Female Interaction Gender AG KS 6-11-12 net 2 · Female Interaction Strategy I 2012 I design-people.dk 20 Female Interaction principles n design-people hen women buy new electronic

female interactionresearch based innovation

v. Klaus Schroeder, design-people

2Female Interaction Strategy I 2012 I design-people.dk

Klaus SchroederStrategy director, CEO & partner

Female Interaction project responsible


We transform user insights

and expert knowledge

into inspiring interaction

and product design,

creating valuable user

experiences

We are leading in design for the emerging female market

Female Interaction Strategy I 2012 I design-people.dk


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PRODUCT DESIGN

Lisa is listening to music on her home audio system while planning a dinner party she is hosting.

She receives a song recommenda-tion from her friend. She drags the song to her own music library and plays the song - great memories.

Lisa’s daughter cothe music is playintalking.

Later Lisa is in her bedroom getting ready for the party. She turns on her favourite radio

station from the tunecase remote.When Lisa is done she goliving room to prepare ape

Female Interaction - research based innovation


3 years

1.000.000 Euro

10.000 working hours

1500 women

female interaction


Female interaction research - project team

7Female Interaction Strategy I 2012 I design-people.dk 23Female Interaction Strategy I 2012 I design-people.dk

Female User Exploration Reseach RelationsWeb Panel SurveyFI Concept Web Feedback

Female interaction world wide


Why bother about women?

They don’t have a clue about technology anyway


Female Interaction background

E T H IC S BUS I N E S S

$


The future of the world economy lies

increasingly in female hands


By 2028, women will control

nearly three-quarters (72 percent)

of consumer spending worldwide

Boston Consulting GroupBased on a survey of 12.000 women in 22 countries


UN guidelines for gender responsive technology

Growing influence of women = people megatrend

Taking action on female empowerment


Women buy...


... products made by men


Only 14% of US women think that

computing and mobile tech products

are designed to be appealing to them

as women

IDC survey


Gender differences in

relation to technology


� Focus on main functionality in technology

� Technology as a social tool

� Social oriented regulation of emotions

� Balance and relations in the career

� Toys are private

� Physical attractiveness, nurturing, and domestic skill in children’s play

Communion

� Exploring features in technology

� Technology as a toy

Detail approach (meaning in it self)

� Action based regulations of emotions

� Material success

� Toys can be public

� Violent, competitive, exciting and somewhat dangerous in children’s play

Individual

Holistic approach (making sense through coherence)

Behavioural differencesSummarizing the research findings on gender traits


Gender is a continuumGender is a continuum encompassing many facets of womanliness.The position on the scale is dependent on biologically predisposition.Gender is not black and white - different degrees of female and male.Female and male are not categorical distinctive.It is therefore not possible to sharply divide men and women.


Tech developersSystematic, detailed focus and abstracted from context

Tech developers


Female Interaction principles

female interactionresearch based innovation by design-people

When women buy new electronic devices, the fact that they are easy to use and operate is a highly valued param-eter - contrary to what seems to be a common assumption; that women only look at aesthetical parameters in electronics. In fact women regard “ease of use” as of much higher impor-tance than aesthetical parameters such as colour, shape and material.

Easy to operate matters11

Gender is expressed differently depending on the situ-ation. Being a woman has many expressions – mother, girlfriend, friend, co-worker, employee, athlete etc. Women use different mind-sets depending on the situation, and they want products and services that match the situation they are in.

Gender norms vary4

Women tend to orient towards communion rather than being individualistic. They focus on social relations, communication and coherence - and they are more emotionally aware and expressive than men. To make products and services more successful for women the social values have to be clearly defined, and products and services must adapt to a rich emotional com-munication.

Women tend to use social network services more than men, and differently - e.g. they tend to have more Facebook friends and tag more images.

emotions

communitysocialrelations

communi-cation

Social values5

Women see technology as a means to gain benefits that enrich and simplify their lives and enhance their abilities to pursue interests. They care less about the technology itself - tech-nology to them is a social tool and not a toy. Technology should matter in the situation – give her benefits, help her solve a problem or create a specific atmosphere. It is important to know her situative needs and demands and to give her immediate satisfaction through meaningful and straightforward benefits.

Real life benefits6

We are all, both men and women, enacting gender roles in our daily life

– also when choosing and operating products. Our gender roles reflect

social and behavioural norms that are regarded as socially appropriate for

individuals of a specific sex within our culture.

The motivation to interact with a product can depend on a

woman’s gender role. If the product conflicts with her identity - or her

assumption of gender values, roles and domains - it could add a mental

barrier to using the product and even cause her to reject it.

