Kristina Parrill
METHODS OF CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH KRISTINA PARRILL IDUS 711 WINTER 2017
Methods of Contextual Research
EXERCISE: SHADOWING
Kristina Parrill
PARTICIPANT: Brian Everstine ACTIVITY: Traveling via rideshare service LOCATION: Washington D.C. DATE: January 21, 2017 CONTEXT: On this particular night, Brian knew he would be using a rideshare service to get to and from an event in Washington D.C. Each portion of travel would account for approximately 30 mins en route to a destination. I will be shadowing Brian’s use of rideshare as well as his interactions throughout the duration of the trip.
Methods of Contextual Research
TRIP #1 WITH BRIAN:
Brian did not rate the driver at close of trip or before ordering a subsequent ride. This screen typically indicates whether or not you have rated your driver. Users who do not rate their drivers harm their own ratings as a rider. Brian accessed his rider rating and found it to be 4.8 out of 5 stars. While Uber isn’t completely transparent about the algorithm used to calculate your rating, Brian’s subtly docked score could be due to lack of interation with ratings.
Kristina Parrill
Methods of Contextual Research
TRIP #2 WITH BRIAN:
Brian did not rate this driver either. Although the driver did not pick up at the correct location, he was not inclined to rate poorly or report an issue. What would prompt a millennial to report an issue with their trip and when would it become neccessary in their eyes?
Kristina Parrill
Brian changed drop of destination while en route. The driver did not ask him to update destination in app. She allowed Brian to giver her directions verbally.
Methods of Contextual Research
TURNING DATA INTO MODELS
Kristina Parrill
Methods of Contextual Research
MODEL #1 ECOSYSTEM
Kristina Parrill
RIDESHARE SERVICE ECOSYSTEM
+ An ecosystem is a representation of the relationships and interactions between the individuals, groups, services, processes, and/or objects within a community or system.
RSS APP
MAINTAINS CONTACT
USER
POINT OF CONTACT
DRIVER
USER
FACILITATES CONTACT
CONTACT INTERSECTS
END OF SERVICE
USER
CLOSE OF CONTACT
RSS APP
POINT OF CONTACT
RSS APP DRIVER
MAINTAINS CONTACT
DRIVER
RSS APP
Methods of Contextual Research
MODEL #2 POSITIONING MAP
Kristina Parrill
TRANSPORTATIONS OPTIONS BASED ON MILLENNIAL PREFERENCE
+
A Positioning map is a graphical device to study and analyse the positions or perception of each of a group of competing products in respect of two specific product characteristic.
High Cost Driving
High Cost + Unreliable options are not present in this model.
Ridesharing Less Available / Unreliable
Readily Available / Convenient Metro / Train Carpooling Bus
Biking
Walking Low Cost
Methods of Contextual Research
MODEL #3 TAG CLOUD
Kristina Parrill
MILLENNIAL TRANSPORTATION SENTIMENTS TAG CLOUD
+
A tag cloud (word cloud, or weighted list in visual design) is a visual representation for text data, typically used to depict keyword metadata (tags) on websites, or to visualize free form text. Tags are usually single words, and the importance of each tag is shown with font size or color. This format is useful for quickly perceiving the most prominent terms and for locating a term alphabetically to determine its relative prominence.
Methods of Contextual Research
MODEL #3 USER PERSONAS
Kristina Parrill
MILLENNIAL RIDESHARE USER PERSONAS
+
Personas are fictional characters created to represent the different user types within a targeted demographic, attitude and/ or behavior set that might use a site, brand or product in a similar way.
BRIAN
SARAH
AGE: 30
AGE: 25
•
Resident of a major U.S. city
•
Recent adopter of rideshare services
•
Does not own a car
•
Resident of a major U.S. city
•
Uses rideshare for early / late commutes
•
Uses rideshare as a means to travel for nights out
•
Early adopter of the rideshare community
•
Owns a car, but likes the convenience of rideshare
•
Often uses rideshare as a single passenger
•
Concerned with safety — will not ride alone
SCENARIO
SCENARIO
Working in a large city has it’s perks, but sometimes commuting by train or bus is unreliable and often times crowded. Although rideshare services aren’t always the most cost effective, I have found myself footing the bill for a comfortable commute.
As a recent college grad, I found myself itching to move to a big city. Prior to my move I only drove when I needed to get from point A to B. I have been using rideshare for about two years now and it is the only other way I get around.
I don’t find myself out on the town as much as I used to, but when I do I always travel via Uber.
I most often use rideshare to travel safetly when I’m out drinking with my friends. I do worry about riding alone in a rideshare car. Is it safe? I won’t ride alone.
Methods of Contextual Research
INSIGHT OVERVIEW
Kristina Parrill
STUDY: Millennials Rideshare Services OVERVIEW: Over the course of the past few months, I have been studying and collecting data on millennials as it pertains to their use of rideshare services. I interviewed countless millennial participants, collected copious survey responses and observed driver and rider interaction during numerous ridealongs. As I exposed myself to the culture, I learned that millennials have grown to tolerate the painpoints of a broken service. Ease and convenience have been the trade off for tolerating the less than ideal components of rideshare. On the following page you can see how the painpoints of the service breakdown into three categories that serve as the framework for my affinity diagram.
Methods of Contextual Research
AFFINITY DIAGRAM
Kristina Parrill
RIDESHARE PAIN POINTS — DATA FROM RIDERS AND DRIVERS
HUMAN
FINANCIAL
LOGISTICAL
Cost is not consistent from service to service.
Rideshare services are subject to limited availability.
