Product category:
Design and Development Consultancy
News Release from: Human Factors International
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 01 March 2007
Design methodology provides market
insight
Human Factors International's "contextual innovation", positions all aspects of design, including research and development, within the social and cultural context of a product's target consumers.
Markets for new and existing products, services and business processes are no longer homogeneous Greater diversity amongst today and tomorrow's consumers requires a radical new approach to the concept of design and greater insight into the market environment
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 2 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Breakthrough products and services will only gain the competitive edge if they appeal to and satisfy their target markets' needs.
The world's most innovative companies are responding by embracing user-centric design innovation to create breakthrough products with immediate consumer appeal and ease of use.
Human Factors International has pioneered a design methodology encapsulating the usability of products and how they can be adapted to new markets.
Termed "contextual innovation", it positions all aspects of design, including research and development, firmly within the social and cultural context of a product's target consumers.
Bringing together ethnographic, business, design and technical elements, it is a multidisciplinary process of inquiry that focuses on user interactions, not only to acquire an in-depth understanding of existing and potential product users, but also to drive innovation and exploit increased market opportunities.
Human Factors International is running a two-day workshop at London Art House in Islington, London, on 19 and 20 April 2007.
Led by Apala Lahiri Chavan, Managing Director of Human Factors International India, the workshop, entitled How to Create Breakthrough Products and Services through Contextual Innovation, will cover three principal themes: Find Your Space, Know Your User and Create Concepts.
Designed to inspire new technology innovation, delegates will learn how to apply the contextual innovation methodology developed by Human Factors International.
By the end of the two-day session, they will have a proven framework and practical tools for identifying and studying their target markets, assessing potential obstacles, and analysing and using a wealth of information to reach their identified targets.
Within this context, delegates will also be taught how to carry out ethnographic studies of user segments and transform this data into practical ideas using an Ecosystem Chart.
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