Barry-Kahn
Innovation
Observation and Needfinding
Some questions we want you to answer:y
1. What stories will you share with your family and friends?
2 What are some contradictions2. What are some contradictions– people say one thing and do another– a product or service that is not consistent with its message
3. Why are people drinking or carrying water?
4. What’s wrong with tap water, if anything?
Who are we
Who are we>Forwardpoint
We work with teams of
– marketersa ete s– designers– engineers
social scientists– social scientists
Who are we>Forwardpoint
Doing research and Needfinding for…
Who are we>Forwardpoint
Technology innovation
Who are we>Forwardpoint
Design strategy
Who are we>Forwardpoint
New product development
Who are we>Forwardpoint
For a variety of companies
Today we are goingToday we are going t i ti tto investigate OObservation and Needfinding.
Wh Ob ti ?Why Observation?
The heart of innovation…
Understanding peopleg p p
Especially p ycustomers
dand users
Patricia Moore
Observation is key to that yunderstanding
Observation tells youy
Triggers of usegg
Observation tells you
Interactions with the use environment
y
Observation tells youy
Observation tells youy
Observation tells you
User workarounds
y
Observation tells you
Unarticulated
y
user needs
Observation tells you
Intangible
y
Intangible attributes of a product
Observation tells youy
Key stories aKey stories a product must communicate
Please find a partner.partner.
Using Play-Doh make aDoh, make a utensil to help your friend eat their favoritetheir favorite dish.
Having just created a newcreated a new product…
…what’s a good product?product?
Observation and the Needfindingthe Needfinding ProcessProcess
Abstract
Frameworks Imperatives
Analysis Synthesis
Observations Solutions
C tTell a new Figure out
Concrete storythe story
Needsgaps within a system ofa system of Use,Use, Usability and Meaning
Needfindingdiscovering opportunitiesopportunities byby recognizing those gaps
Innovationuses observationobservation andand Needfinding to…
Figure outFigure out the story…t e sto y
And tell aAnd tell a new onee o e
Use, Usability and Meaning, y g
A local story
MeaningMeaning
A local storyAcorn preparation as practiced by the Mono Indians of Fresno and Madera Counties till aboutMeaningand Madera Counties till about 1923
Black and White Oak acornsBlack and White Oak acorns provided all their “bread food”
Use, Usability and Meaning, y g
A local storyA local storyThis Indian woman is preparing acorn meal, a slow difficult process of pounding andprocess of pounding and grinding with a shaped stone
Use, Usability and Meaning, y g
A local storyA local storyShe is using a Community Mill, a large flat granite boulder with many holes which serve asmany holes which serve as mortars
Use, Usability and Meaning, y g
UseThe basic functionality of a product:
– explicit need –work to be done– task to be solved –what it has to do
Use
UsabilityyRepresents aspects of a product that give the user access to the Use:
Physical ergonomics– Physical ergonomics– Cognitive sense
UsabilityUse
Use and Usabilityy
UsabilityUse
MeaninggCultural stories communicating:
– organizing frames– emotional resonance– emotional resonance– expectations
UsabilityUse
Meaning
Meaningg
“It i h d ti i j b
Imagine an interview about making bread food from acorns:• “It is a hard, time-consuming job
for us.”• “From the village...to this
boulder we have always come yto sit and work. We sit and pound acorns, gossip, scold the children and make food for our tribe.”
UsabilityUse• “The children play nearby and can hear our stories and songs.”
• “To pass the time, we tell stories and sing the songs of our
Meaning
and sing the songs of our people and how they live in the world.”
• “The acorn is mother to us all d hi i h iand this stone is where we give
her life and she gives us life”
Meaningg
UsabilityUse
Meaning
NeedsNeeds are gaps within Use, Usability and Meaning
We innovate by creating experiences that bridge these y g p ggaps
UsabilityUse
Meaning
The Basic Idea
The Basic Idea
We listen to the stories people tell us
The Basic Idea
We observe what people do
The Basic Idea
We listen to the stories people tell us about what they doy
The Basic Idea
Look for needs:disconnects workarounds contradictionsUse, Usability and MeaningMeaning
and askand ask
why?why?
The Basic Idea
We then help conceptualize new solutions to fit thosesolutions to fit those needs
The Basic Idea
When asked to build a bridge…what do you do?
Let’s unpack some of yoursome of your portable pwater observations.
Barry-Kahn
Innovation
Through Customer Centered Design