Dr Shane Moon, a presenter at the 2011 AGIdeas International Design Week, speaks about market research, how designers can harness it to produce successful outcomes, some of the misconceptions designers hold about market research and much more.
1. Shane, welcome to Design Droplets. Thank you for taking the time to chat, could you please give a quick introduction on yourself and your background.
My life has been understanding human behaviour. But as a sporting nut – selfishly I started out studying brain chemicals and their impact on sporting performances hoping to find the magic bullet to make be a faster triathlete! I didn’t find it per se but along the way got to work with some great Olympic level athletes, that is, until I snatched up an opportunity to go into the clinical and forensic fields. Basically, I got to do some profiling and assessment of serious violent offenders who were in maximum security prisons or a community setting. Mind boggling insight into the bad side of humanity but never a dull a moment thats for sure. As cliche as it is, consumer behaviour came out of left field over some casual conversations with marketing & advertising friends – next thing I new was facilitating focus groups and as they say the rest is history…
2. You are the co-founder of Inner Truth, a neuromarket research company, can you talk a bit about what Inner Truth’s work and what neuromarket research is?
Inner Truth focusses on combining conventional research with the latest technological and theoretical advances in the cognitive sciences (i.e. psychology and neuroscience) to truthfully identify the insights behind the right big ideas being created. Our work is focussing on several elements across the marketing mix from package design, to print, to TV commercials, to branding and so on. We use conventional research to get consumers to tell us about their preferences, usage behaviour, cultural norms etc but combine this with recording eye movements and full brain activity recording called electroencephalogram or EEG for short. This way we can understand what parts of the brain are activated that consumers are not aware of and cannot tell us about but directly influence their decisions.
3. Where does neuromarket research fit in with other more traditional types of quantitative and qualitative research techniques?
Despite, EEG being quantitative data collection, that is, our brain activity is measures in numbers, I prefer to classify neuromarket research fitting closer to qualitative side of research. Meaning if you picture a continuum with qualitative research on one end and quantitative on the other neuromarket research is closer to the qualitative side of that continuum.
4. Some Design Droplets readers will be unfamiliar with the area of market research, can you explain how market research can informs and fit with product design and development?
Market research in general is great for product design and development because you can get to understand many things from the consumer or end user perspective. For example, by diving into the lives of consumers (i.e. by in home research, diaries, ethnography etc) you can identify endless opportunities for new product developments that in the end make our lives easier – think of the microwave, dishwasher, modern day ovens, vacuums, etc. Likewise, by talking to consumers you can understand how they use products already and see immediately how designs could be changed to improve the product or alter it to offer the user a better experience. Again picture the modern washing machine and how it has changed over the years from the early models which were simple big scrubbing boards and tubs of water!
5. How can neuromarket research methodologies assist product designers?
Neuromarket research fits into the picture through the design phase best, that is once concepts are initially developed but not necessarily into full production yet. Understanding the subconscious responses to design concepts allows to you modify the concepts to really make it a BIG IDEA that creates some intense neurological connections with consumers.
6. You have specialised in market research for over ten years, what are some of the misconceptions that designers have about what market researchers can or cannot do for designers?
I think the biggest misconception is that market research takes away from the creative process. Great designers and creatives in agencies understand and embrace market research as like a lighthouse beacon, used as a guide to steer one through the dark of consumer responses. With the introduction of neuromarket research into the toolbox this light is even brighter and more effective than ever.
7. Can you share your thoughts on how you believe ever advancing market research techniques and new widespread changes such as the emergence of social media will change the way that products are designed and developed?
I think gone are the days where businesses create products and expect consumers buy them – that is old logic of marketing and business; it really was a one sided affair. Love or hate globalisation from a business perspective, from a social globalisation perspective businesses must change the way they think about product development and design. The new marketing and business logic is that businesses must work collaboratively with consumers and have a two way dialogue that co-creates value for both. If you go it alone as a business now – you will be left out in the dark.
8. Shane, thank you for taking the time to share your story and insights. Do you have any final thoughts or advice for Design Droplets readers?.
My pleasure and always happy to talk about how research compliments design. My parting thoughts would be that designers should reconsider any negative views and consider market research not as a barrier rather as an enabler for design success in the marketplace.
