E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Dr. Derek Nicoll

'Electronic commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society'

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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My main research project over the last 10 years:

The role and situating of new technology from the consumer perspective and experience:

i.e. ‘smart’ products and new communications systems, shaping and in turn being shaped, by the routines and practices of people in their everyday life at work and at leisure

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Research and other Projects

Cambridge Interactive Television Trial (1993-1997)

Project Newspad (1995-1997)

Design Council/Edinburgh University Management School ‘Towards Information Intensive Products’ (1996 - 1999)

24hourworld Ltd. (1999-2001)

ICSTM- NexTV - Developing New Business Models for Interactive Television (2001-2002)

I-Tv’96 use of web for advertising/booking (1996)

I-Tv News - Online newsletter collaboration with CARAT - (1996-2001)

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Beyond technology - business

Firms are broadening the range of products and services on offer-

Outsourcing-Creating new value propositions-

Strategic alliances-Becoming virtual organisations-

Extending global reach-Desire to get closer to customers-

Customising products and services-Merging, acquiring and demerging-

New competition from new entrants in established markets-

Emerging business and organisational trends

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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The rise of the ‘24 Hour society’ - Ever wider choice in goods and services-

People’s lack of time - Changing demographics -

Individualism-Ageing populations -

Emphasis to adapt andassimilate ideas quicker-

Demand for new experiences- Easier access to travel -

Wider exposure to global influences - New tastes, new habits-

Emerging markets societal, cultural and consumer trends

Beyond technology - people

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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The user-consumer the four dimensions

Technology

Connectivity

Content & Services Usage - periods,

frequency, patterns of use

Usability and usefulness - the relevance, benefits, pleasure and experience

Use, who, what, why and when

Usability - how easy and convenient to operate, how intrusive, how invasive

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USEFULNESSHow valuable the product is and becomesrelevant to existing and evolving activities

USAGEThe patterning of use shaped

by contexts

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USEFULNESS

relevant to existing and evolving activities

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

Page 9

Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USEFULNESSHow valuable the product is and becomesrelevant to existing and evolving activities

The patterning of use shapedby contexts

resistance

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

Page 10

Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USAGEThe patterning of use shaped

by contexts

resistance

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

Page 11

Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USEFULNESSHow valuable the product is and becomesrelevant to existing and evolving activities

resistance

USAGEThe patterning of use shaped

by contexts

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

Page 12

Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USEFULNESSHow valuable the product is and becomesrelevant to existing and evolving activities

resistance

USAGEThe patterning of use shaped

by contexts

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

Page 13

Contextual usability - unpacking the use process

USEIndividual and particular

situations and circumstances of use

USABILITY

How easy and satisfying theproduct is to access and use –

qualities of the technology

USEFULNESSHow valuable the product is and becomesrelevant to existing and evolving activities

resistance

USAGEThe patterning of use shaped

by contexts

User experience

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Considering ‘e’ from the user perspective

What continues to be

the basic value proposition

of e-, t-, and m-commerce over

traditional forms of commercial activity?

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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making convenient a vast variety of goods, information and services

. . . through

multiple platforms - PC, TV, telephone, mobile devices, Microwaves? . . .

. . . from local - and where

appropriate - global sources

The promise

24 Hours everydayMaking them

available

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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*Technology within the rise of the 24-hour society (Kreitzman BT and First Direct study)

* Users and businesses leveraging the opportunities

of the global 24-hour world via the internet *An increased interest by technology developers of users’ everyday routines, tastes, habits and lifestyles over 24 hour cycles - the search for new uses for chips

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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The driving force of any economy is the allocation and direction of scarce resources. In most economies to date the focus has been on material goods . . .

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Where this was solely gold, precious stones, tea, salt or money . . . Now included is intangibles such as time:

*That most enduring and pervasive human quality- unless we’re bored we never have enough

*Getting and maintaining people’s attention (eyeballs)

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Deliver, develop, from the user perspective: eliciting, emphasising and facilitating 24 hour opportunities to:

inform, entertain, buy, sell, advertise,

procure, supply, connect,

contact, unite, affiliate, produce and manufacture

and many other activitiescurrently

practised in some other way,

or yet to be known

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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There are two basic ways in which to begin providing for a “24hourworld”*The business systems approach: To create added value by re-engineering business processes and supply chains. Innovation here considers how to automate and streamline procurement, ordering, manufacturing, supply and distribution. Benefit: Can lead to time and cost savings for firms and consumers. Problems: system may not meet he requirements or expectations of future users and partners

*The consumer orientated approach: To endeavor to capture what people use and do in their everyday lives at home and at work and to bring such knowledge to bear in the design of new technologies and systems. Done properly this can lead to more ‘meaningful’ ‘natural’ (and thus more successful??) technologies. Benefit: Can lead to new technologies and services more sympathetic to the needs and requirements of people as they conduct their everyday lives. Problems: can be difficult to elucidate implicit user needs and requirements

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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The problem of learning from the user-consumerAs with many new (radical) innovations there can be a difficulty in elucidating or even using user needs and requirements to guide innovation:

Regarding demand for new media:

NO NEED

NO USE (Punie, 1999)

A recent survey carried out by Radio Rentals revealed that over 25% of Britons had not heard of digital TV, 60% had not heard of set top boxes, and 80% did

not know that digital TV will eventually be phased out completely.

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Adventure -

Food -

Style -

Sports -

Kids -

Wellbeing -Gardening-

News -

Cars -

Property -

Products/services Axis -Different products required over 24hour cycles

one time zone, one

person, their day, their

‘24hourworld’

Time

Demand for, and supply of, different goods, services

information etc. across 24hour cycles

Local, globally or temporally accessible

Within the home 24hoursOutside the home 24hours Edinburgh

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Adventure -

Food -

Style -

Sports -

Kids -

Wellbeing -Gardening-

News -

Cars -

Property -

Products/services Axis -Different products required over 24hour cycles

one time zone, one

person, their day, their

‘24hourworld’

Time

Demand for, and supply of, different goods, services

information etc. across 24hour cycles

Local, globally or temporally accessible

Within the home 24hoursFrankfurt

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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*Increased technical performance has given rise to and prompted the development of software which takes advantage and utilizes new prowess. This creates a momentum which is to varying degrees independent of any direct business or end-user need (i.e. Sharrock and Anderson, The user as a scenic feature of the design space and Grudin, . . . designers are less able to grasp "user logic", tending more to rely on more familiar and immediate "logics" that are useful in other problem-solving arenas, such as software or interface design problems.)

*But the future suggests technologies which become ‘smarter’ thus more personal and intimate, this intrinsically drives the need for more (personal and intimate) knowledge of the prospective user, their individual differences, their idiosyncrasies. How are they to be codified and then represented by technical and service function?

*consumer and market research policy is to large extent undeveloped compared to technology acquisition and implementation

E-commerce and the promise of a 24-hour society

May 8th, 2002

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Ongoing research:

—How to assist managers to understand technology from the customer experience - its potentials and possibilities to organise, assist, surprise and delight important areas - banking, mobile ‘lifestyle’ technologies, flexible contracts

—Most importantly; realise how human and socio-cultural trends - such as the rise of the ‘always-on’ society and the ‘24-hour world’ begin to ‘cocoon’ people. They drive new needs independent of and dependent upon emerging technology

—Understand potential use value against richer and deeper understandings of possible and actual use contexts