Research book

Research Book Service Design

Service design My main focus for this final project was to look at service design and how we as customers engage with this in our day to day lives. This is a dicumented jourey of research and ideas that have lead me to my final outcome.

Thomas Hardie

stations, where you pay at the pump through a card transaction instead of going inside the petrol station to pay.

Another example of where self-service is found is the vending machine. his is one of the oldest examples where machines are placed within a space to offer people the opertunity to selct and pay for drinks & food etc. It also is expanding within customer service roles with self check in appear to a new trend at airports and hotels.

What is self Service? self-service adjective adjective: self-service 1. denoting a shop, restaurant, etc. where customers select goods for themselves and pay at a checkout. “a self-service cafeteria” noun noun: self-service 1. the system whereby customers select goods for themselves and pay at a checkout. “providing quick self-service”

The principle of self-service is to eliminate the need for someone to do the task for you as a customer, this usually envolves the process of paying.

Where do you find self service?

It is commonly found in ways to pay for goods, wether that be a ticket maching at a cinema or trainstation where you can collect tickets ordered online or selelct and pay then. They can also be found in supermarkets where you take you scan and pack your products and pay at a machine instead of using cashier to do it for you. These can be found also at petrol

Self-service is a do it yourself to customer service.

“The purpose of service design methodologies is to design according to the needs of customers or participants, so that the service is user-friendly, competitive and relevant to the customers.”- Wikipedia Is it what makes service design differnt from other relivant fields of design such as User Experience design is the breadth that it covers, but making changes at a organisational level. he focus of service design is not only to look at User Exsperience, but to look at the the experince of the providers service. -(http://digitalbydefault. com/2013/07/28/self-service-design/)

Understanding the needs of where service design can be implemnted within a space is to identify specific needs and what experinences are envolved within them. This can be identifyed by looking at these questions.

“What are the needs of your users?

What services currently meet those?

How are they performing? What constraints might there be?”This stage of discovery will help develop an understanding of thearea that can be tckled and that can give an understanding of the issues and aspects of technology that might be involved wether it is digital or analog or combined. Understanding the target audience and what they may need is key, Some maybe able to deal with complete digital service, however others may need analog support or vice versa.

The discovery of finding a solotion within self-service is a similar process that my prevous work has followed in. Starting with research stage and investigation i can use previous techniques such as interviews and questionnaires as in previous methodologies to help highlight a specific area.

From this i can then look into identifying the users and current ‘products & technologies’ that already exist on the market right now.

This will help be develop a direction and area of focus and allow me to start developing prototypes and ideas, that then can go through a development stage and eventually tried and tested and re develped till the soloution resolves the problem highlighted earlier.

An example othe process i will be undertaking is through this diagram from the government service design manual. (https://www.gov.uk/service-manual)

Their are a range of methods and processes that could be used to help map and understand how self service works and the levels of interaction that people have with it, which in turn can help with identify issues. One way of mapping is through blueprinting.

“The blueprint is an operational tool that describes the nature and the characteristics of the service interaction in enough detail to verify, implement and maintain it.”- (http://www. servicedesigntools.org/tools/35)

The idea of a bluepint within service design soemtimes only visualses a partical aspect of the service such as process, actions and by including emotional and motivanal views it is good way to show th service in detail.

Anoter process to investigate issues within service design is construct story boards. These storyboards could be used tohelp map a journey of an experince a person may have when using a service or could be used to help understand how the user thinks.

So the board could have blanks left within it and the user could fill them in regarding how they would feel and do in the certain situation.

Conceived by Gianluca Brugnoli -teacher at Politecnico di Milano and designer at Frog Design- the touch points matrix merges some features of the customer journey maps with some features of the system maps and is based on the use of personas.

The basic idea is to provide a visual framework that enables designer to “connect the dots of the user experience� in order to see the different configurations, interfaces, contexts and results of the interaction with a specific product-service system.

It is built by listing vertically the differ-

ent devices or contexts that are part of the system and by listing horizontally the main actions that are supported by the system itself.

Once composed, the designer can put a specific persona inside and imagine his journey through the different touch points, connecting the related dots.

In this way the matrix brings to a deeper comprehension of the interaction and facilitates and further develop the opportunities given by the system, looking at the possible entry points and paths, shifting the focus of the design activities to connections:

“Design for connections: in the system scenario, design is mainly focused on finding the connections with the whole network, than in creating closed and self-sufficient systems, tools and services.

