The Design Experience by Press Mike;Cooper Rachel;

Author:Press, Mike;Cooper, Rachel;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group

Figure 4.6 Sources of information for product planning and design Source: based on Walsh, V. et al (1992), Winning by Design, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p. 185.

As we will see later, formal MR is often too general, too imprecise and too reactive to help designers adapt products or come up with new concepts that predict future needs. The term ‘creative marketing’ has been used to describe MR techniques, which are more qualitative in nature, providing richer information on consumers’ views of products and alternative concepts. It involves teams of researchers, designers and consumers discussing product ideas before the brief is specified, and again when prototypes have been manufactured.

One method employed to elicit the views of consumers is the focus group. A group of typical users, usually around six to eight people, is brought together to assess an existing product or a new concept. Chaired by a facilitator, the group is encouraged to express and discuss their views and suggestions in an informal, open manner. A well-used method in new product development, focus group research was used by Tony Blair as a means of developing the principles and policies of ‘New’ Labour. Leaving aside the ethical question of whether political choices should be determined by market research, there are also questions concerning the efficiency of the focus group method and its inherent limitations.

Recent research conducted at Loughborough University has examined the involvement of designers in focus groups as a means of evaluating existing products.8 This concluded that there were clear benefits for designers in that their involvement increased their empathy with and understanding of end-users, and lifted their confidence in designing for diverse consumer groups. Useful design-related data was gained, although the process was time-consuming. However, one of the world’s leading specialists in usability research is more critical. According to Donald Norman, focus groups ‘reveal what is relevant at the moment, not about what might happen in the future. Users have great trouble imagining how they might use new products, and when it comes to entirely new product categories – forget it’.9 Norman makes a further point, that focus groups tap into the rational part of human behaviour, which is not necessarily consistent with actual human behaviour. In short, what people say they do and what they actually do are often very different.

This is especially true with children – they lie. This is not through any inherent dishonesty but, as any parent will tell you, children are notorious for providing adults with answers that they think the adults want to hear, rather than their real reaction. Giving them a prototype toy and asking their views on it is therefore an undependable method of research. Fisher Price in the USA has developed a system of research known as Playlab. The company takes a group of carefully selected children, places them in a room packed with new toys, and watches them play from behind two-way mirrors. The researchers soon discover which toys sustain interest and activity.

So, is this the secret to effective design? Just

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