Lead from the fields: who and how applied qualitative methods in UX Research to develop IT products. Part 5 of 6
All parts of the article: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
The penultimate situation of applying qualitative methods is a bit exotic - entering a new, unfamiliar local market. Yes, few companies face this, but this situation helps to better understand the possibilities of qualitative methods. For a quick immersion in the subject, let's start right away with a case that is not related to the development of IT products, but clearly shows the possibilities of qualitative methods.
Why did the project team turn to quality methods? The question in this case is rhetorical. Scandinavian style is a cultural feature of Northern Europe. Is there something more suitable for studying a similar phenomenon than the methodology that anthropologists and ethnographers have used for several decades to study the cultural characteristics of various communities? Interviews and observation were the main methods of social researchers seeking to understand another culture.
Developing an IT product for an unfamiliar local market is always associated with risk: what works in one country may fail miserably in another. The reason for this is cultural differences that were not taken into account in product development. That is why companies that are planning to enter new markets are ready to invest in expensive projects. The failure of the finished product will cost much more. Consider a few more cases that describe the work of teams in this situation.
As case studies show, interview and observation become the main methods in this situation. The reason is that it is rather difficult to identify cultural features: it is necessary to both listen and observe. To the professionalism of researchers there are increased requirements. These are very complex projects - the team must see and understand the cultural characteristics, fix them and convey to developers, who need to take into account relevant factors when creating products. An interesting example of qualitative research in this situation is provided by the case of the Head company: the project team carried out a rather complicated research in the shortest possible time. Although the “research studio” method requires very hard work from the team, and its effectiveness depends on the qualifications of the researchers: to understand even a small part of the foreign culture is a very difficult task.
Summarizing what has been said: in the situation of developing an IT product for a new, unfamiliar local market, project teams apply a qualitative methodology to identify cultural characteristics that may affect the practice of using the product. Such projects are very difficult to implement: the organization of the study requires significant financial investments, and increased demands are placed on the professional competencies of the team. The main research methods here are interviews and observation, traditionally used by social researchers to understand a different culture.
All parts of the article: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
“We didn’t know too much about the Brazilian real estate market”: entering the local market
The penultimate situation of applying qualitative methods is a bit exotic - entering a new, unfamiliar local market. Yes, few companies face this, but this situation helps to better understand the possibilities of qualitative methods. For a quick immersion in the subject, let's start right away with a case that is not related to the development of IT products, but clearly shows the possibilities of qualitative methods.
Case 18. ReD Associates: New Design of TVs for Samsung
In 2005, Samsung was worried about its sales, primarily due to flat-panel TVs, one of the most popular products. To remain the market leader, a new strategy was needed. The company spent a lot of effort on the development of new technologies and actively promoted its achievements, but consumers seemed to show little interest in innovation. The trouble with Samsung was that the company lacked an understanding of people who pay much more attention to design than to the technological component. We needed a qualitative leap in the design of TVs. For help, the company turned to ReD Associates.
Team ReD Associates, together with representatives of Samsung, had to understand what should be the design of the TV. And for this it was necessary to find out what role TV plays in the life of the house. What is an excellent TV for a customer?
For the study used the classical methods of ethnography: observation and interview. The ReD Associates team, together with customer representatives, traveled to Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands to study the lives of users who are more focused on design than technology. The focus of the study was the daily life of people - it was necessary to understand how the TV fits there. The project team studied the habits and practices of creating the “ideal home” and, at the same time, communicated with designers, architects and other experts to understand the attitude to home and television in Northern Europe.
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The results of the research somewhat shocked Samsung designers: users hid their technological miracle in home furnishings and used any means to disguise it. People did not want to see a “piece of electronics” at home. The idea of making the TV invisible surprised Samsung's management: instead of being proud of their TV, people want to hide it.
According to the research, ReD Associates has determined the basic design principles for Samsung TVs. The result of the work was a new model of TV, which enjoyed particular success with women. The emergence of a new TV allowed access to new marketing and sales channels: glossy magazines, trendy restaurants, clothing stores. The new Samsung TV began to appear where it was not there before. By 2007, the company increased its market share by 27%.
Case 18. ReD Associates: New Design of TVs for Samsung
In 2005, Samsung was worried about its sales, primarily due to flat-panel TVs, one of the most popular products. To remain the market leader, a new strategy was needed. The company spent a lot of effort on the development of new technologies and actively promoted its achievements, but consumers seemed to show little interest in innovation. The trouble with Samsung was that the company lacked an understanding of people who pay much more attention to design than to the technological component. We needed a qualitative leap in the design of TVs. For help, the company turned to ReD Associates.
