ABOUT
In the project, the team was assigned by Samsung to provide product concepts that integrate features, UX, C&S and accessories into a compelling offer for users in Southeast Asia (SEA). Working as an product design intern at Continuum, this is the the first project I joined that focuses on product strategy and storytelling.
ROLE
Product strategy, interaction and industrial design
Competitive offerings are quickly growing in the mid to low price, 5-6” segment, which is favorable in unique SEA conditions.
Understand Context: Society, Economy, Technology and Market Condition
Growing land/air travel
Address needs in long commute (insufficient infrastructure) and air travel
Low baggage of the PC interface
With low PC penetration, provide benefits to help users bypass PC purchase
Aspirational factor
New and differentiated screen format encourage new ways of content creation and consumption
Productivity on the go
Growth of public Wi-Fi provides users more reliable and cheaper access to data for media consumption
MARKET CONDITION OVERVIEW
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Prepaid economy + carrier incentives encourage multi-SIM operation
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Low PC penetration + low fixed line internet access drive up mobile productivity
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Long waiting time + spotty connectivity = on-device entertainment
Build Empathy in Field Research with 23 Participants
In September 2012, we set out to uncover innovation opportunities for 5~6” mid tier smart devices in SEA markets, by conducting qualitative research in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Total of 23 respondents across professions, age groups, and tech literacy were studied.
Our activities include:
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Contextual and semi-structural interview
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Diary study
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Guided tours
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Retail visiting
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Shadowing commute
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Observation
The video summarizes our activities and findings in the field
Generate 4 Consumer Insights from Data and Analysis
Work: People want to get things done, but are constrained by their device(s).
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Mobile devices unable to satisfy productivity needs
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Device Limitations (battery, file transfer, input, display)
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Complexity in downloading and sharing content
Culture: People want to trade tips and share their devices, but not their secrets.
Large family cohabitate & share single smart device
Multi-generation household (intruding on privacy & knowledge gaps)
Multiple life identities on one device
Life: People want to run their operations with their devices, but are limited by their capabilities.
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Poorly managed client information
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Complexity over multiple jobs, phone/SIM operation
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Unable to quickly capture multiple types of information
Infrastructure: People want to achieve more with their time, but struggle with fragmented infrastructure.
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Increased land and air travel result in unwanted waiting time.
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Fragmented distractions during the day (Traffic jam, afternoon, after work)
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Poor wireless access when content is needed
How We Generate Insights: Data Analysis
Analyzing all the data gathered from the secondary research and the field work is always challenging. Started with the field work notes, we conceptualized and categorized all the key findings through affinity diagramming to reveal their intrinsic relationships. After many rounds of iterations, some common themes began to emerge, such as getting works done, sharing devices, infrastructure constrains, etc. We began generating assumptions and validates them through other sources of data, such as quantitative data from reports and bibliographies. Lastly, we created consumer stories to reinforce and better communicate the insights to stakeholders.
3 Identified Innovation Opportunities
Enhance Productivity on the Go
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Increased migration to mobile productivity
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Device Limitations (battery, file transfer, input, display)
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Wi-Fi hotspot gathering to trade tips & files
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Pirated content download and sharing
Enable Easy Sharing with Family & Friends
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Large family cohabitate & share single smart device
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Multi-generation household (intruding on privacy & knowledge gaps)
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Multiple life identities on one device
Provide Integrated Micro Business Tools
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Abundance of micro businesses in SEA
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Poor managed client information Multiple jobs, phone/SIM operation
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Need to quickly capture multiple types of information
The System Level Solutions
Constrains
Feature ideation happened at the same time with the opportunity categorization. We started with focusing on the painpoints found in user stories, and the 4 consumer principles. As we generated more and more ideas, we went back and refine our ideas within the following constrains:
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Technological feasibility: because the product was aimed to be launched to the market in 2014, the technology should be able to support the concept at that time or in the near future.
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Not replacable by an app: instead, our ideas need to focus on the whole system, the hardware, or the service.
Given that constrains, our team iterated on the ideas as well as the opportunity categorization. At last, we finalized with 16 new features about the product and service under three opportunity areas. We created feature boards that demostrate the idea, whose problem it tries to solve, and the value it bringes to both users and the business.
Example of the feature board
User Story of Agip: Concept of Samsung Free Rider
Visualize Ideas in Real Life & Tell the Stories
Example of the story board
Firstly, we created the cartoon sketch style story boards which described 3 usage scenarios encompassing all the features we came up with. The story boards help us figure out the key frames and the script for the video production.
User Story of Nuna: Concept of Samsung Impression
User Story of Angi: Concept of Samsung Maestro
3 Stories with Animations
Finally we created 3 video with animations demostrating how the features fit into user's life and the larger system. As an industrial design intern, I designed the physical component, built the 3D models in Rhino and created the renderings in KeyShot.
To help communicating the 3 concept more straightforward, we created 3 posters resembling Samsung's marketing material style at that time.
Read another case study
Posters to present the 3 concepts
SMARTPHONE STRATEGY IN ASIA
To uncover innovation opportunities for a 6-inch mid-tier smart device in Southeast Asia market.
TEAM
Brian Wen, Project Manager | Yifan Gan, Product Service Designer | David Kent Chou, Strategist | Dean Yu, Interaction Designer | Lingshuang Chen, Design Intern
TIME
08/2012 - 12/2012
IMPACT
Some features from our deliverables were realized in Galaxy Note3 and Galaxy S4, including Smart cover, Scrapbook, Group play and Multi-tasking
WHY SOUTHEAST ASIA & 6 INCH DEVICE
HOW WE BUILT THE STRATEGY
We collected quantitative data from various sources, and visualized it to reveal smart device usage trend in this market.
We collected information about the regional social and technological condition that has impact on the smartphone usage to understand contextual constrains and opportunities.
After reviewing an extensive collection of bibliographies, I created a report on technology trend related with smart device, such as battery, display, network, etc.
We collected quantitative data from various sources, and visualized it to reveal smart device usage trend in this market.
Using quantitative data to further validate our findings through field work, focusing on WHAT the contextual situation is.
Using qualitative data to drive insights, focusing on the WHY certain behavior happens.
Synthesize all data to an insight to frame the key problem to focus on.
Using quantitative data to further validate our findings through field work, focusing on WHAT the contextual situation is.
How consumer principles, insights and opportunities are mapped. It's a iterative rather than linear process to conceptualizing and categorizing qualitative data.
How consumer principles, insights and opportunities are mapped. It's a iterative rather than linear process to conceptualizing and categorizing qualitative data.
Using user story to define the target user group, and the problem it tries to solve.
Using flow diagram and wireframes to further explain the concept, and identifies the values for users and business.
Using user story to define the target user group, and the problem it tries to solve.
How Angga uses the new smartphone to solve his problems with client relationship management.
The scenario is the foundation for the final video production.
How Angga uses the new smartphone to solve his problems with client relationship management.
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