1. A Designers Guide to Research
by Ron Newman

2. Sometimes I am led to think that research into customer
behaviour is almost anti design taking away the intuitive
thinking of the designer who responds to a well thought out
design brief or a perceived need; sometimes I think that if we
just respond to what the customer thinks he or she wants then
there will be no new ideas because customers are renowned
for only thinking in the context of what already exists. In this
lecture I wish to cause you to think about consumer research
and how it does or does not drive design.

3. We constantly come across consumer research that may or
may not be flawed and as designers we will have to find our
way through it, Recently I found: Consumer Research
Roundup: 7 Studies Explaining Why You Buy, Why You Have
No Free Time, and Why a Designer Good Purchase Can
Snowball: theories as to why the layout of IKEA stores is so
damn confusing, and why the presence of a Walmart in a
neighbourhood may have caused the locals to gain weight.

4. We are told that studies indicate that …
Walmart makes you fat. Two economists traced a decade’s
worth of health and population data (between 1996 and 2005),
and found that the opening of a Walmart supercenter
coincided with a weight gain of 1.5 pounds for the average
person living nearby, and the obesity rate rose 2.3%. (One
question: How much did the overall obesity rate go up during
that same time period?)

5. We are told that studies indicate that …
The “last-name effect” makes one more eager to buy. If a
surname begins with an end of the alphabet letter (R to Z),
then these people have become accustomed to standing on the
back of the line since grade school. Research indicates the
result of this wait-your-turn, there are consumers who have
never gotten over the feeling of losing out and not getting first
pick, who decide to purchase goods much faster with less
thought than their early-in-the-alphabet counterparts.

6. We are told that studies indicate that …
IKEA is designed to be confusing—to spur on impulse buying.
UK theories say that the zig-zagging, maze-like design of IKEA
stores is intentionally confusing. Picture the typical IKEA
customer who stumbles upon an item that seems somewhat
interesting. Scared that they will never be able to find their way
back through the maze and find the item later, they pick it up
even before being sure they really want it. That’s exactly what
IKEA wants to happen.

7. We are told that studies indicate that …
The more you earn, the more you feel pressed for time.
People don’t necessarily feel rushed based strictly on the ratio
of hours worked versus free time. Instead, studies show that a
rise in income generally coincides with a rise in time pressure,
and it’s not just because people who make more have to work
more; because sometimes, they don’t. The idea is that as
people earn more, they value their time more, and therefore
they’re more likely to get stressed about a lack of time.
$$

8. We are told that studies indicate that …
High-end logos sales actually grew more prominent during the
recession. The widespread assumption was that flashy,
conspicuous consumer behavior was distasteful during the
heart of the recession. A more subdued approach was called
for! However between January 2008 and May 2009, Gucci and
Louis Vuitton made the brand logos on their handbags even
more pronounced and identifiable, according to marketing
researchers who undertook a study.

9. We are told that studies indicate that …
You will spend money to gain social acceptance. In a series of
experiments, participants who felt socially ostracized were
more likely to buy goods that made them feel like part of a
group, such as a school spirit wristband. When paired with a
partner, those who had been made to feel socially excluded
were also more apt to buy whatever the partner wanted to
buy.
Read more: http://business.time.com/2011/02/28/consumer-research-roundup-7-studies-explaining-why-you-buy-why-you-have-no-free-time-and-
why-a-designer-good-purchase-can-snowball/#ixzz2PwCfdRfg
$$

10. This lecture on Research of the consumer and consumer
market is broadly based on a paper written by Scott
Young, President of Perception Research Services in New
Jersey, USA. Scott Young regularly authors articles on
packaging and point-of-sale research for publications
such as Brand Packaging, Package Design, Marketing at
Retail and The Design Management Journal.

11. Scott Young believes that to too many designers, the word
"research" conjures up visions of their work dissected by
housewives turned art directors - or being buried in a
mind - numbing sea of numbers and data tables.
However, Scott believes as marketers recognise the
power of design, consumer research is playing a larger
role in the development and assessment of all forms of
design, from packaging and point - of - purchase to direct
mail, logos and Websites.

12. In fact, many designers are realising that documenting the
value of their work (via consumer feedback) is critical to
earning the respect, recognition (and income) they
deserve. Unfortunately, many researchers have limited
experience in working with design - and are unable to
provide designers with the actionable, constructive
feedback they need. With this problem in mind, Scott
offers several observations and suggestions for insuring
accurate, insightful consumer feedback.

13. Mistakes that often compromise the value of research:
Using Research Only as a "Disaster Check"
Far too often, customer research is used only as a
"disaster check" before investing in a new design system,
rather than a source of insight and guidance throughout
the design process. Actionable research should take
place prior to creative work. Better understanding of
consumers’ priorities and shopping patterns - the
strengths and limitations of current designs can clarify
objectives.

