Unit 2

Question 1

What is empiricism?

Answer 1

Empiricism refers to knowledge based on systematic experience and theoretical models

Question 2

Explain the two types of empirical data?

Answer 2

There are two types of empirical data: quantitative data, which aims to make phenomena quantifiable and thus comparable, and qualitative data, which provides a focused qualitative description of facts.

Question 3

What is the basic structure of empirical research?

Answer 3

1. Familiarization with the topic to be researched
2. Determining the objectives
3. Clarification of the general conditions
4. Elaboration of the research design
5. Planning and recruiting
6. Performing and recording
7. Interpreting and discussing
8. Documenting and modeling

Question 4

What is participatory design?

Answer 4

As much design responsibility as possible is delegated directly to the later users in all phases of the design process. Designers have a moderating role here.

Question 5

What is contextual design?

Answer 5

Contextual design (CD) is a specific form of the user-centered design process in which empirical data are generated from the context in which a product or software is used and modeled as the basis for design decisions

Question 6

What is contextual inquiry?

Answer 6

CI consists of a combination of participant observation and interviews (Jacobsen & Meyer, 2019, p. 111; Moser, 2012, p. 62).
The user is observed in their everyday working environment. In doing so, the observer asks questions about the work process. The idea behind CI is that reliable knowledge about the exact work processes can only be gathered by observing these processes in context.

Question 7

What is implicit knowledge?

Answer 7

Knowledge that is difficult to verbalize, formalize, and generalize. This is often also called tacit knowledge.

Question 8

What is the Master-Apprentice Role Model in CI?

Answer 8

The observer should join the interviewee as an apprentice, while the latter takes on the role of the master. In this way, the observer can ask questions about the work process or be shown certain steps again. This model allows the observer to record the details of an activity as it is performed. The observer can ask questions about the process of an activity, much like an apprentice:

What objects are used? For what purpose? Where does the interview participant obtain certain information? How do they document and share it? What plays a role outside of the software? When is there improvisation or reliance on other tools?

Question 9

What is an Affinity Diagram?

Answer 9

An affinity diagram makes a large amount of qualitative data manageable by grouping it into more tangible units, organizing it hierarchically, and highlighting the substance of the grouped notes.

Question 10

What are the five work models of contextual design?

Answer 10

1. Flow model
2. Sequence model
3. Artifact model
4. Cultural model
5. Physical model

Question 11

Explain the five work models of contextual design?

Answer 11

Flow model:
The flow model depicts the roles with their responsibilities and competencies and links these to the communication paths that are necessary between the responsible roles.

Sequence model:
The sequence model represents work processes in all necessary steps, starting from the agentʼs intention.

Artifact model:
The artifact model documents the role of objects in the work processes. They allow conclusions to be drawn about assumptions, strategies, concepts, and structure of the work.

Cultural model:
The cultural model refers to values, expectations, and desires related to the use of the system.

Physical model:
The physical model is used to record the constraints of the tangible work environment.

FASCP - Flow, Artifact, Sequence, Cultural, Physical

Question 12

What is touchpoint analysis?

Answer 12

Touchpoint analysis is a method from the field of market research and service design. It looks at all touchpoints with a companyʼs product(s), service(s), and brand from the user perspective, evaluates them according to critical factors, such as frequency of use or satisfaction, and develops suggestions for improvement on this basis.

Question 13

Name and explain the categories of touchpoints

Answer 13

• Communication- vs. experience-oriented touchpoints. While companies pay a lot of attention to communication-oriented touchpoints, such as advertising or the website, experience-oriented touchpoints serve customers to match the promise made in communication with the actual customer experience, such as a visit to a sales outlet or a call to the call center.
• Product vs. service-oriented touchpoints. From the customerʼs point of view, touchpoints that result from using a product are very different from touchpoints where a service is used (e.g., conclusion of a contract).
• Physical vs. digital touchpoints. Physical touchpoints, such as a visit to a retail store, encompass several of the userʼs senses and are more emotionally charged than a visit to a web store.
• Personal vs. impersonal touchpoints. A face-to-face conversation offers a different experience than opening a cover letter. Companies need to weigh up here for which types of communication personal contact plays a major role.
• Essential vs. additional touchpoints. A room key is essential for using a hotel room, but the provision of WLAN is not.
• Generally accessible vs. exclusive touchpoints. An example here is access to passenger check-in, which is open to all, versus access to the First Class Lounge, which is reserved for certain guests. In this way, a company addresses different target groups.
• Generic vs. unique touchpoints. Generic offers can be assumed with almost all providers in a product category. On the other hand, unique touchpoints enable companies to differentiate themselves from competitors.