Enacting gender roles7

Women have a holistic and context-sensitive approach to technol-ogy - the tech-detail is not relevant to her. She’s interested in the main functionality and seeks coherence rather than details. The real life context matters to her and she will focus on the whole experience rather than on details or a specific technology.

Holistic versus detail8

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Technology is not meaningful in itself and technical terms do not appeal to her. Tech-talk needs to be translated into explaining the benefits the product offers her. When buying a new camera she is not looking for 10.1 megapixel but a camera that takes pictures good enough to print or can fit into her handbag. It is also important to avoid exposure of the technical system when it comes to the interaction with the product - it does not appeal to women and makes the product rather technical to operate.

Translate tech-features9


Consider where in the female life cycle your female customers are.Women go through all stages – and they don’t have consistent needs throughout their lives. Besides age, there are other things to be taken into account with regards to women, such as the fact that women get pregnant. A pregnant woman not only looks different than she used to, she also thinks and feels different. Being pregnant is one thing, being a parent is yet another… once again her perspectives change – over and over again.

Female life cycle2


Women ask around their network and social relations for advice and suggestions when they are looking for new electronics - and they actually trust and use the recom-mendations they get from others in their decision-making process. Women share

both good and bad experiences with others, meaning that recommendations can be both

encouraging and cautionary.

Women trust recommendations10


Women tend to orient towards communion rather than being individualistic. They focus on social relations, communication and coherence - and they are more emotionally aware and expressive than men. To make products and services more successful for women the social values have to be clearly defined, and products and services must adapt to a rich emotional communi-cation.

Women tend to use social network services more than men, and differently - e.g. they tend to have more Facebook friends and tag more images.

emotions

communitysocialrelations

communi-cation

Social values


Motivation matters – gender differences in motivations

=

Men and women have the same qualifica-tions for technical performance, but may not perform equally because women lack the motivation. A lot of technology is designed with men in mind not offering women the benefits they seek. What seems obvious or straightforward for one person (i.e. a male engineer) might not seem as obvious to another (i.e. a female user).

In other words, although men and women share equal abilities to operate tech products it does not mean we are equally motivated to engage ourselves in technology.

“Only 1% of women thought consumer electronics manufacturers

had them in mind when developing products.”

Consumer Electronics Association, CE.ORG 2004.


Real life benefitsWomen see technology as a means to gain benefits

that enrich and simplify their lives and enhance their

abilities to pursue interests.


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LCD

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DC:5V - 0.3AVGA

3.2 megapixel

930 mAh

Li-Polymer 3.6V

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Technology is not meaningful in itself and techni-cal terms do not appeal to her. Tech-talk needs to be translated into explaining the benefits the product offers her. When buying a new camera she is not looking for 10.1 megapixel but a camera that takes pictures good enough to print or can fit into her handbag. It is also important to avoid exposure of the technical system when it comes to the interaction with the product - it does not appeal to women and makes the product rather technical to operate.

Translate tech-features


Female life cycleConsider where in the female life cycle your female customers are.

Women go through all stages – and they don’t have consistent

needs throughout their lives.


Tech toy

Social benefits


Genderdesign landscapeDesign exposes gendervalues and focus

Feature exposing toy Simplicity & lifestyle accessory

Razor machines (Depilators)

Watches

Mobile phones

Vacuum cleaners

ComputersUNISEX


User experiencedimensionsIn order to address the female target group thefollowing parameters all have to be directed towards the woman:

Femalecommunication

& service

Female interaction

Femalefunctions ��

Femalevalues

Femaleaesthetics


Three case products

Jabra JX2 Beosound 5 Danfoss linkBluetooth headset Digital music for the home Central, wireless indoor climate control


GN netcom

Case storyWireless and Hand-sfree Communica-

tion

JX10BluetoothHeadset


Female tech profilesIndoor climate control system - Danfoss

Organiser“Technology as a tool”

Benefit oriented

Tech-loveSystematic

Age: 40-60

Young Communicator“Network and communi cation oriented”

Community

Individualism

CommunicationAge: 18-25

AdministrationTechnology scepticism

Traditionalist“Technology scepticism”

Age: 40-60

Aesthetic Aware“Seeks identity through aesthetics”

Tech accepting

AestheticsAge: 25-40

.

