Week 11: Revealing Gaps, Targets and Audiences for a New Product or Service Idea
Lecture Podcast: Dan Parry
Reflecting on Dan Parry's talk, it is clear that solid market research is crucial for launching anything successful. Dan breaks down several crucial points that work together to shape an effective marketing strategy.
Firstly, Dan explains understanding your audience isn't just about numbers; it's diving into what drives them – their goals, challenges, and desires. This insight helps tailor the product for the customer.
Dan stresses the importance of testing. Pointing out how Uber's early assumptions were a mix of hits and misses. This highlights the need to validate what you are assuming about your customers, product, and even yourself. Quick testing can uncover what really works.
Segmentation and personas play a role too. Figuring out who's making the decisions and who's using your product informs a smarter approach.
Using Qualitative research methods. Dan explains how both interviews and surveys give you a complete picture.
Dan's tips on questionnaires are practical. Keep questions clear and unbiased. Logic jumps make the data work harder, helping you see trends.
Lastly, Dan explains to read between the lines with data. You don't need to be a data whiz to understand patterns. This lets you see where the market is headed and where the gaps are.
Overall, the podcast makes it clear that smart market research is key for success of a product. Understanding your audience, testing your assumptions, and using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods can lead you to success.
Research task:
Reflect on what makes your idea for this brief unique.
What sets my graphic design pocketbook apart is its focus on growth for junior designers. While many design resources exist, this pocketbook stands out by tailoring its content to the needs of designers who are eager to grow rapidly in the field.
By offering a comprehensive step by step guide of fundamental design principles, it will equip readers with the tools to not just learn, but apply their knowledge immediately.
The integration of real-world examples, trend insights will further enhance its uniqueness.
Its pocket-sized format ensures accessibility anywhere, anytime, eliminating the need for a desk or a stable internet connection.
In essence, this pocketbook's unique value lies in its responsiveness of junior designers. It's not just a guide; it's a companion, and a catalyst for propelling junior designers towards quicker success in the graphic design industry.
2. Research examples of similar projects and key competitors, what makes yours different and stand out?
It is important to note that the initial version of the pocket notebook is a prototype. This booklet will be constantly evolving since we are living in a constantly developing world. What is relevant now may not be in a few years’ time.
Millan (2019) states that it is important to find out what the user thinks of the product. This seems obvious to me. Unless the user is asked for an opinion, change will not take place and as I want the pocketbook to be an essential tool for new graphic designers, I need to find out their opinions. Therefore, I will be asking the following questions:
What did they think of the booklet?
Is it user friendly?
What did they like or dislike about it?
Importantly, when should I ask these questions? Should this be something that I can ask after 6 months? I anticipate that someone new to graphic design will be able to get to grips with the common problems addressed in the booklet after doing a task a couple of times, so I think that 6 -8 months use will be sufficient time for the user to give good feedback. I need to think of who will initially use my prototype so that I can get feedback from one source at one time. Ideally, the booklet will be donated to a college, university or higher education establishment at the start of a course in order to get feedback at the end of the term.
The booklet will likely be updated every couple of years, but of course this is dependant on sales. Sales of the book will be a measure of success.
A design artifact should be a delightful experience for the user (Millan 2019). It should be pleasing to the eye.
Arango (2017) says that “artifacts are communication tools”. We need to be asking people what they need and know when to change things. This fits in with my plan to evaluate the booklet after 6-8 months.
It is common knowledge that the brain processes images better that text. Images are more pleasing to the eye (Masterclass 2023)
Fundamental aspects of visual design include the organisation of shape, colour, space, form, line value and texture (Masterclass 2023).
I think my booklet has many elements essential to good design. It is colourful, simple to use, makes good use of images. However, the book has to stand up to frequent use. The outer covers might be prone to damage and tearing. Perhaps they should be coated in plastic? I initially decided to remove the tabs from my booklet but on second thoughts it might be worthwhile keeping them is so that sections can be sought easily. If this is the case, then these will also need to be coated in plastic for durability. The binding has given me a lot of thought. I think a wire ring binder will be too flimsy and tear the pages so it will need to be properly heat bound. All of these changes will ensure that the booklet is more user friendly, and the user will not end up with a load of torn pages.
Text size has to be readable therefore I need to make sure that pages are not swamped with text that is difficult on the eye.
References:
• Millan L (2019) Four UX design artifacts that will help you in design challenges. www.topcoder.com Accessed 16/08/2023@ 10.22
•Masterclass (2023) Understanding the 7 elements of design www.masterclass.com accessed 16/08/2023@ 13.36
