users and apply human-centred design to create an intuitive and positive experience. Additionally, expert interviews were conducted to identify design requirements and complete a quality function deployment matrix, a tool mainly been used in strategic design and served to help produce superior products or services corresponding to customers’ needs. The results showed five essential needs of learners in English writing courses: AI chatroom, tutorial schedule arrangement, history database, sentence structure, and an online-shared dictionary. The function and future implementation of the top five needs are also discussed.