Mental Models: How do we solve business problems from a customer-centric approach ?

How do we solve business problems from a customer-centric approach ?
?
Mental models

Using Design Tools

You need to understand your customer, more importantly understand the tasks that they do, feel and think – that’s right its that empathy thing again…

Ok, here's the deal…

Standard market segmentation techniques typically produce misleading results when trying solve a consumer problem that is unarticulated

Knowing more about customer preferences may help you sell to customers initially, but it doesn't really help you design innovative and intuitive business solutions for the long term

However, a task-based segmentation can help you create a more effective consumer study because you are getting behind the intentions of peoples actions

I have 4 top Design Tools
that I use over a 10 step Design Process to identify, analysis and design a customer centric solution…

These are simply...

These are simply...
1. Persona

These are simply...
1. Persona
2. Task/ Mental Model

These are simply...
1. Persona
3. Concept Design Scenario

These are simply...
1. Persona
…and my good friend

These are simply...
1. Persona
4. Prototype

Lets quickly review this process & the tools

1
Define Problem
?

1
2
Understand your segment
Define Problem
?

Taking the train
Buy ticket at station
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
1
2
List all segment tasks
Define Problem
?

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
1
2
Analysis & group tasks
Define Problem
?
#Group1Buy ticket at station
#Group2Walk to trainCheck weather
#Group3Read timetableTime

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
5
1
2
Create task-base personas
Define Problem
?

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
5
1
2
Define Problem
?
6
Create task Model

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
5
1
2
Define Problem
?
6
7
Run Task-base Personas modelling
Create task Model

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
5
1
2
Define Problem
?
6
7
8
Concept DesignScenario
Create task Model

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
5
1
2
Define Problem
?
9
6
8
7
Create task Model
Prototype until DVF

Taking the train
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
3
4
5
1
2
Define Problem
?
9
10
6
7
8
Create task Model
Documentrequirements
Prototype until DVF

Lets look at them in more detail...

Read timetable
Times
Read timetable
Park car at station
Walk to station
Walk to train station
1. Define Problem
5. Create task-base personas
2. Focus on your segment
4. Analysis & group tasks
3. List all segment tasks
Process step
?
Conducting contextual enquire - Using Step 2 segment definition PLUS the new task-based segment discovered in Step 4
We go out into THEIR WORLD and interview these people to discover their specific beliefs, philosophies, daily routines and actions. How they THINK, FEEL and DO
These contextual enquires allows us to create insight,empathy and our Personas
Conduct a task brainstorm (or t-storm). Based on your target segment and business problem, what are the task's) people do-think or feel before,during and after the event.
Once a task-list is created, we start to analysis the task and discover patterns, themes and common groups.
Define business problem or opportunity –to understand root problem or opportunity?
Review Stakeholders - ensure agreement and capture feedback and understanding of problem/opportunity.
Define & agree scope – to ensure everyone understand what will be delivered and what will not
Conduct market and competitive analysis - gain insight to what the market and competitive are going, if any
Task-analysis: Here we identify all the tasks and sub tasks and that your target segment.
Group tasks and name group by Affinity diagram: Sort and track tasks
Patterns emerging and we start to identify “Task-Base audience” segment best suited to business problem.
We NOW go out to interview this segment
Define & understand your target audience or segment - who are are we engaging and why? What characterises do this segment have? What is the opportunity? What are the key pain points? What location to they reside?
What does this mean
Possible audience segments
“ Concerned for safety and access“
people
“Travelling with load – kids, pram,
luggage, wheelchair, pets” people
“Need to be on time (Work)” people
“Try to avoid it” people etc
Focusing problemHow can City Rail effectively manage ‘overcrowding’ on its rail system
For NSW City Rail
their “target Segment”
are essentially:
“NSW Train passenger s”
For NSW City Rail
What do people do before,
during and after a train journey?
We brainstormed
ALL the tasks that
people perform.
Example