Connections are social and cultural assets, other than technical.�- (http:// www.servicedesigntools.org/tools/108) example: PHOTOGRAPHY TOUCHPOINTS MATRIX Gianluca Brugnoli, Frog Design

Another way of understanding how self service work is to understand how it is being used. One way to do this is to submerge myself within the environment. Ways in which this could be achieved is to look at it from a customers point of view and undertsnad the emotions and use of how the system works, but maybe also from the buisnesses point of view as well to gain greater insight on the problems and what it should achieve.

Character pofiling is great way to build an undertsanding of the user and target audience in which the service is suppoed to reach. With profiles it helps build a realation between the designer and the user which will help refelct their thoughts and emotions and which issues they may struggle to overcome, as well as what processes they would rather.

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What the next will be is o identify what is self service in more detail. Then to expand on the idea of what means within the acedemic and buisness understanding and find out what it means to the public. This will help gain a gretaer understanding of what the area means to people and where it can be found.

When i have a greater understanding of self-service , i will then have idetifyed an area of improvemnt which i will then be able to start to develop ideas on how to resolve it.

After editing my ideas i will start prototyping them for testing and gathering feedback.

With this feedback i will then look to produce the final outcome after re developing from my trial testing stage. I will also consider how the work will be presented for exhabitian.

How I plan to investigate these areas is through a series of online research and research conducted through books and journals as well as speaking to companies who use self-service as well as people as well which will be conducting through a series of interviews.

Self-service what it is and where can it be found?

Self-service is “the methods and processes a business uses to allow its customers to complete most steps in purchasing products or services on their own.�- (http://www.webopedia. com/TERM/S/self_service.html) Self service is not just found in a physical form such as ATM machine or a self service checkouts which are common self service intrations that we experince on a regular basis. It is also used in the digital world. Online banking is an example where you can

log on and manage and transfer your money from accounts. This trend has even gone one step further and made available for mobile devices. Another example would be self service within website design. The idea of these platforms is allow buisnesses to set up a website in a just a few hours by allowing them to set up an account and use a selction of templates where they can upload there own material without the hassle of coding or experience in web designing.

Ask opinions of other on what it means to them and what experiences they have had with them. record this infomation.

Potential questions/outline What is self-service to you?

What do you think it should be?

Where have you experienced the best self-service?

What made it the best or better than the rest?

Are there any annoyances of self-service for you?

What emotions do you find when you go to use this self-service?

Do you have any worries when using this self-service?

Map a journey of using a self-service?

Build a character profile?

Results from interviewing people about self service has highlighted a few areas that could be investigated in more detail to reveal a strong course of action to direct my project.

Familiar patterns emerged when collecting results from people highlighting issues such as the stress and emotions of of going through and using self-service.As well as not understanding it, or having trouble finding out infomation for when using a self-service system andhaving to leave it to ask for assistance from a person at another location. Some of the most succesful self-service ideas came from identifying a simple process and delivering it with the emotional benifits, which create a nicer harmoney. An example of this was an ice cream parlor which allowed the user to create their own icecream dessert and add any topping they like

and follow a simple process line and it is weighed at the end where they pay.

What makes this work is it allows the customer to have what they want in the quanty they want and having the guilt free approach and embarresment taken away from by not having to order and mess around with removing certain extras they do not want and have no one judge them at the end.

Creating a harmoney works effectivly, its more than delivering a processes it is delivering a service where customer needs to the centre not just through what they want but how to deliver it to them with their journey in mind.

Most of the common trends people find with self service is the self serve checkouts that are common in supermarkets. They find that certain iteams need authorisation so tat they still have to wait for someone to come over or other technical issues with the bagging area makig the simple quick process long and stressful.

NHS The NHS was originally set up as place to help cure diseases. However now that a lot of these diseases have been cured it has expanded it operation over time to deal with the demands that need attending to now such as dealing with injuries i.e. A&E or dealing with long term incurable illnesses as well as caring and dealing with mental illnesses also.

As of this the budget and demand on the NHS has increased dramatically which has sparked a series of issues within the organisation that have been publicised throughout the media. NHS have been known to be short staffed and struggle to deal with customer demand which is a perfect place to investigate the areas of where self service could be implanted within their framework which could relieve the pressure off them and deliver a better customer service.

Identify areas where self-service could be implanted within the organisation by highlight problem areas.