30%

17%24%

29%


Wireless & Handsfree Communication

What did we learn about the users

Opportunity to get in touch more often

Hands free at home – multitasking

��

��

You look like you’re talking to yourself

Wrong image

Business look – personal performance

Simply doesn’t look and feel right

User exploration - direct use of case product


Wireless and hands-free communication

What did we learn about the users

Respect is a key issueMobile phone on tableHeadset in ear

Presence & availabilityRespect for situations and peopleAvailable for incoming calls

Care for situations Not disturbing situationsImportance of call >< importance of situation

Politeness Feel rude when rejecting a call - especially with childrenWhat does the rejected hear?-> Politely refusing to take a call

User exploration - Basic values & emotional aspects

42Female Interaction Strategy I Gigaset I February 2012 I design-people.dk

Key innovation potentialsWireless & Handsfree communication - GN Netcom

Organizer

Young Communicator

More private less business

Present and available

Look right

Tangible and aesthetic interaction

Music andcommunication

Discreet but visible

Respect

Easy access


Later Julia looks at the pamphlet from her daughter’s new kindergarten. She adds the kinder garden to her phone book and Call Filter.

The next day Julia has a meeting at the office and before entering she activates the Call Filter and puts on the headset.

During the meeting a teacher from the kindergarten calls Julia - her daughter is sick.

The headset makes a subtle buzz sound - incoming call. Julia gently squeezes the base and the kindergarten teacher receives a message “Please hang on - I’ll be right there”.

She finds the right moment to leave the meeting room, and answers the call.

A colleague passes by but when he sees that Julia is occupied he does not disturb her.

Julia talks to her sister on the phone while preparing a snack.She is wearing the LIWO headset

Julia hangs up a second to help her daughter.

Then she uses the recall button to get back to her sister.

GN Netcom caseScenario


GN Netcom caseBalanced communication

Headset for hands free communication

Base and earphone connected through a wire

App for filtering incoming calls



Activate filter

Delay call

Answer a call

Recall Volume


Balance family and work

Phone off the table

Only in ear when in use

Easy to operate



Headset for handsfree communication & music

2 Earphones - stereo

Fabric ribbon

GN Netcom caseMusic and Communication


Impact


International web panel feedback

How do women respond...840 respondents: 1/3 men - 2/3 women7 Countries: Denmark, USA, Germany, Japan, Poland, Italy and Brazil

Scenario based concept test - web survey

and men


International web panel feedback

How do women respond...

840 respondents: 1/3 men - 2/3 women7 Countries: Denmark, USA, Germany, Japan, Poland, Italy and Brazil

Scenario based concept test - web survey �

he new headsetsat the same time the headsets still appeale to men


Company witnesses

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Lyle Clark, Concept development

Senior Manager Ole Vilster, Concepting

Kathrine Steen Urup - Product designer

Female Interaction I DDC 08-11-11 I KS I design-people.dk


Female Interaction Process & toolbox


... to a female user

experience driven

strategy

From a male bias in

tech industries ...

Female user

experience

Conc

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deve

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Marketing Interacti

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and sales desig

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Female interaction approach

A B

C�� driven female innovation

Performance and market driven innovation


Value based

Holistic approach

Scenario based

Interpersonal relations

Focus on emotions

Benefit oriented

Focus on motivation

Female Interaction process and method tools

Femalecommunication

& service

Female interaction

Femalefunctions & benefits

Femalevalues

Femaleaesthetics


Female Interaction toolbox

MethodsPrinciplesGuidebook


1 2 6543 7 8Framing - Inno-vation vectors & desired experi-ences

Holistic female user experience analysis

Situation-driven ideation

User feedback & framing

User experience visualisation & testing

Scenario driven interaction- and product design

Theme and concept framing

Overall framing of user- and concept focus

From user understanding to female driven user experience - and product concepts


Female Interaction methods


version 01

start-upFEMALE INNOVATION

KICK-OFF WORKSHOP

female interactionresearch based innovation by design-peopleversion 01

SITUATIVEIDEATION WORKSHOPideation


“ Tak ”


www.femaleinteraction.com

design-people

50Female Interaction I design-people.dk

Female Interaction principles

Situation

Culture

Biology

The gender factorsDepending on biology, cultural and situational norms the woman’s mind set will vary.

1-7Female Interaction I Phase 3 I design-people.dk birthday I 03.09.2010 I design-people.dk

Timetable - female interaction12.01.2009 - 30.08.2011

2009 2010 2011

Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 108 119 12

1 Research & theory

2 User exploration

3 Concept developement & test

4 Guidelines

5 Dissemination

Female Interaction project plan

Documents

Female Interaction Gender AG KS 6-11-12 net 2 · Female Interaction Strategy I 2012 I design-people.dk 20 Female Interaction principles n design-people hen women buy new electronic