Lesson 3: Reverse Marketing Analysis (RMA)

It’s the 3rd lesson. Today’s lesson is on “Understanding User”. I think that RMA means to analysis a product based on the design, so as to able to portray the characteristics or profile of the potential user.

The focus is on 4 different types of “Pleasure” in UX design.

First, it’s “Physio-pleasure”. After going through this lesson, I personally feel that it’s about the immediate feedback of the user interacting with it, or his satisfaction on the product. Next, it’s “Socio-pleasure”, which I feel it means, the satisfaction or enjoyment the user gets that is very different to the rest of the people/users. Then, it’s “Psycho-pleasure” which will be the experience of accomplishing something well; example, able to pick-up certain skills fast. Last but not least, it’s “Ideo-pleasure”, where I feel that it’s about accomplishing something based on the initial ideas/goals that one has set at the beginning.

In order to prepare for the upcoming assignment, we were given a short classroom activity base on these concepts where we had to construct a target user’s profile based on the product that we had picked. We had lots of fun & laughter during the short presentations. Everyone was able to come up with very “fanciful” scenarios for their target user. For my group, we had picked a “Hello Kitty” camera. Ha-ha!



The upcoming assignment for us is to expand on the RMA profile that we had constructed in the classroom exercise. Then to come up with a hand phone design or specifications based on the RMA profile that will well suit the targeted user.

Last but not least, I would like to share something that I totally agree with the lecturer; that is to design something that cater well for a targeted user rather than come up with products for the generic. Because it’s hard to be certain that there will be someone out there who will purchase this generic product, but a customized product will definitely have 1 consumer.

Assignment 1 (Pleasure With Products)

This is the 1st assignment for this module. In this assignment, we will have to find 3 examples of “visceral”, “behavioral”, and “reflective” design.

The most challenging part is to scale down to a particular product which can satisfy all 3 requirements. After days of brainstorming & searching, I have decided to focus only on products that I have used before. The reason is that I feel that only through physical interaction, then the experience that I wish to convey will be more sincere and real.

Finally, I have decided to focus on a daily product that everyone will be using; That is, wrist watches as I have quite a few that I feel can be categorized into these 3 sections. “Visceral” – A formal & stylish watch. “Behavioral” – A sporty & functional watch. “Reflective” – A unique, stylish, special and casual watch.

Watch *1: Casio Watch
(Sporty)

• Visceral Design?

 My 1st impression of this product is, very simple. The reason for choosing this watch is that it’s cheap; which costs only $15. Besides that, it serves its purpose during that time & till now as it had been through my National Service (NS) period, which is full of “challenging” encounters. It’s not much of “visceral” design as it is a very simple watch which will not attract anyone’s attention on the 1st look if one is looking for a watch.

• Behavioral Design?


 I feel that it serves its purpose as a very simple “sports” watch, with all the basic functions embedded in it.
• Illuminated Backlight
• Dual Time (Time for 2 countries)
• Stopwatch
• Alarm: (5 alarms to wake the lazy bum (me) up)
• 10-year battery life
• Water resistant up to 50 meters

 Thus, as a whole, I feel that this is a simple and yet a functional one.

• Reflective Design?

 One look at it, tells everyone that it’s a very simple watch for everyone. It doesn’t have any special features or unique in design. It’s just a watch used for sports. The most important thing is that it’s cheap. Ha-ha!

 A very simple & cheap watch for anyone who wants a cheap and yet functional sports watch.

Watch *2: Kenneth Cole Watch
(Formal & Stylish)

• Visceral Design?


 My 1st impression of this watch is that it looks like any other “chain” watch or formal watch. But after having a closer look, it turns out that it’s not only a “simple and normal” formal watch, it’s embedded with a stopwatch function.

• Behavioral Design?

 A watch that is not chosen for its functions. Moreover, it doesn’t have a backlight to enable one to know the time in dark places. The date & time shown is not specific as one is unable to know the exact date (date, month), and time (morning (AM) or afternoon (PM)).

 But, it comes with a stopwatch function; the top & bottom buttons.

• Reflective Design?

