Design Theory Reference: User research and competitive analysis methods

Anthropology is the study of man, and social anthropology (social anthropology) is the subject of studying human society. Social anthropology can also be understood as "cultural translation" (the translation culture), the seemingly bizarre custom of understanding unfamiliar people. The eye of the other--An introduction to anthropology theory

Field investigation is recognized as the basic methodology and the earliest anthropological methodology of human sciences. And what is a field investigation? Wang Mingming explained: "To participate in the lives of local people, in a strictly defined space and time within the scope of the experience of human life and ideological realm, by recording the various aspects of human life, to show how different cultures to meet the general basic needs of people, how society constitutes." "This is a field survey. is also a basic condition that an anthropologist must have.

The user research that we do is evolved from it. User research was initially to master the shift in the more individualized market, in order to find a new way to develop consumer research. And this method is in Europe and the United States than the first to be used by multinational companies in new areas of research. Hope to explore their potential needs from the user's perspective and daily life to guide the design. Participate in the user's life, observe them, to understand the user, to meet their needs. The designer is more need to use "other people's eyes" to treat the things designed to study, that is, as a user, participate in the user's life situation, to the user's vision to strictly treat their products designed.

In addition to the method of fieldwork, the anthropological study of comparative research has also been heard in the analysis of interactive design, which we call "competitive analysis". The comparative research method is also a basic method of cultural anthropology research. It was mainly one of the research methods of classical evolutionism scholars in the early stage. They use this method to prove the cultural process and structure in different regions, and to restore the cultural appearance of the primitive society.

The comparative study method is generally divided into three steps:

-To identify similar phenomena or things;

(ii) The grouping of similar phenomena or things as a table for comparison purposes;

Third, according to the comparative results for further analysis.

The competition analysis is to the research and development product competitor's similar product carries on the analysis discussion, and gives the analogy induction analysis result, uses for the understanding existing product development superiority, thus draws lessons from the research and development product. What is more important is to analyze what cultural connotations the competitor is hiding behind the product, which is the necessary way to respond to the cultural phenomena and potential needs of the users. Only through the understanding of its deep nature, it is possible to understand the development trend of products, rather than blindly follow. As we have already stood on the shoulders of giants, we should not stare at the present, but look at the future.

For example, we do a conceptual design of the graphic browsing software in the "Devil training camp (new colleague induction training activity)" campaign, from what we have done in the preliminary research analysis, we lack of practical understanding of user habits and habits, that is, not from the user's perspective to explore their potential needs. Only a brief interview and analysis, the guidance of the design is not convincing, so the design concept will be easily debated or even overturned. and the establishment of user model and the problem of induction and screening also appears to be somewhat powerless. Although the time is our limit, but need to do so, it appears some formality. This is the crux of the problem.

And the lack of competitive analysis is very little to take into account the user's superficial needs behind the cultural phenomenon. And less likely to think about why a competitor's products do so many functions? How they are going to understand the potential needs of these users. Why, for example, do users need to have so many editors with different picture properties? Is it a part of the user's needs, or most users?

The author of my humble opinion, if you carry out a careful study and analysis can be found that the first is because the network environment has changed, "web2.0" network mode, so that most users are more willing to actively participate in sharing, and not just limited to watch the professional produced by the exquisite pictures, They hope that they do not need to pay a lot of learning costs, but also to make a more beautiful picture. The second is because of the progress of social civilization, social become more and more democratic, coupled with the rapid development of network humor, making more and more spoof works appear on the network, stimulated more users want to participate in it, so a variety of image editing functions also meet the potential needs of users. Understand the nature of the cause of the product development has an important significance, to make more creative design, but also to better grasp the needs of users, in line with our company all user-centered purposes.

And in the effective use of the field survey and comparative research under the law of products are also everywhere, now released the latest version of "QQ Doctor" is very worth mentioning. Designers to the user did a more in-depth research and analysis, found that the QQ doctors at that time can not meet the needs of users and products. And in the process of competitive analysis, constantly understand the user in the operation of the same type of products, the potential needs to understand what users need, in this demand behind the social reality and cultural phenomenon-the rapid growth of the use of computers, the continuous erosion of the Internet Trojan Virus, the system version is also constantly updating the iteration, As a result, there is also a rapid increase in the demand for update vulnerabilities. and the network environment is more and more advanced, the increasing flow of traffic, so that users for the use of the network to monitor the flow of demand, and based on this key characteristics, gave other products of the same type have no new features.

First, automatic vulnerability repair (below), through user settings, even a key to repair the function can be omitted, this is from a variety of feedback (including CE, testing, interviews, brain violence, expert Group, etc.), are based on the user's best experience and professional design. The operation is simpler, the user is also more convenient, greatly improves the work efficiency.

Next to the network traffic management function (below), in order to be able to monitor some specific Web sites in the Peer-to-peer network traffic has made a better monitoring means, so that users can view their own network status at any time, and can set the flow, from the user perspective, for the sake of users. From the official website, QQ product blog, customer service and other feedback can experience a new version of the QQ doctor made a better performance, faster, more experience of the software, for the majority of users of the desktop and network security made more efforts to bring more value to users.

Bibliography:

"What is Anthropology" Wang Mingming, Peking University Press, 2002

"The eye of the other-an introduction to Anthropology theory", "English" Robert Leyton, Mongolian culture Hermit, Huaxia Publishing House, 2005

"Anthropological orientation-the boundaries and foundations of field science", "Beauty" Guttavergosen, Jiang Jianjian, Huaxia Publishing House, 2005

"The history and Theory of Anthropology", "English" Alain Banad, Wang and other translation Huaxia publishing house, 2006

　
To this special thanks to the Shepherd's QQ doctor design requirements and design process detailed description.