Team ReD Associates, together with representatives of Samsung, had to understand what should be the design of the TV. And for this it was necessary to find out what role TV plays in the life of the house. What is an excellent TV for a customer?
For the study used the classical methods of ethnography: observation and interview. The ReD Associates team, together with customer representatives, traveled to Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands to study the lives of users who are more focused on design than technology. The focus of the study was the daily life of people - it was necessary to understand how the TV fits there. The project team studied the habits and practices of creating the “ideal home” and, at the same time, communicated with designers, architects and other experts to understand the attitude to home and television in Northern Europe.
')
The results of the research somewhat shocked Samsung designers: users hid their technological miracle in home furnishings and used any means to disguise it. People did not want to see a “piece of electronics” at home. The idea of making the TV invisible surprised Samsung's management: instead of being proud of their TV, people want to hide it.
According to the research, ReD Associates has determined the basic design principles for Samsung TVs. The result of the work was a new model of TV, which enjoyed particular success with women. The emergence of a new TV allowed access to new marketing and sales channels: glossy magazines, trendy restaurants, clothing stores. The new Samsung TV began to appear where it was not there before. By 2007, the company increased its market share by 27%.
* * *
Why did the project team turn to quality methods? The question in this case is rhetorical. Scandinavian style is a cultural feature of Northern Europe. Is there something more suitable for studying a similar phenomenon than the methodology that anthropologists and ethnographers have used for several decades to study the cultural characteristics of various communities? Interviews and observation were the main methods of social researchers seeking to understand another culture.
Developing an IT product for an unfamiliar local market is always associated with risk: what works in one country may fail miserably in another. The reason for this is cultural differences that were not taken into account in product development. That is why companies that are planning to enter new markets are ready to invest in expensive projects. The failure of the finished product will cost much more. Consider a few more cases that describe the work of teams in this situation.
Case 19. Experientia: Vodafone develops products and services for developing countries in the Asia-Pacific and African regions
The British company Vodafone, one of the largest telecom operators, wanted to launch new products and services in a number of developing countries. In order to be successful in entering new markets, the company had to become familiar with technology practitioners and user needs in these countries. It was necessary to develop prototypes based on real user needs and scenarios. Not an easy task: we decided to turn to experts from Experientia.
The Experientia team already had experience working with Vodafone in the emerging markets of the Asia-Pacific and African regions: it was a marketing research using custom panels. We watched how people perform tasks on mobile phones. The main focus was on social networks. The panels provided a large amount of data on the practices of using mobile phones and social applications, as well as opportunities and obstacles in the development of new tools. Thus, the team already had a serious start, which simplified the implementation of the new task.
For a new project with Vodafone decided to turn to ethnography. The participants in the ethnographic research were representatives of lower social strata in developing regions. People performed a series of tasks that were controlled remotely.
The study showed that for low-income groups of the population the use of technology is an important factor in survival in difficult conditions. Resourcefulness in the use of modern technologies becomes a competitive advantage in their social environment.
The results of the study became the basis for the development of concepts that take into account user behavior and regional context. When developing, they used the method of modeling opportunities and brainstorming. One of the projects provided for joint design with people from low-income strata of society - these members of the working groups also gave feedback and participated in the development of the service. Collaboration included testing, developing and defining key ideas for mobile services.
Vodafone received high-quality ethnographic research, recommendations for strategic directions and prototypes based on contextual scenarios and user needs.
Case 19. Experientia: Vodafone develops products and services for developing countries in the Asia-Pacific and African regions
The British company Vodafone, one of the largest telecom operators, wanted to launch new products and services in a number of developing countries. In order to be successful in entering new markets, the company had to become familiar with technology practitioners and user needs in these countries. It was necessary to develop prototypes based on real user needs and scenarios. Not an easy task: we decided to turn to experts from Experientia.
The Experientia team already had experience working with Vodafone in the emerging markets of the Asia-Pacific and African regions: it was a marketing research using custom panels. We watched how people perform tasks on mobile phones. The main focus was on social networks. The panels provided a large amount of data on the practices of using mobile phones and social applications, as well as opportunities and obstacles in the development of new tools. Thus, the team already had a serious start, which simplified the implementation of the new task.
For a new project with Vodafone decided to turn to ethnography. The participants in the ethnographic research were representatives of lower social strata in developing regions. People performed a series of tasks that were controlled remotely.