 A watch suitable for casual & formal occasion. Maybe can be seen as stylish & status-showoff or self-image.

 (Costs between $300 - $400)

Watch *3: Fossil Watch
(Unique, Stylish, Special & Casual)

• Visceral Design?

 The 1st impression of this watch is that it’s a unique designed watch (rectangular in shape), with a genuine leather strap. It’s a gift from my friends on my 21st birthday.

• Behavioral Design?

 A watch with no additional or enhanced functions. It only has a knob for a adjusting the time.

 One that does not enable someone to know the time in the dark; no built-in backlight but the hour & minute hands are illuminated or will glow in the dark.

 No specific date & time indication on the clock face; so one is unable to know the specific time (AM or PM).

• Reflective Design?


 I feel that it’s of a very unique design, at least to me, as I don’t have this type of watch before.

 A very special & meaningful watch to me as it’s a gift from my friends.

 It has a very special feature, which I don’t consider as a function.

- A press on the top left button will enable one to see green alphabet letters “falling down” the screen; just like the Matrix advertisement where green words moving horizontally & vertically. It’s of the same concept.
- Those letters formed words, “Happy 21st Birthday”. It’s so cool. He-he!

Lesson 2

Today is the 2nd lesson. This means that we have to do a short presentation on our assignment 0. As usual, no one would take the initiative to present first, but it turns out well after a few rounds. I’m quite surprised that the design that I thought as a bad one, are also regarded as “bad design” by 2 of my classmates. Does this means that it really have a bad design? No one knows, as there is no definite answer to this. Because, “experience” on any product varies to individual. It took a long while, about an hour or so, for everyone to present his or hers.

After a short break, the actual lesson begins. In this lesson, we were taught on 2 main concepts, “User needs” and “Emotion & design”. “User needs” means to know what the needs of the people are involved, so as to design any product based on their requirements, whereby then, then they will be able to get the “full satisfaction” out of it.

The latter concept is the more important one as our next assignment will be based on it. That is, to find 3 examples of the same products that is either “Visceral”, or “Behavioral”, or “Reflective” in design. “Visceral” means the initial impact, to its appearance, i.e. first impression. “Behavioral” means the look and feel (total experience) of using that product, i.e. functionality of the product. “Reflective” means ones’ thoughts afterwards, or how it makes one feels; based on brand name, prestige, and self-image; i.e. how to convey the message to other people about the product.

Wow! Sounds interesting, but confusing. I think I will have to do some research or look through the reference links to get better clarification.

Assignment 0 (2nd Bad Design)

A Unique Seat

• Users’ Reaction
  
  • User’s Feelings:
  
  
   This happens in when I was waiting for the MRT train a few months back. A gentleman’s gestures caught my attention. He was sitting on a seat, “slipping” or “sliding” off from the seat once a while, and getting back to his seat again. I was quite surprised by his movement & continued observing his actions. (He-he, it’s my nature to find out the reason behind anything that fancies me.)
   Not long after, a middle-age lady sat down on the seat, from the gestures that she had made, I realized that she also has difficulty to “stay put” on the seat.
  
  • Lesson Learnt:
  
   After a few tries of “sliding” off and getting back to the seat, finally, both passengers gave up on it.
  
  • Impression on the brand:
  
   I assume that he does not have the “full sensation” from using this product. I think that they would rather stand on feet rather than to “challenge” this seat. I made this comment because they would rather remain standing even though the next train will only be arriving in 4-5 minutes.
  

My Reflections

Out of curiosity, I approached the seat to have a clearer look at the seat. To my astonishment, I found out that the seat’s surface is slanting downwards and the surface of the seat is very “smooth & slippery”. I begin to “challenge” the seat.

Wow! Although my feet are able to touch the ground when I was on the seat, I was still counterattacked by the seat – “Slipping & sliding”. It is then that I understand those passengers’ difficulties. After a few minutes of observations, I realized that no one is sitting on this type of seat. I presumed that all of them have faced the same problem too. A look down the platform, one is able to see that all the seats, of the same type, are left empty. Passengers can be seen waiting for the train without taking a seat. This is quite an unusual sight. Thus, I feel that this type of seats does not serve its purpose even though it looks special in the design.