Banking The banking sector has been keeping up with technology with the introduction of internet and mobile banking it has allowed it’s customers to be able to bank anywhere anytime creating a flexibility to banking which does not exist in branch due to it still have it’s classic opening times.

However with technology and lifestyle change adapting at such a fast rate is banking offering the right experience and service its customers need? The possibility of advancing a service and looking at this major part of social behaviour within banking and

identifying trends and needs.

Design Boom are hosting a competition in collaboration with Deutsche Bank called ‘Future Banking’ this competition asks designers to “develop smart ideas/applications/gadgets/offerings or services provided by a bank that support customers and enhance their branch experience or digital day-to-day and life planning or that surprise and inspire them in a positive manner.

We believe that: − Banks need to be relevant for their clients and delight them by taking care of their financial &

non-financial needs in daily life − Simplification, convenience (“anytime, anywhere, anyhow” but in a non-intrusive way) and anticipating client needs will become key differentiators − Advice becomes even more important in the digital age, can go even beyond financial advice and does not have to be in person (e.g. peer-to-peer) As a result, customers should be offered an innovative financial service that adds genuine value to their day-to-day life.”

Ticket Machine Another area of interest is the ticket machine. For some the machine is straightforward and easy to use, you type your destination and pay for your ticket and print, and then off you go.

However for others it is confusing and does not give all the information that you need at hand like what you get at a service desk. Example was for someone visiting London for the first time and did not know what zone pass to get for the underground. The information was not there at hand to ask for at the ticket machine. Another is if you want to know what platform your train is leaving from or what is the quickest train to get you to your desired location? So you have figured this all out for yourself with no help on top of the pressure from the queue that is building up behind you the user. These questions are the difference between the human interaction and the self-service interaction by why should they be different and is self-service not that useful after alll?

For my chosen pathway after analysing which option seems more appealing and appropriate, I went over the pros and cons. The NHS seemed very appealing due to the issues that could be solved through the service and how they deal with patients. However due to getting insight and access into hospitals and GP surgeries to understand how the operation works and gain insight that will help highlight the issues and

where I feel could be developed, would be a difficult task I would not progress along this pathway.

The ticket machine seemed appealing due to the elements that human service can provide and machines can’t but the banking sector is such a big factor in our lives on a daily basis and as long as we evolve and lifestyle habits change banking has to evolve

with it making it seem the perfect area to test my practice within. Along side that the competition with ‘designboom’ gives me a great template to work with and allows me to concentrate on the human interaction with customer service aspects of banking which is the area I would like to develop further.

What changes are banks making?

My next stage will be to investigate new changes that have happened in the banking industry so I can identify what issues have been dealt with and if they work effectively. Alongside with this I will start taking initial steps to interviewing people on what they like and dislike about banking and find out if they have any issues within the sector.

I will conduct this research by going to different bank branches and find out what services they offer as well as researching online through bank websites. I will also investigate what other design practices have researched

and developed ideas for this sector to find out their methodology and how they approached the problem. For the interview process of my initial research I will conduct this over a series of interviews that will include a range of people ages and gender. I will be doing this due to understanding if there is a particular demographic that my idea maybe aiming towards and see if different issues arise in different groups and identify trends and patterns.

The first step is to understan what products are avaiable to customers of banks currently now and what is being introduced in the near future. This will help understand what has been done so that my idea has nothing that inflict upon a product already on the market or soon to be on the market. I will research upon banks and the services that they offer their customers as well as researching ideas that will soon to be placed on in the market.

The reason for doing this is so that i will not unintentially copy an idea but also through my investigation I want to find out wether people have tried

these tools that banks are offering if they have not or don not like them i want to know why and that could develop into an area for the start of my project.

For this research i will look into the products offered by the leading high street banks as well as ideas that other banks maybe rolling out shortly.

These maybe found in media sites or newspapers as well as blogs and magaznes as well as looking into service design agencies like Ideo to see if they have developed anything new in this area of practice.

Ideo for GE Money “Banking relationships are generally characterized by a lack of trust, experience, and understanding. Potential customers are often too embarrassed to ask questions, for fear of being seen as naive.

GE Money Bank, a relative newcomer to the region, recognized this as an opportunity. Already perceived as a modern, stable, and global financial institution, GEMB had branded its services as easy, clear, and rewarding.

GEMB partnered with IDEO to reinvent its branch concept and in-store experience in three distinct markets: Poland, Russia, and the Czech Republic. The challenge was to do so while developing a scalable footprint, keeping build-out costs and incremental headcount to a minimum, and coming up with a flexible marketing materials for diverse communities and languages.