14. Mistakes that often compromise the value of research:
Using Focus Groups to Make Final Decisions
While focus groups are much maligned, they remain the
fastest, most cost-efficient way to speak with consumers.
They also have several advantages relative to surveys, in
that they offer a "hands-on" experience for designers (via
one-way mirror) - and the flexibility to discuss many
design alternatives and communication issues. For these
reasons, focus groups will always remain popular.

15. Mistakes that often compromise the value of research:
Using Focus Groups to Make Final Decisions
Unfortunately, focus groups are often misused to make
final assessments and "go/no-go" design decisions. This
is a mistake, due to the relatively small number of
customers involved and the nature of the focus group
setting. By definition, focus groups involve forced,
extended exposure to designs outside the context in
which they will appear in real life.

16. Mistakes that often compromise the value of research:
Using Focus Groups to Make Final Decisions
Scott Young gives the example of focus group participants
who consistently praised an attractive new package for a
leading brand of vinegar. When the new packaging hit the
stores, sales dropped immediately and sharply. Studies
revealed shoppers had difficulty finding the new package
on shelves, and many loyal users mistakenly believed the
new design indicated an unwanted change in the product
itself.

17. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Guidelines for Effective Design Research
Given the need for survey research, Scott Young says the
challenge is to insure that research provides accurate,
insightful and actionable feedback. Certainly, there is not
a single "formula" for doing so. Research programs
should be customised to address specific marketing and
design objectives - rather than "forcing" each design into
a standardised methodology and set of measures.

18. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Representative Design Stimulus
The quickest way to kill a good idea is to show it to
consumers before its time. Designers are often forced to
submit rough sketches for use in quantitative studies, with
predictable (i.e. negative) results. This is also an
enormous challenge in research related to structural
design, as the cost of making functional prototypes or
simulating retail environments is often prohibitive.

19. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Representative Design Stimulus
Computer - based design stimulus does not always
provide acceptable resolution and colour fidelity. While
there aren't any easy solutions, it is important that
designers work with clients and researchers to ensure
that the stimulus "does justice" to their concepts. It is
better to have agreed design stimulus before the study
than a disputed and/or misleading findings.

20. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
A Monadic Research Design (Avoid "Beauty Contests")
The most accurate findings and insights come from
monadic studies, in which each person is shown only one
design option for a product or brand - and responses from
the people who saw Design A are later compared to those
from people who saw Design B or Design C. "Beauty
contests” in which several design options are shown and
compared don’t work.

21. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
A Monadic Research Design (Avoid "Beauty Contests")
When people see several designs for the same brand, they
tend to lose their perspective as consumers evaluating
brands and products; and instead simply pick the most
attractive design. Unfortunately, the most attractive design
system is not always the most effective design, as it may
fail to communicate key product benefits and/or reflect
desired brand imagery.

22. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Measures of Visibility and Consideration
In nearly all instances, designers are given a fixed amount
of space and challenged to create materials which gain and
hold consumers’ attention. This first hurdle, gaining
consideration, should not be taken for granted. Scott
Young’s research indicates people typically spend under 10
seconds at most grocery categories, and typically fail to see
and consider over 1/3 of the brands in each category.

23. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Measures of Visibility and Consideration
For a design system to be effective, it must break through
clutter (a crowded shelf, a group of signs, a series of
products), hold attention long enough to give a message.
Design research has to involve behavioural research.
Forcing people to consider a design and asking their
opinion fails to account for the reality of the viewing
experience, and only gets half of the communication story.

24. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Actionable Diagnostic Guidance
Research should assist design rather than merely assess it.
It is a mistake to reduce research to a "scorecard" of pre-
determined standards, to replace a comprehensive study
with "simulated shopping.” Young found comprehensive
studies addressing "hurdles" to effective design (visibility,
aesthetic appeal, design attributes, brand perceptions) likely
to identify diagnostic guidance for "fine-tuning" designs.

25. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Using Design Research as a Source of Competitive
Advantage
While few designers question the value of speaking with
consumers, only a few designers have a full, systematic
commitment to research. Consumer insight remains one
way in which designers can distinguish themselves from
competitors, enhancing and documenting the effectiveness
of their work.

26. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
View Research as a Resource, Rather than a Threat
The key to using research constructively is gathering
consumer feedback throughout the design process. For
some designers, this means exploring pre-design research
and qualitative research early in the design process. For
others, it involves moving beyond focus groups, to gather
the insights which only survey research can provide.

27. Positive measures to realise the value of research:
Incorporate Research within Project Planning
Finally, Scott Young says the major barrier to conducting
research properly is frequently timing, rather than budget
constraints. If research is not built into design schedules
from the beginning, it is rare that clients can find the 3 to 4
weeks needed for a study. Coordinating research from the
beginning, to incorporate research into proposals and
project timelines, is critical to using research effectively.

28. And so the previous pages offer some summaries into how
design research is approached in the market place and it is
clear that the role of consumer research is still much argued
and that there are differing views on the accuracy of the
outcomes of the research. What is not in doubt is that a
design brief informed by a real understanding of the market
requirements will always help the designer to a better result.

29. A Designers Guide to Research
by Ron Newman