Need

At the dawn of VHS, a multi-national corporation had invested a lot of time and money to create an extensive educational video and guidebook for teachers and their middle-school students. But the day had come where the Internet was fast becoming the preferred medium, schools had accessibility and this valuable information needed to be translated to the World Wide Web.

Approach

Middle-school students were observed in their school environments doing their work and using computers. In-depth interviews were conducted with students, parents, and teachers. An advisory panel of educators was formed – people experienced with the Internet as a teaching tool. The primary result: even though teachers decide how any material is used in the classroom and were the main audience for the original guidebook and tape; it was the students who dictated if the information really was used in the classroom at all. The entire focus of this project shifted from the educators to the students, putting the kids and their needs first. Design strategies were developed that enthralled and entertained the student who would learn from the site while still considering the requirements of the educators teaching them.

What this means

Field studies can reveal the true market for your new product concept and erase outdated, preconceived ideas.

Going where people learn, live, work, and play reveals insights into behaviors and real-world needs that can't be gained any other way.