Question 14

Describe the procedure of a touchpoint analysis?

Answer 14

The four activities of a touchpoint analysis are as follows:

1. The identification of relevant touchpoints and their assignment to customer or user segments
2. The target group-specific chronological organization of touchpoints in the form of a customer journey map
3. The evaluation of the touchpoints with regard to their perception and significance by the customers
4. The business ecosystem optimization

Question 15

What is a customer journey map?

Answer 15

A customer journey map is a record of the purchase and use process of customers or users across several decision-making and action phases based on the touchpoints that a company provides for a product or service.

Question 16

Name the elements of a customer journey map?

Answer 16

• reference to one or more user group profiles (e.g. in the form of persona descriptions);
• an action target;
• a course of action that is often divided into different phases;
• the individual action steps that the user performs;
• the touchpoints with which the user comes into contact, and the positive or negative experiences that the user has at each touchpoint.

Question 17

Mention the phases of a customer journey?

Answer 17

1. Latency. There is no intention to buy; the contact with a brandʼs products is more casual.
2. Exploration. Seeking an overview through active search and is associated with higher attention, the goal is to focus on a few possibilities.
3. Weighing. The customer compares the alternatives in more detail and takes a deeper look at the product.
4. Purchase. The customer negotiates the terms of the purchase (e.g., the amount of the price or the exact nature of the service).
5. Post-purchase. The product must meet expectations, and the customer forms an opinion.

LEWPP - Latency, Exploration, Weighting, Purchase, Post-Purchase

Question 18

What is a persona?

Answer 18

Personas are archetypal descriptions of users that are created on the basis of empirical data and make the data imaginable in the form of fictitious persons.

Question 19

What are the steps for generating personas?

Answer 19

1. Group interview participants by role.
2. Identify behavioral variables.
3. Assign interview participants to variables.
4. Identify significant patterns of behavior.
5. Derive characteristics and define goals.
6. Check for completeness and redundancy.
7. Assign persona types.
8. Expand the descriptions to attributes and behaviors.

Question 20

What should be included in a typical persona?

Answer 20

• a realistic name;
• a photo showing the persona doing an appropriate activity;
• demographic information;
• profession, task, role;
• wants, needs, preferences, motivations, thoughts;
• skills and knowledge, character traits, habits;
• goals and expectations; as well as
• information about the physical environment and its influence on the persona’s behaviors.

Question 21

Unit 2 Summary

Answer 21

Contextual inquiry represents an ethnographic method that can be used to observe and model sequences of actions, intentions, and motivations behind actions and the physical and social environment of an action. The data from contextual inquiry can be used as a basis for conducting a touchpoint analysis of contact with a company, a service, or a brand; for creating a customer journey map; and for describing complex user group profiles in the form of personas.

Touchpoint analysis is a method of analysis that combines quantitative existing data with qualitative investigations into the quality and relevance of touchpoints for customers and users. The customer journey map also draws on touchpoint analyses and organizes the exchange of information about touchpoints in a chronological process. In this way, inconsistencies become clear, or problematic transitions between different types of touchpoints can be identified and assigned to specific user groups. Both methods also differentiate customers or users according to user types. Personas represent a differentiated method for aggregating user profiles based on qualitative observation data and identifying behavioral patterns. Personas can be used continuously in a user-centered design process to justify design decisions and to compare them with potential users. Moreover, they are suitable as a basis for formulating user requirements and translating them into design proposals.