Quite simply, how do people think about getting rid of stuff?
Challenge we were trying to solve:
A Seattle-based startup developing a mobile app targeting young adults looking to decultter. What would be the difference maker for these future users?
The research approach and methods used:
Used Value DiscoveryTM research, a method developed by Alan Albert of MarketFit, to identify the top values of a target demographic through user interviews. In most instances of Value DiscoveryTM, clients’ values a priori don’t match the actual uncovered values we determine from end users. In some cases, they are markedly different. I assisted in crafting research questions, led the recruiting and emailing, conducted 1-on-1 interviews, and joined with MarketFit to deliver the analysis and presentation to the client.
One or two key learnings:
User values evolved over different phases while getting rid of stuff. For example, the most prominent value driving an awareness of decluttering was a desire to live a sufficiently minimal lifestyle, while after getting rid of something, the most important value was knowing someone who got good use out of it. It would suggest the customer values change throughout their journey of getting rid of stuff, and good product and marketing will respond in kind to different parts of this user journey.
Impact of our research findings on design or strategies:
The company became much clearer on their product’s shape and direction and hired a team of designers to develop a mobile app from our recommendations. The app was on the Apple App Store.
Date
Jan 14, 2016
