Through the eyes of a researcher, or a step back that moves forward.
Natalia Slowikowska
Czego firmy spodziewają się po badaniach? Jakie jest wyobrażenie świata biznesu na temat możliwości badawczych? I co najbardziej zaskakuje przedsiębiorców w tym obszarze? Opowiada Natalia Słowikowska, badaczka, analityk trendów, socjolożka.
What is the most common and biggest surprise of entrepreneurs after the first conversation with a researcher?
Before I answer, I will point out that the companies I work with whether at Lab or Concordia are open to research. Although everyone imagines them in their own way. I've noticed that my interlocutors become animated when I start talking about the research itself and what we can achieve using different methods, such as ethnography, and how the results can influence the work on their product or service. This is often due to the fact that research, for many, is still synonymous only with participation in a survey or election polls. In fact, the spectrum in which we move is surprisingly broad for entrepreneurs.
What then is ethnographic research?
In a nutshell: it's getting to know consumers in their natural environment, that is, in the world they live in and create. Importantly, it is a real world, not a declared one. Ethnography, is the discovery of the rituals of daily life associated with a product or service, behavior patterns and emotions accompanying the activities performed. We immerse ourselves in the world of consumers - we observe them, ask for photo/video documentation of given areas of the day, talk to them. All this is done to understand them and diagnose their needs, even the unconscious ones. Thanks to this, we are able to develop recommendations that will allow us to create a product that will not only solve problems in a real way, but will also prove to be "friendly" to use.
Can you give an example?
Let's take something simple. Let's assume that the product is a lamp. What consumers might expect differently from a lamp created for a living room, and what they might expect from a lamp placed over a kitchen island. We must consider not only the design and color scheme, but also the material from which it is made, its functionality - the ability to hang it at the right height, the placement of light sources and the regulation of its intensity. Appropriate adjustment of product features, highlighting its attributes is possible only if we know the needs and expectations of potential consumers. Acquiring insights and adapting the product to the recommendations that flow from them should not be treated as backtracking on the process axis. This research protects the manufacturer from incurring large costs to produce a lamp that does not meet the expectations of the target group. This is product development, not a design coup. And this is exactly what I try to convey to our customers already in the initial discussions. I have to admit that the companies with whom we are establishing cooperation are open-minded and are increasingly showing interest in supporting us in the research area.
You mentioned that there are different perceptions about cooperation in the research field. What beliefs about this issue persist?
One of my tasks is to introduce the customer to our possibilities. They are wide, but they are not infinite. For example, there is often opposition to the Polish market in the form of the world market. Especially if luxury goods are involved. We then have to think together about what "foreign" is in this case and find a more specific target group.
During this meeting, I talk about how I can help, but most importantly, I also get to know the clients' needs. The starting point of our cooperation is to put ourselves in the market/situational context, to find benchmarks.
So the research also requires a commitment from the company being studied? It seems that these activities are not happening next door. It's not like you come with a ready-made result and a prescription: you should do this and that.
Yes, definitely. I always encourage our clients to get involved in the research process. I stand by an approach called brand-engagement, but based and grounded in understanding the user. Without this, a lasting and effective relationship between the brand and the consumer cannot be established. The opportunity to participate in research, from co-creating the concept, through direct contact with the user - the potential customer, to participating in the testing of a new solution is a priceless chance to hear the voice of the consumer and understand the market. Involvement of the client company in the research is also a chance to acquire new research skills, which can then be used or applied in subsequent projects and processes implemented in the company.
You work with start-ups. Their products often introduce innovative solutions and functionalities. In their case, setting a benchmark may not be enough. How does research help in similar situations?
Here the key is the client's needs, both realized and unconscious, but also the broader context. It is important to remember that we study not only the current market situation. We also analyze the directions in which the market is changing and developing. By doing so, we help avoid unadapted products/services and their failure to adapt to the impact of the latest trends. Such ignoring of signals of change has been fatal for many brands, including giants. The flagship example is certainly Kodak, whose power ended with the expansion of digital photography.
Concordia Design comprehensively supports the business development of its clients. In turn, LAB150 is not only a research space, but also a prototyping room
The capabilities of LAB150 complement and encapsulate our offerings in research as well. Lab150 supports our entire alphabet of services. The prototyping center makes it possible to test a product even before the production line is launched. This is another stage during which we accompany the customer. We study not only the market and demand, but also the prototype, and improving it means even more chances of the customer's success.
