The Opportunity
In personal technology, design is as important a factor as functionality. Devices become fashion accessories and must align with a person’s lifestyle. For a global brand, this not only means understanding different generations, but knowing cultural differences as well.
Motorola needed a 360-degree view of cellular phone users to guide the strategic design direction of their next generation of cell phone products.
Our Contribution
We designed an approach to make cell phone users come alive for the designers. We led a team comprised of Motorola team members from around the world, top-notch design firms, product engineers, and researchers. To facilitate collaboration within this diverse group, we developed an extranet that communicated findings and insights in real time.
We observed callers in their homes and on the road.
We used a variety of methods to enrich learning and to provide a full range of perspectives. From Brazil to China, we observed callers in their homes and videotaped them on the road. We asked them to photograph their busy lives to reveal nuances and to enhance subsequent interviews. We also spoke with management and industry experts. To hone design direction, we conducted one-on-one interviews with consumers to gather reactions to new prototypes.
The Results
This process provided a rich visual and conceptual understanding of customer segments around the globe, resulting in a well-rounded lifestyle segmentation of cell phone users. As a result, a brand compass was developed which showed Motorola the interrelationships among its cell phone brands and a clear direction for future design.