10. Documentrequirements
8. Concept Scenario Design
7. Task Modelling
9. Prototype until DVF
6. Create task Model
Process step
Prototype 5.2
This is where magic happens
Prototype allows us to explore and test our ideas within a specific step of the Concept Scenario.
The aim is to discover innovative ways to meet our Persona activity and determine whether they are DVF:
Desirable - will the Persona use it?
Viable - does it make commercial sense?
Feasible - do we have the technology/process, people? to run with this idea?
After the prototype is done and we have learnt, we start to clearly understand and document the solution..
A business requirement document is a communication tool that allows us tell stakeholders what is required, the scope, when it would be done, why and how.
It is also used to estimate cost or used as a blueprint for functional requirements.
In Task modelling we apply our Persona through the Tasks Model to test whether we are missing anything.
Again under each “Tower” we ask yourself what ways can we as a business support each task that our Persona is doing or thinking or feeling along the pathway.
We select business priority ‘Tower’ and explore in more detail possible solutions by creating a design ‘Concept Scenario‘.
A Concept Scenario is simply a storytelling tool allows us to visually see how our Persona will likely perform each activity in a new ‘improved’ world.
This document is the start of our business requirements
It is also used as stakeholder communication tool
We review the business priority and scope and narrow down our Personas
In creating the Mental Model/Task model we arrange the tasks in Step 4, and map each task out across the page.
Under each “Tower” or “Mental Space” we determine what ways we can support this users task.
What does this mean
City Rail Task Modelling
Taking 1 persona, “Nee to Be On
time’ Worker” we run through
ask Model to determine Task
missing and identify ways to
support Alan with his goal
City Rail Concept Scenario Design
Focusing on Alan’s one specific
Mental Space, we discover a
possible solution: pre-purchase
ticket and scenario play how this would be done
Here we prototype and mock up
screen of how the pre-purchase
ticketing solution would work. We
test this and refine.
WE determine Whether its:
Desirable, Viable or Feasible to run with the idea
This traditional method of documentation
requirements post prototype results. The
solution is further refined and cost and
implementation implications (e.g. system,
process, behaviour mapped) as well as
stakeholder review and sign off
Priority segments
“ Concerned Traveller”
“Travel challenged”
“Need to Be On time’ Worker”
Example

What more?

Here is a Mental Model I did of NSW City Rail to get behind the business problem of ‘overcrowding’. Mapping the model allows me to understand the context of which the business problem exist and indentify gaps, set priorities and discover amazing innovation concepts to prototype
Persona phase/step
Mental space
Detail list of persona ‘Tasks’(i.e. do, think, feel)
Possible business ways to support it
Page 2 of 11
Persona& Business Legend
Contextual enquires
Affinity Brainstorm

Looking at a specific mental space and listing possible ways we can support this task, starts to uncover potential solutions not visible before. By only focusing on a couple of mental spaces reveals some interesting insight and innovative solutions that where not easily visible before. These can be prototyped ASAP to determine desirability, viability and feasility.
To help with ‘Prepare for departure’for example,
Providing‘on-time’ announcements can help remove passenger concern
over wether the train is running late
Dive into a Mental Space of a Task Model

Idea # 1:
What if we introduced an ‘e-ticket’ system allowing passengers to pre-purchase their ticket online and visit their station to print it? How would this look like?
High level task
Key goal of task
Recap on persona
Design principles
Explore single Mental space further
Mock up screen or process
Description of how the persona would perform the task
Task Model
How the business will support it and changes required
Concept Scenario
How do you create this?
Taking the single or group of mental space(s), we narrow in and explore the way further and detail next level of task and determine possible idea to support this persona task.
Key inputs:
Task Model, Persona.

Prototype allows us to explore possible ideas by looking at a specific step within a Concept Scenario. The idea is to discover innovative ideas and determine whether they are DVF: Desirable (will the Persona use it?), Viable (does it make commercial sense?) and Feasible (do we have the technology/process, people?) to run with this idea?
Explore rapid prototype designs
Looking at a specific
Step of the Concept Design
Prototype possible solutions
Explore a single action step in more detail
Prototype solution evaluated against DVF
Prototyping is a great way to communicate the intent of a design both clearly and effectively. Prototypes help you to flesh out design ideas, test assumptions, and gather real-time feedback from users.
Key inputs:
Concept Scenario, Task Model, Persona

Idea # 2:
What if we introduced a system that displays capacity allowing passengers to determine next best service before or during train arrival similar to major shopping centre car parking assistance
Shopping centre car
park assist
Display allows passengers to spread across the platform to freer carriages
Display same information BEFORE enter into station
Provide information for next train services and capacity via web and mobile BEFORE enter into station

Once we have finished our prototype and learnt, we can be confident about the documentation of the enablers. Here we go into more detail as to what are the system, process, marketing and behavioural changes that are needed by the business to implement this solution?
The documentation is also used to confirm the scope, get stakeholder agreement and used for cost estimation and implementation
Business requirement is typical preformed by a business analysis .
Key inputs:
Concept Scenario, Output/learning of prototype

Thank you.
What more information or copies of templates?
Feel free to contact me
www.Frankichamaki.com

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Mental Models: How do we solve business problems from a customer-centric approach ?

by Franki Chamaki on Mar 07, 2010

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