Blink, buzz, and breaking through the adoption chasm for novel products - Hallie Clark MacEldowney

Breaking through the adoption chasm is a goal of any product development team, but how exactly can we set products up for the most success to do that? It’s well known that many innovative products try, and fail, to cross this chasm. Remember Microsoft Zune, Google Glass, or even Segway?

As a UX researcher on an innovation team within Lenovo, Hallie has witnessed many products rise and fall. Capturing the user at first blink, pushing past the buzz, and knowing when to put on the brakes are all pivotal for breaking through the adoption chasm. In this presentation, Hallie will detail some of the lessons learned, methods, and general approaches that her team uses to set products up for the highest likelihood of adoption.

UX Y'all 2023

Transcript

1. Blink, Buzz, and Break through the Adoption Chasm for Novel Products Hallie Clark MacEldowney | October 2023
2. What’s this talk about? Blink. A reference to Malcom Gladwell’s concept of “blink” and why first impressions and mental models matter for adoption. I’ve found that initial interest is done in the blink of an eye, but consideration comes with prolonged thought. Buzz. The all too common “buzz word” that are associated with things, especially new & shiny innovations. Regardless if it’s positive, or negative, it’s a key variable when testing new concepts or designs. Break. A nod to the theme of the conference, but also representing the often complicated and hard decisions to pivot, pause, or move forward with an idea & the breakthrough moment when you have the right idea, right users, and right team.
3. A little bit about me Born & raised in NC, completed my bachelors and masters from NCSU, and I frequent many football & hockey games! We just celebrated 13 years of owning & loving our college dog, Dalton (who is 15 years old!) And this guy is Jagr. He’s two and is a pesky younger brother in every way. But we still love him.
4. Next UX is a team of UX researchers and designers focused on the horizon just ahead, cultivating insights and offering proposals that can improve our customers lives. We explore the intersection of design, technology & culture to unearth new value for Lenovo — and for the people who use and rely on our products and services.
5. As an innovation team within a large company, we strategically sit outside of product teams and work across every segment. Our work
6. When do you, or your team, begin to actively think about the adoption of your concepts?
7. I’ll walk through two “case studies” where I’ll highlight some approaches we’ve used to break the adoption chasm through our work. Breaking the chasm starts by making sense of fuzzy spaces Defining a new framework for product adoption of novel products New experiences and products require a new framework to help guide stakeholders and product teams to identify core opportunities and focus areas. C A S E S T U D Y 1 C A S E S T U D Y 2 Exploring new types of research methods to best match the product Traditional research methods are not always the best fit for novel products or experiences and should be tailored to the phase of work & desired outcomes.
8. New research methods and approaches C A S E S T U D Y 1
9. If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses. Henry Ford
10. A few examples where seeking opportunities is more beneficial than tackling pain points So, what about solving for pain points? Right feature, wrong form In the 2020 Forms & Archetypes study, 62% of the sample expressed interest in a digital toolbar, but only 32% were ‘extremely interested’ in a concept that featured a digital toolbar. Battery life woes Users are always asking for more battery life, but when will we hit the saturation point? Modern computer battery life is impressive – so perhaps what’s better is to identify opportunity spaces. Lack of user awareness We can’t expect users to know what they don’t know. Part of innovating is thinking forward, which includes identifying opportunities using tech that may not exist yet. Forms & Archetype Study | 2020 | N = 3099
11. When testing novel products or ideas consider: The value of mixed method research 01 Matching concept fidelity to outcomes 02 Experimenting with different activities 03 Consider user differences & archetypes 04
12. The value of mixed method research Concepts in later stages of the process should aim to match in person and online receptivity. Static stimuli can be insufficient in fully portraying an idea. This can lead to inaccurate understandings and mental models of the concept, especially when there is not a solid grounding. Physical stimuli enable users to better imagine actual use with the product, and provide more helpful insight to improve the design. Crafting a collective story through weaving multiple methods creates a more accurate narrative for the concept and leads to greater impact. A novel laptop form factor A traditional laptop form factor
13. Concepts go through many life cycles before we’re able to create a fully functional device for testing. This leaves us iterating on the right stimuli for the phase & ideal outcomes. Same concept, different fidelity p r o s Gives a clear overview of the concept modes Gives a clear overview of the concept modes & behaviors Core use cases presented and hands/actual use for reference Accurate weight & size for imagined use c o n s Difficult to gauge size and weight Difficult to gauge size and weight Difficult to gauge form behavior & weight Nonfunctional & requires user imagination