The biggest issue they uncovered was that the bank staff’s gestures and spatial cues were encouraging an “us vs. them” atmosphere, rather than the desired “we.” They also identified two basic customer “journeys” — one task-oriented (“I have to do something”), the other question-oriented (“I have to ask something”) — that informed their core design principle: customer space should match pace.

Whereas in most banks customers line up and wait for the next available teller, GEMB’s new retail branch experience reshapes how customers meet with employees, placing the emphasis on service. The spatial layout resembles a restaurant more than a traditional bank; GEMB and IDEO reconceived back-of-house activities and added team rooms and features that make welcoming clients, cash handling, portfolio management, and organization much easier.”-Ideo

Ideo BBVA self service teller machine “At the outset, the team faced the challenge of overcoming ATM industry standards. Product development was driven by hardware manufacturers, which supplied banks with a catalog of available ATM models to choose from. BBVA teamed up with IDEO to develop a system based on customer needs. It’s also an automated teller machine designed to gain a competitive advantage. With IDEO’s help, it has shifted the industry paradigm to custom-design a machine around user experience.

Using insights they gained through this research, IDEO and BBVA outlined a strategy of innovations around the self-service channel and the business case for building a custom-designed ATM that offered all of the most common banking transactions in a simple, flexible, and intuitive

manner. The team also revamped the bank’s internal communication strategy and collaborated on user feedback programs during the pilot stages.

Throughout the development process, IDEO and BBVA worked closely with manufacturing partners NCR and Fujitsu to ensure that the original design intent was maintained throughout the engineering, build, and implementation of the new ATM. The new machines improve privacy, ease of use, and simplicity. The customer stands at 90 degrees to anyone else who may be waiting, shielded by a frosted panel. All operations, including PIN entry, are completed on a 19-inch touch screen that displays only information relevant to the transaction at hand. All cash, statements and receipts are handled in and out through a single slot.” - Ideo

Ideo for PNC bank PNC Financial Services Group provides retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, and asset management services to more than 2.9 million people on the East Coast of the United States. Eager to make lifelong customers from the emerging Generation Y market, PNC came to IDEO to develop and refine its financial service offering for these 70 million young, tech-savvy consumers.

The design team began by understanding how members of Gen Y view banking and feel about money and managing their finances. Observations also uncovered two distinct user archetypes: those who embrace technology but are selective of how and when they use it, and those with a voracious appetite for digital content.

These insights and archetypes became the basis for a design language for a banking service intended to engage users with simplicity, clarity, and “on-demand” access. The service would need to not only provide relevant tools for users, but also to address the range of emotions associated with money and finances.

The result is Virtual Wallet, a family of banking products that provides customers with seamless access to their finances and intuitive, tangible, and direct control of their money. Centered on electronic transactional banking, it is designed to both promote and optimize banking activities with features

and visualizations that support the mental models and lifestyles of its Gen Y customers.

The suite includes a personal banking website that combines rich visualizations and contextual information to communicate the implications and relationships among financial data.

Included in these features is a money slide bar to graphically indicate available funds, a Savings Engine that helps customers establish rules around spending, and a playful instant transfer feature named Punch the Pig. Graphics, behaviors, and exclusions were all carefully chosen using insights from observations, providing the user with an enticing experience that is still in line with the structure of the bank’s existing offer. Virtual Wallet also features a mobile application based on the same design language and structure as the website, simply adapted for small screens. PNC Bank rolled out Virtual Wallet in June of 2008.

Ideo for Bank of America Facing the challenge of enticing people into opening new accounts, Bank of America came to IDEO in search of ethnography-based innovation opportunities. They discovered that many people in both the target audience and the general public would often round up their financial transactions for speed and convenience. In addition, the team found that many moms had difficulty saving what money they had, whether due to a lack of resources or willpower.

After bringing these observations into a series of brainstorming sessions, the team arrived at a solution that uses the habits existing on one hand to resolve the problems persisting on the other. Ultimately dubbed “Keep the Change,” the service rounds up purchases made with a Bank of America Visa debit card to the nearest dollar and transfers the difference from individuals’ checking accounts into their

savings accounts. The convenience and ease of rounding up now helps members save money over the long run.

After Bank of America’s extensive testing, refinement, and validation of prototypes, Keep the Change launched in October 2005. In less than one year, it attracted 2.5 million customers, translating into more than 700,000 new checking accounts and one million new savings accounts for Bank of America.