The study showed that for low-income groups of the population the use of technology is an important factor in survival in difficult conditions. Resourcefulness in the use of modern technologies becomes a competitive advantage in their social environment.
The results of the study became the basis for the development of concepts that take into account user behavior and regional context. When developing, they used the method of modeling opportunities and brainstorming. One of the projects provided for joint design with people from low-income strata of society - these members of the working groups also gave feedback and participated in the development of the service. Collaboration included testing, developing and defining key ideas for mobile services.
Vodafone received high-quality ethnographic research, recommendations for strategic directions and prototypes based on contextual scenarios and user needs.
Case 20. Blink: Zap and site for buying property in Brazil
What do you know about the real estate market in Brazil? Blink knew little about him. About the same knew about the Brazilian culture associated with real estate. However, the company was soon to get acquainted with both the culture and the market. But first things first. Zap wanted to create more than just a real estate website in Brazil. She wanted to build warm, strong relationships with her clients. To do this, they decided to contact Blink.
Blink employees found the strength to recognize their own ignorance. React to this philosophically: sometimes ignorance of the user is an advantage, since you do not have preconceived ideas before the study begins. Well said.
Free from prejudice, they set about research: they conducted interviews with users in their home. It turned out and interview, and observation. To clarify the Brazilian approach to home buying, eight interviews were conducted with those who have already bought a house or are looking for it. The researchers sought to see where users are currently living in order to better understand the motives and expectations when buying a new home.
The study showed that when buying a home, Brazilians rely heavily on “local knowledge” and recommendations from family members. Security remains a problem in most areas, so having a 24/7 concierge is not a luxury, but a necessity and a significant factor when choosing a home.
With the help of research partners from Brazil, CJM (User Movement Map) was developed when purchasing or renting accommodation. The map allowed us to determine the possibilities of interaction with users. Users who visit the site are in various stages of buying or renting housing. On the site they can get the necessary information at any stage - from search to purchase.
Reliance on local knowledge and family members when searching for real estate is reflected in the design solution of the site - the use of notes, tags and ratings. Users could save their favorite bookmarks at home and then manage them by adding a rating, or mark their thoughts when choosing with the help of comments and tags. Potential buyers could use these features while viewing homes using mobile devices.
The ability to filter objects by proximity to work (given address) and public transport was added. The study showed that the presence of a garage and a bedroom is also a significant factor of choice. They were also added to the filter. After the new website design was launched, the conversion increased by 35%.
Case 20. Blink: Zap and site for buying property in Brazil
What do you know about the real estate market in Brazil? Blink knew little about him. About the same knew about the Brazilian culture associated with real estate. However, the company was soon to get acquainted with both the culture and the market. But first things first. Zap wanted to create more than just a real estate website in Brazil. She wanted to build warm, strong relationships with her clients. To do this, they decided to contact Blink.
Blink employees found the strength to recognize their own ignorance. React to this philosophically: sometimes ignorance of the user is an advantage, since you do not have preconceived ideas before the study begins. Well said.
Free from prejudice, they set about research: they conducted interviews with users in their home. It turned out and interview, and observation. To clarify the Brazilian approach to home buying, eight interviews were conducted with those who have already bought a house or are looking for it. The researchers sought to see where users are currently living in order to better understand the motives and expectations when buying a new home.
The study showed that when buying a home, Brazilians rely heavily on “local knowledge” and recommendations from family members. Security remains a problem in most areas, so having a 24/7 concierge is not a luxury, but a necessity and a significant factor when choosing a home.
With the help of research partners from Brazil, CJM (User Movement Map) was developed when purchasing or renting accommodation. The map allowed us to determine the possibilities of interaction with users. Users who visit the site are in various stages of buying or renting housing. On the site they can get the necessary information at any stage - from search to purchase.
Reliance on local knowledge and family members when searching for real estate is reflected in the design solution of the site - the use of notes, tags and ratings. Users could save their favorite bookmarks at home and then manage them by adding a rating, or mark their thoughts when choosing with the help of comments and tags. Potential buyers could use these features while viewing homes using mobile devices.
The ability to filter objects by proximity to work (given address) and public transport was added. The study showed that the presence of a garage and a bedroom is also a significant factor of choice. They were also added to the filter. After the new website design was launched, the conversion increased by 35%.