14. Here are just a few to discuss Experimenting with methods, activities & tools The Best Buy method Co-creation workshops Value testing > Concept testing Co-creation workshops can be integrated into any phase of a project but work best in discovery to help team members identify core problem areas alongside users. The Best Buy method is something we do for nearly all innovative form factors as we find they’re best reviewed when in combination of items that map to similar jobs. And always including the item that best maps to the traditional model of that job (ex. a traditional laptop!) And lastly, value testing as a method is more commonly used on our team compared to traditional concept testing. We want to vet the value, not the details. Once the value is proven, we can shift to more traditional concept evaluation approaches. *the tool shown above is called Remesh and has been a good resource to get iterative value testing done. However, this can be done using any appropriate tool.
15. Targeting early adopters & eager users will not provide details needed to meet the needs of the mainstream market Example 1: Archetypes of users prioritize features and specs differently. Example 2: Archetypes value use cases differently.
16. If you remember anything about this section, I hope you remember the following points the next time you research or design an innovative solution: Takeaways The value of mixed method research 01 Matching concept fidelity to outcomes 02 Experimenting with different activities 03 Consider user differences & archetypes 04
17. Defining a new framework C A S E S T U D Y 2
18. Users express interest in new devices and experiences Digital Wardrobe Cyclic Insights | 2022 | N = 3976 *Alternative Form Factor categories tested were Dual-Screen and Foldable devices. More users want to experience new technologies and devices in 2022 as they consider changes to their digital wardrobes. +13% With the exception of Gen Z, fewer users prefer clamshell laptops without touch compared to last year. -18% 43% Of the sample expressed interest in adding one of the alternative form factor devices* to their digital wardrobe. 39% Ranked an alternative form factor device as a top three device to consider for a new laptop device.
19. But, with excitement there is hesitation It’s cool but… Difficult adopting It’s intriguing but… I love it but… I would buy it but… Financial and experiential cost is higher compared to known form factors. Potential use cases and value-add is often unclear. New technology is intimidating and results in doubt. Problems & doubts outweigh perceived benefits and result in lack of adoption. The cost is too high The value is unclear There’s more to manage The tech is too new Alt FFs often come with additional parts and components. Alternative form factors toe the line between exciting and daunting. Adoption is often curtailed by many doubts and hesitancies. To increase adoption, alternative form factors may need an alternative value. Ditto IBG Interviews | 2022 | N = 11
21. Any innovative team has seen a slew of ideas that have risen & fallen in their life cycle. What is innovation without failure? But, failure in the market is not always the right approach & can lead to users questioning the validity of tech or design. For software, (most) updates and solutions can be rectified relatively quickly. For hardware, the stakes are higher. Our team set out to create a framework & workshop to create a culture of internal discussions surrounding product adoption and ways we can be proactive about improvements before they hit the market. Fast fail culture can lead to reduced trust Google Glass | Unproven need Keurig Kold | Limited market + needs Samsung Note 7 | Tech readiness Amazon Phone | Limited audience Facebook Portal | Bad timing Apple Touch Bar | Lack of function
22. Excite, Assure, Convince then Deliver The framework Standard Product Adoption Process Awareness User becomes aware of products existence Interest User searches for more information Evaluation User completes “mental trial” Trial Limited usage of product (ex. 30 days) Adoption Decision to use or reject How to increase likelihood of adoption before a product is released to market? Excite To maximize a users first impression, we must excite users with innovative designs & use cases Assure As users acquire more information, we must provide assurances to any doubts or concerns Convince In the mental trial, we must tie it all together & convince the user that the value, experiences, and specifications are worth it Deliver Delivering a product that exceeds user expectations requires high quality, durability, longevity, and most importantly proactivity in anticipating & designing for what the users actual day-to-day experiences will be with the product
23. Future of PC | 23 Ditto | Conclusion Example applications of the formula. Quotes are representative. This is really cool! “ The Samsung flip shows users new ways of doing things. It excites users by: • Enabling new postures • Showcasing the new use cases Why would I need this? “ Many alternative form factors showcase the newness, causing immediate hesitation. Doubt can be caused by: • Lack of context • Unclear fit within digital wardrobe Excitement captures attention C O N V I N C E Pass the mental trial 3 A S S U R E Build confidence & trust 2 E X C I T E Gain attention and interest 1 D E L I V E R Execute the best UX 4