Ideo for Hyundai card HyundaiCard, one of the largest credit card companies in the country, saw an opportunity to innovate—to evolve from being perceived as a mere lender to being considered an integral part of the prevailing consumer lifestyle.

HyundaiCard already had an extensive portfolio, but it needed a clearer message: Consumers knew the company was different, but they weren’t sure how or why. The company tapped IDEO to tell the brand’s story and then connect it with how users interact with HyundaiCard products and services.

Ideo created concepts, which ranged from work/life balance to urban environmentalism, were presented to HyundaiCard in the form of blackand-white photographs. Internal discussions of the images led to the development of seven design rules that provided clarity and constraints for HyundaiCard communications.

Ultimately, the creative team was able to convey the HyundaiCard brand in a simple phrase: “Life beyond the numbers.” They created a complementary style guide with specifications for fonts, tone of voice, layout, photography, and illustration that were used to design or redesigned the company’s service-oriented informational materials. The style was applied to the Web site, members’ bulletin, application form, activation sticker, and billing

statement for three key products, including the exclusive Black card. (The design rules were so well received that they were translated to Korean and shared companywide.) As part of this project, HyundaiCard and IDEO also realized that manipulating a credit card itself, using existing manufacturing technologies, would build brand equity. So they infused color into the layers of plastic and added graphics to the magnetic strip.

Both elements were then connected to the brand to make it—and the associated products and services—tangible.

Today the HyundaiCard brand is successfully and clearly re-established as a lifestyle brand. New products build on the company’s story and present the consumer with more options. For each new card, the design can be more easily implemented given the style guide and rules of design that we established as a starting point for communication.

Bank products Barclays cloud it. Instead of keeping all your bank documents in a draw or cabinet save room and have it stored on a secure cloud with Barclays. Barclays Cloud It offers: •Convenience – upload, sort and manage your important information •Security – your information is kept safely with us •Simplicity – tag your documents so they’re easy to find later •Flexibility – retrieve information whenever you need it •Reminders – set up alerts for key payments, renewals or dates •Peace of mind – no need to worry about lost documents Text Alerts. Allows you to pick what you want to be notified on and have texts sent straight to your phone so you can keep up to date with your account. Alerts keep you informed of; •Large Credit – alerts you when your account receives a large payment, helping you stay in control of your income •Large Debit – alerts you when a large payment is made from your account, helping you keep in control of your spending •Online Statement – alerts you when your latest online statement is ready •Non-UK Debit - alerts you know when an overseas payment is made, helping protect you against fraud •Weekly balance – you can request

your balance and last 5 transaction alerts to arrive on any working day you choose Alerts to keep you out of the red •Near Limit – alerts you when your balance gets near the limit you set •Avoid Reserve Fee – lets you know when you’re using your Personal Reserve •Avoid Unpaid Fee – alerts you that you have insufficient funds to pay an item (eg, a cheque, standing order or Direct Debit), giving you the chance to pay in funds so the payment can be made and the fee avoided •Paid Transaction Fee – lets you know that you have insufficient funds to pay a guaranteed item (eg, a credit or contactless card debit) so that you can pay in funds and avoid the Paid Transaction Fee Mobile banking allows the user to access all their accounts quickly by having it set up to there phone/iPad app where they will have a pin number to access the information when set up. They can get straight through to speak to an advisor without passing through security as they have done so on their app with the pin. It can also locate your nearest branch if you want to speak face-to-face. It allows the user to check recent transactions and bank balance. As well as keeping you up to date on other products such as credit cards and mortgages you can process transactions and make transfers as well setting up statements to be received online or by post. Some

mobile banking apps allow the user to withdraw cash without a bankcard at certain ATM machines.

Telephone banking allows the user to have access to a series of services which are; fast-track service, you can: •Hear your available balance •Check your latest transactions – what’s come in or gone out •Pay your Barclaycard bill •Transfer money between your Barclays accounts •Search for specific payments •Listen to details of your standing orders and Direct Debits By speaking to an adviser, you can: •Pay bills •Order chequebooks •Stop cheques •Order travellers cheques •Change your address details •Arrange a Barclay loan •Arrange a personal overdraft •Open a new current or savings account •Get information about Barclays products and services Barclays Pingit. Allows the user to send and receive money using mobile numbers. It allows you to set account details to your contacts so when you need to send money it is easy and quick just like sending a message.