Case 21. Head: Myriad msngr
My appetites and ambitions are growing fast: at first, Myriad struggled only to maintain a functional chat for a small group of users, and did not expect more. In 2013, the company has already set its sights on creating a competitor WhatsApp, Line and Facebook Messenger. For help in the implementation of these plans, she turned to Head employees. Myriad wanted Head to solve three main tasks:
The tasks are not simple, but solvable; the main thing is to start the movement correctly. The company Head made a bid for user research. To transfer the messenger to a new platform, it was necessary to understand the existing users. Without this, a roadmap cannot be developed. The company uses its own version of the adaptation of qualitative methods for UX-tasks - “field research studio”. The essence of adaptation consists in rapid ethnographic research, the formation of ideas, joint design and testing on users. The “research studio” method includes:
Good practice, although, according to the employees themselves, difficult for researchers. Five days of intense research and design work in Mexico and Brazil. This is where the main users of the Myriad messenger reside.
The study made it possible to identify the main direction of product development - group chat. The concept of a “sponsorship channel” was developed: a mechanism for downloading digital content to a general chat. Users have previously shared content with YouTube and other social services - the sponsorship channel has made this content closer to the user. A monetization system was developed that differed from the classic advertising model of well-known social networks.
Two months later, the application was launched on Android, and the company saw a significant increase in subscriptions. At the end of 2014, the messenger audience had 140 million registered users. The version of the “sponsor channel” has already been launched on iOS. The study also developed a roadmap for the messenger, which includes the further development of the concept of monetization and a strategic transition from the chat application to the social media platform. Now we are working on the organization of new research for the launch of the messenger in the US and some African countries.
Case 21. Head: Myriad msngr
My appetites and ambitions are growing fast: at first, Myriad struggled only to maintain a functional chat for a small group of users, and did not expect more. In 2013, the company has already set its sights on creating a competitor WhatsApp, Line and Facebook Messenger. For help in the implementation of these plans, she turned to Head employees. Myriad wanted Head to solve three main tasks:
- transfer service to a new platform that will allow you to simultaneously send and receive more than 100 million messages;
- create your own brand, which will take a leading position in the market of instant messengers;
- develop a convincing roadmap, including user engagement, growth and monetization.
The tasks are not simple, but solvable; the main thing is to start the movement correctly. The company Head made a bid for user research. To transfer the messenger to a new platform, it was necessary to understand the existing users. Without this, a roadmap cannot be developed. The company uses its own version of the adaptation of qualitative methods for UX-tasks - “field research studio”. The essence of adaptation consists in rapid ethnographic research, the formation of ideas, joint design and testing on users. The “research studio” method includes:
- ethnographic research of target groups of users at home and study of local culture;
- getting feedback and developing ideas;
- hypothesis testing and joint design;
- business case modeling and roadmap compilation.
Good practice, although, according to the employees themselves, difficult for researchers. Five days of intense research and design work in Mexico and Brazil. This is where the main users of the Myriad messenger reside.
The study made it possible to identify the main direction of product development - group chat. The concept of a “sponsorship channel” was developed: a mechanism for downloading digital content to a general chat. Users have previously shared content with YouTube and other social services - the sponsorship channel has made this content closer to the user. A monetization system was developed that differed from the classic advertising model of well-known social networks.
Two months later, the application was launched on Android, and the company saw a significant increase in subscriptions. At the end of 2014, the messenger audience had 140 million registered users. The version of the “sponsor channel” has already been launched on iOS. The study also developed a roadmap for the messenger, which includes the further development of the concept of monetization and a strategic transition from the chat application to the social media platform. Now we are working on the organization of new research for the launch of the messenger in the US and some African countries.
* * *
As case studies show, interview and observation become the main methods in this situation. The reason is that it is rather difficult to identify cultural features: it is necessary to both listen and observe. To the professionalism of researchers there are increased requirements. These are very complex projects - the team must see and understand the cultural characteristics, fix them and convey to developers, who need to take into account relevant factors when creating products. An interesting example of qualitative research in this situation is provided by the case of the Head company: the project team carried out a rather complicated research in the shortest possible time. Although the “research studio” method requires very hard work from the team, and its effectiveness depends on the qualifications of the researchers: to understand even a small part of the foreign culture is a very difficult task.
Summarizing what has been said: in the situation of developing an IT product for a new, unfamiliar local market, project teams apply a qualitative methodology to identify cultural characteristics that may affect the practice of using the product. Such projects are very difficult to implement: the organization of the study requires significant financial investments, and increased demands are placed on the professional competencies of the team. The main research methods here are interviews and observation, traditionally used by social researchers to understand a different culture.
All parts of the article: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/307442/
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