Safety is questionable
Surge price reasoning is often unknown / confusing.
Only readily available in major cities.
Unregulated / drivers not thoroughly vetted
Surcharges are presented after service is initiated.
Rideshare interfaces’ do not support navigation needs.
How do keep drivers informed within the ecosystem?
Drivers frequently ask for directions or a better route to destination.
Technology overrides the human connection.
USER
Riders are often less confused and unable to predict pricing. Therefore, considering rideshare services to be unreliable from a cost perspective.
RSS APP
App technology could benefit from an upgrade that seeks to facilitate a better relationship with the driver and his/her given coordinates.
DRIVER
A culture of distrust exists between rider and driver. How can we induce cultural shift to create a sense of saftey for rideshare patrons.
Methods of Contextual Research
INSIGHT #1
Kristina Parrill
MAKE COST CONSISTENT AND EASY TO PREDICT There is an opportunity to create a platform for rideshare users to keep them informed on pricing and educate them on cost construct. How might we ... • Ensure users understand the pricing structure for the service they request? • Enable users to consistently predict pricing for their regular rideshare use? • Make sure drivers and riders have access to the same information?
Methods of Contextual Research
WHAT IS THE USER SAYING ABOUT RSS COST? “You capitalized by creating a new habit in society and by taking extreme advantage of that habit with surge pricing.”
“Stop having minimums for short drives!”
“Convenient, but not consistently cost effective.”
Kristina Parrill
USER
POINT OF CONTACT
RSS APP
The user needs to be fully aware of final pricing before initiating contact with the driver. Possible surchargers should be listed and agreed to before accepting service.
POINT OF CONTACT
DRIVER
Rideshare services have been steadily climbing in price and the algorithms for creating those prices are not transparent or even vaguely known to the consumer. How can a regular user of rideshare services remain on budget when they can not predict the expenses they will incur? As mentioned earlier, ease and convenience have been the trade off for tolerating the less than ideal components of rideshare. Rising and unpredictable cost fall into a category with the less than ideals.
Methods of Contextual Research
INSIGHT #2
Kristina Parrill
MAKE SURE RIDERS FEEL SAFE AT ALL TIMES There is an opportunity to make sure all users feel safe and welcomed within the ridshare community.
How might we ... • Ensure users (especially females) feel safe enough to ride alone? • Create a culture of safety and respect among rideshare customers and drivers? • Hold the service provider accountable for maintaing a culture of safety?
Methods of Contextual Research
WHAT IS THE USER SAYING ABOUT RSS SAFETY? “It’s convenient [rideshare service] but the safety of it questionable as we all know how easy it is to obtain a driver license.”
“Unregulated equals dangerous”
“Immediately think of the differences between taxis. It’s always in the back of mind what if they crash? or how experienced are they?”
Kristina Parrill
BOUNDARY BEFORE POINT OF CONTACT
USER
BOUNDARY BEFORE POINT OF CONTACT
DRIVER
Users want to be exposed to the criteria it takes to become a rideshare driver. How easy is it to meet the requirements? Users want a culture of transparency they feel does not currently exist.
Sure, you have to pass a background investigation before being allowed to drive with rideshare, but how do you prevent people from working around the system? For example, what if a dishonest person asked a friend to apply to be a driver knowing he/she wouldn’t meet the requirements alone? These are real concerns that millennials had in the field while participating in my study. One helpful tip a participant passed along: always check the liscense plate before getting in the car, make sure the make and model of the car is the same as what’s listed and try not to ride alone.
Methods of Contextual Research
INSIGHT #3
Kristina Parrill
GAIN RIDESHARE ACCESS OUTSIDE OF MAJOR CITIES There is an opportunity to expand the reach of rideshare services and expand the community.
How might we ... • Entice rideshare drivers to serve areas outside of major cities? • Gauge interest for rideshare services in additional cities? • Make rideshare the gold standard among all transportation options?
Methods of Contextual Research
WHAT IS THE USER SAYING ABOUT RSS AVAILABILITY? Over 1 out of 4 millennials interviewed do not use rideshare services at all.
Millennials who visit cities from suburban areas are likely not to have any RSS apps readily installed.
“There might be one Uber available on the weekend if we’re lucky. It’s just not a thing we gravitate toward in the suburbs.”
Kristina Parrill
URBAN USER
SUBURBAN USER
RURAL USER
Millennials residing in all areas demonstrate the same instincts to value instant gratification and ease of use. RSS embodies those characteristics, suggesting that users from all areas could adapt to use RSS in some fashion.
Methods of Contextual Research
INSIGHT #4
Kristina Parrill
OPTIMIZE RSS INTERFACES TO BETTER NAVIGATE There is an opportunity to aquire additional technology that helps drivers better navigate the route to a destination. How might we ... • Ensure drivers know how to navigate from point A to point B without having to ask the rider? • Optimize navigation within the current rideshare interface? • Allow riders to input navigation suggestions if they wish to do so?
Methods of Contextual Research
WHAT IS THE USER SAYING ABOUT RSS NAVIGATION? “Big hit or miss on the driver & their services. They’re not always great to work with.”
“I’ve have drivers ask for a better route to where I’m heading all the time!”
“Buy out Waze so drivers actually know where they are going & the best route to get there.”
Kristina Parrill
RSS APP
RSS APP
USER
DRIVER
RIDESHARE APPS NEED TO BETTER SERVE THE RIDER AND DRIVER AS THEIR NEEDS DIFFER. DRIVER FOCUS MUST SHIFT TO NAVIGATION.