Research

Contextual research is the vital first step in gaining insights on the target audience and the market space. Observation, immersion and first-hand experience allow the design team the opportunity to dig through preconceptions and understand the world from the user's eyes. It provides the design team with a view of the emotional and physical interactions of the user in their environment, which other forms of research do not reveal.

Users often find it difficult to verbalise or even realise some of the underlying stresses or frustrations they experience, so these concepts, with the designers facilitating, can be probed and explored in a way that often leads to real innovative progress and far more meaningful product outcomes. In addition, research into technology trends and existing patents helps to map the technical landscape within which the product must exist.