Methods
As part of the research and design process, we use a variety of methods including ethnographic research to uncover the psychology and find innovative ways that will connect clients with your organisation. Here are some of our favourites:
Shadowing
What it is
Shadowing serves to gain meaningful insights into people and their experience through exploring various phenomena in a natural environment. We observe behaviour and the interactions as they occur. If informal conversations evolve, it will be possible to participate in the activities. It's one way to get close to the action and to get a feel for how things are perceived by the customers.
What you get
Shadowing helps us understand how people really use your service/ offerings and then identify the gaps. For that matter we take notes of their interactions, gestures and comments. We then document our impressions with a series of photos and notes.
Visitor Authorship
What it is
With increased self-broadcasting opportunities, recording hardware and the sheer fact that at the heart of human nature is a side that loves to express itself, visitor authorship allows everyone to reflect on their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. We see it as a means of capturing uninterpreted emotional comments via online forums, blogs (facebook, you tube) or journals sent to participants with a specific brief on how and when they should be used.
What you get
Finding out what people truly think, but may not say publicly, what's causing a lot frustration and where they encounter problems can be a real eye-opener – the issues to be tackled are now obvious that we must find practical solutions for.
Laddering Interview
What it is
Laddering differs from other qualitative methods as it aims to reveal more about the emotional values underlying the individual's purchasing behaviour and brand choice. With today's saturated marketplace it's important to understand the reasons people have for making choices based on product characteristics or service functions (and their consequences). Through in-depth interviewing we get to dig deep into the more personal aspects and values of the individual's relationship with the product/service and how customer satisfaction can best be met.
What you get
We conduct interviews with several different types of people in order to achieve a broad array of insights from which we produce a schematic ladder linking product attributes, consequences and values. The interviews are recorded and transcribed for analysis to ensure authenticity.
Treasure hunt
What it is
When hitting a stumbling block in the design process, we seek inspiration and stimulate creativity by submerging ourselves into the culture of your organisation and customers. We surround ourselves with people at selected locations and spend intensive time with them in their own social place, home or workspace. Just below the surface lay people's hidden secrets: their norms, etiquette, rules, expectations, stories and idiosyncrasies. The simple search for these "clues" inspires us to unlock the secret code to their fulfillment.
What you get
The treasure is a range of social interactions, reflections, personal stories etc. that inspire our creative endeavours.
Filming
What it is
Filming can add colour and depth as it captures ideas, opinions, real emotions and interactions that occur in a person's natural environment. There are no staged performances – we even send users out with cameras such as mobile phones which leave us with experiential and sensorial insight into the participant's life.
What you get
Using video as a medium is a way to review footage of the customers, staff and participants from their respective viewpoints which can in turn uncover valuable insights.
Experience mapping
What it is
The Experience Map identifies the tangible touchpoints in which customers come directly into physical contact with the organisation/brand and form impressions of its quality and service. – It highlights the ways in which the experience is engaging or identifies areas that fail to make a service work as well as it could.
By "touchpoints" we refer to the interactions between the environment, employees, produ ct, and customers. Whether it's getting advice from the Mac-expert floor staff, a personal shopper or by walking along a museum floor, they all involve emotional states or physical tasks. By analysing all of these touchpoints/ interactions that occur over the entire journeyed experience and then drawing the resulting relationships we can form a comprehensive mental model of the experience.
What you get
Experience mapping helps you capture all touchpoints and understand how they currently work together. Visualising a whole network of relationships gives us a "way-in" to finding new touch-points and opportunities for improvement to redefine and redesign the interactions and service. The ultimate goal is to reinforce the brand.
Visual Journalism
What it is
When generating a large stock of ideas in group-thinking sessions, we capture the key messages that are communicated using words and images. We know it's easy to lose track of the "big picture" so by bringing a keen ear, a creative approach and a sense of playfulness, we'll help draw the best out of people by bringing together their needs and ideas. It's also a great way to engender a sense of belonging and ownership as they see the outcome of their brainstorming session turning into real-world solutions.
What you get
It is a use of visual communication to engage, connect, and inspire people. The visual summary of the day will serve as a reminder of what was presented or discussed.
Co-creation
What it is
Sharing and turn-taking is something we all enjoy with each other and that brings together the needs and opinions of different individuals. We invite the local community, stakeholders, employees and customers to collaborate and change the ways things are done inside the firm. We understand that they are your biggest supporter and make the choices (decisions) that reflect their view of value. Co-creation is often run in workshops or online discussion forums where people can connect, share ideas and innovate with people beyond the traditional four walls of the organisation. We strive for an atmosphere where each individual can share the adventure and excitement of working with each other.
What you get
Co-creation turns your customers and the people within the company into active participants, engaging them in a continuous development of new experiences. It provides a platform for people to be inspired, evolve design in the future and engage with the community by being a part of something bigger than themselves.