top 5 lessons learned - user research in asia
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My top 5 lessons learned from a year spent doing user research in Asia.These slides were prepared for a talk at Mozilla on May 10, 2012.TRANSCRIPT
Top 5 Lessons Learned
User Research in Asia
May 10, 2012 • Mozilla
Carissa Carter
@snowflyzone
China
India
Japan
Bangalore
Mumbai
DelhiShanghai
Beijing
Tokyo
One year
Three primary countries
Top 5 Lessons Learned
User Research in Asia
Meta more than method
Cultural more than specific
China
India
Japan
Bangalore
Mumbai
DelhiShanghai
Beijing
Tokyo
Hong Kong - based
China, India, Japan - focused
(1) Understand the enhanced
impact of recent history.
Example: China
China
Macau Hong Kong
Taiwan
1970
1966 19761958 1961
19901950 1960 2000 2010
nom
inal
GD
P (U
SD)
4.9 trillion
closed economy part planned, part open economy
1980
Great leap
forward
agrarian
manufacturing
service
knowledge
Cultural Revolution
These factors shape the modern Chinese workforce.
The events we’ve experienced sculpt our lives and inform our behaviors. In China, we see one more layer that shapes today’s knowledge workers.
Age + time spent abroad = 6 archetypes of worker
1 3
4
5
6
youngerolder
lived abroad from China
lived only in China
Western
Hybrid
Self-StarterOptimist
Returnee
least common
Conformist
2
MNC management gap
(1) Self Starter
• Cultural Revolution Generation• born, raised, educated in Mainland China• very little Western exposure • immediately entrepreneurial when the
economy opened up.
Age + time spent abroad = 6 archetypes of worker
1 3
4
5
6
youngerolder
lived abroad from China
lived only in China
Western
Hybrid
Self-StarterOptimist
Returnee
least common MNC management gap
Conformist
2
(2) Conformist
• Cultural Revolution and Transition Generations
• lived only in Mainland China• accept Communism• accept information provided to them by
the Chinese government
Age + time spent abroad = 6 archetypes of worker
1 3
4
5
6
youngerolder
lived abroad from China
lived only in China
Western
Hybrid
Self-StarterOptimist
Returnee
least common MNC management gap
Conformist
2
(3) Optimist
• Opportunity Generation• born, raised, educated in Mainland China• possible Western exposure via
employment (themselves or a friend) at a MNC
• life in China is great
Age + time spent abroad = 6 archetypes of worker
1 3
4
5
6
youngerolder
lived abroad from China
lived only in China
Western
Hybrid
Self-StarterOptimist
Returnee
least common MNC management gap
Conformist
2
(4) Returnee
• Transition Generation• born and raised in Mainland China,
educated overseas• now live in China • many advantages for these sea turtles
Age + time spent abroad = 6 archetypes of worker
1 3
4
5
6
youngerolder
lived abroad from China
lived only in China
Western
Hybrid
Self-StarterOptimist
Returnee
least common MNC management gap
Conformist
2
(5) Hybrid
• individuals of Chinese descent• born, raised, educated in Taiwan, Hong
Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia• now live in China• East-West understanding• highly sought-after by MNCs
Age + time spent abroad = 6 archetypes of worker
1 3
4
5
6
youngerolder
lived abroad from China
lived only in China
Western
Hybrid
Self-StarterOptimist
Returnee
least common MNC management gap
Conformist
2
(6) Western
• born, raised, educated in a Western country
• live permanently in China• often sent by MNCs
econ
omy
open
s
birth rate (per thousand)
Cultural Revolution Generation
TransitionGeneration
OpportunityGeneration
SurvivorGeneration
Baby Boomer Gen X Gen Y (Millenial)
10
20
30
40
age 25-34 today age 16-25 todayage 34-51 todayage 51-66 today
livedabroad
Degree to which the present
knowledge work-force has lived
abroad or stayed in Mainland China
lived in mainland
China
China Generations
Western Generations
1970 19901950birth year 1960 2000 20101980
1966 19761958 1961Great leap
forwardCultural Revolution
Self Starter OptimistConformist
Returnee
Hybrid
Western
Knowledge worker archetypes in more detail.
(1) Understand the enhanced
impact of recent history.
What events have shaped your target users? How does this affect their behavior or attitudes as related to your product?
ReCAp
(2) Find the momentum
of the population.
Example: India
China
PakistanNepal
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Myanmar
Sri Lanka
Bangalore
MumbaiHyderabad
Chennai
Calcutta
New Delhi
India
Under 20
20-34
35-49
50-69
70+
!1.2 billion people. 800 million under 35.World’s largest youth population.
Under 35
Signs of success: motorbike, car, home.
“One hundred and fifty years of Mongol rule, and 200 years of British rule? We were deprived for a long time. We were ready for 1991.”
Entrepreneurial drive: laying pipes to bring water.
(2) Find the momentum
of the population.
Where does the energy of your users come from? How will you tap into it? What role do religion, politics, or other factors play?
ReCAp
(3) Tap into self-perceptions.
Example: Japan
China
S. Korea
Russia
Taiwan
Japan
Tokyo
Osaka
YokohamaKyoto
Hiroshima
Fukuoka
SendaiMarch 11, 2011 earthquake epicenter
Sapporo
Western conception of Self
“To thine own self be true” -Shakespeare
• analytic
• ego-focused emphasis on stability
• need resolution of contradiction
• individualist
• cultural mandate to define unique attributes and express and affirm them
Eastern conception of Self
“Where self is, truth is not. Where truth is, self is not.” -Buddha
• holistic
• balance focused
• embrace contradiction
• collectivist and interdependent
• dialectical society means acknowledgement of transience
Start with opposites but be aware of blurring lines.
Japan
In their own eyes:
Japan
China
Singapore
India
China
India
Singaporeis less aggressive than
is quieter than
is more indecisive than
quietloud
contemplative
quick to act
Understand self-stated relationships to neighbors.
collaborative
free address
open
benching
Create and use spectrums to visualize trends.
hierarchical
collectivist
worker bees
older means wiser
what others think is most important
flat
individualist
free thinkers
ability trumps experience
what I feel is most important
personal
fixed
closed
walls
furniture as commodity
uniform seating
heavy paper use
technology standards
furniture helps performance
ergonomic seating
mostly digital documents
employee selected equipment
energy from the code
passive world participant
energy from the crowd
active world contributor
set work hours
long commute OK
meeting-heavy
work time flexible
need a clear path home
casual collaboration
(3) Tap into self-perceptions.
How does the culture you are working with view itself with respect to its neighbors? The world? How might these perceptions affect your product?
ReCAp
(4) Use images as language.
Everywhere.
Use images to probe for aspiration and description.
(4) Use images as language.
With a language and cultural barrier, how might you use images to understand the high-level needs of your users?
ReCAp
(5) Know what you’re up
against and leverage it.
Example: China
Change in China is top down vs. bottom up.
(5) Know what you’re up
against and leverage it.
What barriers stand in the way of people adopting your product or experience? How can you use this constraint to your advantage?
ReCAp
Top 5 Lessons Learned
User Research in Asia
(1) Understand the enhanced impact of recent history.
(2) Find the momentum of the population.
(3) Tap into self-perceptions.
(4) Use images as language.
(5) Know what you’re up against and leverage it.
thank you.
questions?
[email protected]@snowflyzone
snowflyzone.comparalleldesignlabs.com
screemagazine.com
about.me/carissacarter