24. Future of PC | 24 Assurances increase approachability Ditto | Conclusion I like that it has a keyboard! “ Users feel comforted when familiar forms and experiences are enabled by new devices, such as: • Incorporating keyboard • Prioritizing clamshell mode Would I have any use for this? “ When a device lacks clarity in purpose & doesn’t match a mental model, user doubt increases. This can look like: • Unclear or impractical use cases • Specialized use cases that don’t appeal to users Example applications of the formula. Quotes are representative. C O N V I N C E Pass the mental trial 3 A S S U R E Build confidence & trust 2 E X C I T E Gain attention and interest 1 D E L I V E R Execute the best UX 4
25. Future of PC | Will this break quickly? “ New technology and mechanical complexity hold a lot of weight towards users' uncertainty. For example: • Longevity and durability of untraditional screens • Added mechanical complexity and innovation concerns This will help me be more efficient! “ When users perceive the device will deliver and improve their experiences, they find them more valuable. For example: • Top-of-the-line UX • Solving a gap & doing it well 25 Ditto | Conclusion Convincing converts adopters Example applications of the formula. Quotes are representative. C O N V I N C E Pass the mental trial 3 A S S U R E Build confidence & trust 2 D E L I V E R Execute the best UX 4 E X C I T E Gain attention and interest 1
26. Future of PC | D E L I V E R Execute the best UX 4 C O N V I N C E Pass the mental trial 3 A S S U R E Build confidence & trust 2 I have to pack this up each time? “ Day-to-day usage is a factor of these devices, from the physical experiences to the emotional impacts. Some knowns are: • Too many accessories to pack & go • Uncertainty or limitations of specs compared to driving mental model I can use in different modes! “ Excelling at the intended job and exceeding by adding new value-prop will lead to a fully convinced user. For example: • Being a truly uncompromised 3-in-1 experience • Offering new experiences in addition to familiar ones 26 Ditto | Conclusion Delivery drives value Example applications of the formula. Quotes are representative. E X C I T E Gain attention and interest 1
27. Creating the framework is one thing, the magic happens when we can shift the conversation internally. To do this, I created a workshop called Excite, Assure, Deliver. The goals of this workshop were to: Designing the workshop Put on a user hat and consider their mental journey when encountering a specific novel product. Put on our corporate hat and identify ways we can elevate key benefits or mitigate key doubts. Identify areas of opportunity that focused on the four lenses: user, tech, market, and strategy both near and long term.
28. Example output: identifying our improvement area EXCITE ASSURE DELIVER ?! CONVINCE Emoji’s represent general sentiment expressed during EAD Workshop for how Lenovo is doing across each phase.
29. Example output: outlining opportunities
30. If you remember anything about this section, I hope you remember the following: Takeaways Determine the right framework for your team & company 01 Change the conversation & drive awareness of process 02 Improvements can be made early & often 03
31. There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Brené Brown
32. From my experiences as a researcher on an innovation team Lessons learned Ask the right questions Research isn’t one size fits all and should be adapted according to the needs of the project at the time. Wear multiple hats Be comfortable flexing your UX role to include strategic responsibilities. The best way to advocate for users is to be sure they’re represented at every table. Educate others UX-ers get comfortable wearing the user hat. It is our job! But, that does not come naturally to teams outside of the UX world. Proactively mitigate doubts Consider the doubt count early & often. Trust is easy to break, difficult to build. R and D, not R then D Collaboration is critical. A well- rounded idea that has the highest likelihood to break the chasm has evolved from iterative research and design.
33. Hallie Clark MacEldowney halliemaceldowney@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/halliemaceldowney/ Connect: I am a UX researcher on Lenovo's Next UX team. I specialize in wearing many hats - from UX researcher to strategist to project manager, and everything in between. I pledged my allegiance to NC State University, earning both a bachelor's and master's degree from the institution. I’m also on the brink of finishing up my PhD there as well. Beyond the realm of academia and work, I find joy in traveling and spending time with my two rescue pups, Dalton and Jagr. Dalton, a wise 15-year-old, and Jagr, a rambunctious 2-year-old, fill my life with warmth, companionship, and occasional frustrations. When I'm not traveling, you can find me drumming up a new project around the house or relaxing at a local brewery, there's really not much of an in-between. About me: