Pragmatic Voice-of-the-Customer Research Discovering Unmet Market Needs Through Simplified Contextual Inquiry by John Law Product Management View Webinar September 19, 2007

What is “Contextual Inquiry”? Field studies observing users in their native environment Origins in ethnography (branch of anthropology) “ Go where the customer works, observe the customer as he or she works, and talk to the customer about the work.” Holtzblatt & Beyer Enables a thorough understanding of your target-users’ work practices Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Field studies observing users in their native environment

Origins in ethnography (branch of anthropology)

“ Go where the customer works, observe the customer as he or she works, and talk to the customer about the work.” Holtzblatt & Beyer

Enables a thorough understanding of your target-users’ work practices

Purpose of contextual inquiry “ If necessity is the mother of invention, then if you don't know what the users need you can't invent.” Dan Bricklin Use to... generate breakthrough new product ideas develop marketing strategies Don’t use for... quick and dirty projects narrow scope projects

“ If necessity is the mother of invention, then if you don't know what the users need you can't invent.” Dan Bricklin

Use to...

generate breakthrough new product ideas

develop marketing strategies

Don’t use for...

quick and dirty projects

narrow scope projects

The Iceberg What customer says they want What they really need Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

What you gain In-depth understanding of user needs Authoritative knowledge of your target market Clear perspective for establishing product development priorities Spotting compensatory behaviors Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

In-depth understanding of user needs

Authoritative knowledge of your target market

Clear perspective for establishing product development priorities

Spotting compensatory behaviors

Traditional contextual inquiry Team of people Travel to location 1-2 sessions per day Barriers to this method Resource intensive and expensive Time consuming for product managers Intrusive to customers/users Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Team of people

Travel to location

1-2 sessions per day

Barriers to this method

Resource intensive and expensive

Time consuming for product managers

Intrusive to customers/users

Pragmatic contextual inquiry Light-weight, accessible alternative for software products and web applications Advantages to this method Leverage internet-based utilities Automate recruiting and screening participants Observe remotely from the convenience of your office Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Light-weight, accessible alternative for software products and web applications

Advantages to this method

Leverage internet-based utilities

Automate recruiting and screening participants

Observe remotely from the convenience of your office

Methodology – 7 simple steps Plan Solicit participants Screen candidates Schedule sessions Observe online (and record) Closing interviews Summarize findings (use video snippets) Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Plan

Solicit participants

Screen candidates

Schedule sessions

Observe online (and record)

Closing interviews

Summarize findings (use video snippets)

Planning – Think it through Objectives Logistics & technology requirements Project schedule Participant profiles Recruiting approach Session protocol/outline Observation data collection template Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Objectives

Logistics & technology requirements

Project schedule

Participant profiles

Recruiting approach

Session protocol/outline

Observation data collection template

Recruiting participants Use targeted ads on user “watering holes” sites Emphasize that it entails no work, minimum effort, little time Enticement (typically some form of compensation) Don’t disclose your company’s name

Use targeted ads on user “watering holes” sites

Emphasize that it entails no work, minimum effort, little time

Enticement (typically some form of compensation)

Don’t disclose your company’s name

Screening candidates Use an online survey tool Include brief overview of study Maintain anonymity but establish legitimacy Collection minimal profile information Don’t ask for personal info except email address Include schedule to collect dates/times when candidate is available to participate Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Use an online survey tool

Include brief overview of study

Maintain anonymity but establish legitimacy

Collection minimal profile information

Don’t ask for personal info except email address

Include schedule to collect dates/times when candidate is available to participate

Sample screener survey Columbia University Dept. of Computer Science

Selection and scheduling Review survey response to select participants based on qualifications and schedule fit Generic email account (gmail, yahoo, hotmail) Assign session date/time Require confirmation Provide session access details Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Review survey response to select participants based on qualifications and schedule fit

Generic email account (gmail, yahoo, hotmail)

Assign session date/time

Require confirmation

Provide session access details

Sample email correspondence Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Observe and record Internet-based tools for remote observation Web conferencing services (Webex, LiveMeeting, etc.) UserVue from TechSmith Ethnio by Bolt | Peters (current getting a makeover) Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Internet-based tools for remote observation

Web conferencing services (Webex, LiveMeeting, etc.)

UserVue from TechSmith

Ethnio by Bolt | Peters (current getting a makeover)

UserVue observation console Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

UserVue user’s view

Benefits to your product portfolio Ease-of-use enhancements Ingenious differentiating features Innovative new product concepts Industry-shaping new-to-the-world break-through product categories Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Ease-of-use enhancements

Ingenious differentiating features

Innovative new product concepts

Industry-shaping new-to-the-world break-through product categories

Summary Simple, inexpensive market research In depth understanding of problem space Intimate awareness of user behaviors 19-Sept-2007 Software Product Management / Market Research / New Product Development

Simple, inexpensive market research

In depth understanding of problem space

Intimate awareness of user behaviors

Thank you John Law http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlaw Related resources Contextual Design by Holtzblatt and Beyer Rapid Contextual Design by Holtzblatt Voices into Choices by Burchill and Brodie Top 10 VoC Tools by Brian Ottum The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley (IDEO) New Products Management by C. Merle Crawford Product Development and Management Association (http://www.PDMA.org) Pragmatic Marketing (http://pragmaticmarketing.com/) Thank you to Ryma Technology Solutions (makers of FeaturePlan )

John Law

http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlaw

Related resources

Contextual Design by Holtzblatt and Beyer

Rapid Contextual Design by Holtzblatt

Voices into Choices by Burchill and Brodie

Top 10 VoC Tools by Brian Ottum

The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley (IDEO)

New Products Management by C. Merle Crawford

Product Development and Management Association (http://www.PDMA.org)

Pragmatic Marketing (http://pragmaticmarketing.com/)

Thank you to Ryma Technology Solutions (makers of FeaturePlan )