I did approach my friends & relatives to ask if they have found the same difficulty when taking the train. Most of them gave the answer that I have expected while there are others whom commented that this type of seat is not for seating, but for people to lean on it. But to me, the height of this “seat” is quite high for anyone to lean on it, if not, for me, I would not think for leaning on it where sitting on it is more comfortable.

The suggestion that I thought of is to replace the surface of the seat to a flat one, rather than a slanted position. This will prevent anyone from “sliding” off from the seat.

Actually, I have difficulty finding this seat recently as most of them have been replaced. I think the reason is that the staff of the company has also realized that this type of seat is not feasible. But I am still determined to find them as I feel that this really affects everyone, and also that, this is a very, very special design to me. He-he! Finally, I am able to find it in one of the stations just yesterday. Maybe, next time when anyone takes the train, one can keep a look-out for this type of seat, if one can still finds it, and have a try on it. It’s really “fun”. He-he!

Assignmnet 0 (Bad Design Product)

This is a warm-up assignment for this module before the actual race commences. Ha-ha. In this assignment, we are supposed to find a product that we or other users think that it has a bad design, and to capture the users’ reaction towards that product, and our reflection on the product & the users’ reaction.

Wow! This sounds interesting but how are we going to do it. Suggestions? Well, I think I just have to look through previous semester’s work.

Well, actually I have thought of a product. That is contributed by my family & friends. But I believe that anyone will also have an experience of it too. It is the FM radio function of a Nokia hand phone. However, I think that this is quite common, thus, I’m still keeping a lookout for other products.

Nokia’s FM Radio

• Users’ Reaction
  
  • User’s Feelings:
  
   My family & friends feel that it is a chore to use this function. The reason is that every time when anyone wants to listen to the FM radio, he/she will have to connect the headset to it, regardless of using the headphones or the speakers function in order to activate this function. They feel that it is a very troublesome step.
  
  • Lesson Learnt:
  
   This means that if anyone wants to use this function when on the move, they will have to bring along the headset, if not, they will not be able to use it. They commented that if they had forgotten to bring along the headset, then they will have to do without it.
   While there are also others who feel that this doesn’t really affect them as they still prefer to use other portable device for music, like mp3 players.
  
  • Impression on the brand:
  
   They feel that this doesn’t have much effect on their impressions of the brand as they still think that Nokia’s phones are still very user-friendly and easy to comprehend.
  

My Reflections

Basically, I feel that it is also quite redundant to connect a headset to the hand phone every time when I want to use the FM radio function. Why can’t it be like the mp3 player function where one is able to choose whether to use a headset or the speakers? I believe that this will be a better choice. This is my personal thoughts as I have been using Nokia hand phones for the past few years.

Thus, I’m able to understand the frustrations of my friends as I also faced the same problem too. Forgetting to bring along the headset, means that I will not be able to use the FM function and the journey to any place means – no entertainment. This implies that this function will be of no use or become “disabled” without it.

Up to now, I think all users, including me, have already been used to this type of “unique design” and bringing along the headset has become a habit of mine, if I want to use this function.

Introductory Lesson (1st Lesson)

Today is my 1st lesson of NM4210, User Experience Design. It’s an early day for me as this lesson commenced at 0900 hrs. At first, I thought that this class would be a small-sized group, but I found that this time-slot’s group size is larger than that of another’s. The reason for my assumption is that, normally, people will try to avoid taking an early class.

Frankly speaking, I actually have no clues or ideas what this module is all about. “User Experience Design” – sounds easy but actually not. After attending this 1st introduction lecture, I have a better understanding what this module is all about.

However, I still can’t digest the cheese of it – “To look at a problem broadly, instead of an in depth discussion of a problem.” Hmm…. Sounds sophisticated. This statement really catches my attention.

But there’s one thing that I am certain of. I think I begin to like this module already. I believe this module will take me to another world of looking at things that are evolving around me. This will really help me not only academically but also the way of handling things & people around me. =)