NatWest also offer a similar service with their banking app.

A money tool allows the customer to track income and spending, see transactions and set goals for saving.

A lot of banks offer a budget calculator that can be easily accessed on their website which has numerous columns to input out goings in comes so you can decide on how much you can save.

Internet Banking allows the user to check there bank accounts and have access to view previous transactions, as well as to monitor transactions and conduct payments to bills and transfers. It also is a way to view statements.

Card Payment has evolved it allows you to pay by just entering a pin number and can set limits to the transaction amount you spend at ay one time.

It also has contactless payment where you just tap your card against the till machine to pay for items to make it quick and hassle free which normally has a limit of £10.

Pin sentry is a security process to allow the customer to enter there pin number into the card reader which will in turn display a random long digit number to enter as their password to accesses there accounts online or in branch and sign for transactions for digital transactions. This is not only a tangible device but also a digital one that some banks are incorporating

within their mobile apps to make it easier for customers to use it with out the need in the physical device and their card.

How to conduct market research and knowing the facts What is market research?

To understand how this can be used to help me in my work I must first understand what it means. Market research is a form qualitative research method.

To define market research would be to say that it is “ the action or activity of gathering information about customers’ needs and preferences.” (https://www.google. co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=define+market+research) It can be used to help identify “unmet needs and provide an understanding of unfamiliar markets” as well as “finding new territories for products and services” not only that it can help with that but also “show the likelihood of adoption of a new product” and “measure customer satisfaction to find out how to maintain a competi-

tive edge.”( figure1.1, p4, http://site. ebrary.com/lib/aib/docDetail.action?docID=10084442) Market research can be used to great effect for businesses on a B2B platform. Allowing to know where their company can be paced in the market as well as understanding what the perception is of their brand and find out ways in which they maybe able to change that.

There are multiple methods in which you can collect market research.

Focus groups, observations, face-toface interviewing, telephone interviewing, self-completion questionnaires, E-surveys, as well as in-depth interviews are ways in which research can be generated. How do these methods work and which of these ways can give the information needed?

Focus groups are a means to collect data through group interaction on a topic. The basic principle of a focus group is gather a select number of people, which are commonly composed of 5-10, all depending on the demographic required for the research and for them to discuss specific thoughts on a matter to provide in-depth qualitative data that is rich with words and descriptions not just numbers so it can provide more emotional and behavioural insight. A focus group would have to have an outline of criteria that would help specify what candidates they would need to attend.

For example if it was about identifying peoples attitudes towards web sites, then they must have regular access to the Internet and use it frequently. (p49, http://site.ebrary.com/lib/aib/ docDetail.action?docID=10084442) When to use a focus group?

A focus group are best used to “identify and explore behaviour, attitudes and processes. They are best used to throw a light on the ‘why?’, ‘what?’ and ‘how?’ questions.” (p50, http://site. ebrary.com/lib/aib/docDetail.action?docID=10084442) “Focus groups can be used in three ways these are: • Stand alone method: where the focus groups are the sole data collection method and they serve as the principle source of data.

• Supplementary to a survey: Where focus groups are used to enhance alternative means of data collection. Typically this would be used as a precursor to a qualitative stagedetermining the issues to be covered in the structured interviewing and giving insights into problems or opportunities that are being researched.

• As part of multi-method design: where studies use several sources of data collection and no one method determines the use of the others.” (p50, http://site.ebrary.com/lib/aib/ docDetail.action?docID=10084442) The objectives of a focus group when it is used as soul source of data is to find out “what is the problem?, how can we solve it? And how will the market react?” (p50, http://site.ebrary. com/lib/aib/docDetail.action?docID=10084442) “Group discussions are especially useful for researching new products, testing new concepts or determining ‘what would happen if...?’. They work because delegates can digest the points raised by other members and, as they consider the implications of issues raised, further ideas maybe sparked off which would remain untapped in a personal interview.” The typical uses for these focus groups are to help unravel complex processes from the basics, to indentify the customer’s needs, to indentify how products are used, as well as to test new products and explore concepts

with identifying issues of satisfaction. ¬¬Focus groups are not always practical and within the business community in depth interviews still remain the most commonly used qualitative research method. Focus groups are not as good for the measurement of distribution as well as not allowing bias opinions are spread amongst a group or if the subject matter is sensitive and require privacy.

In-depth Interviews Is a dialogue between people where there will be a list of questions that will needed to be answered in a particular method that appears almost as a conversation. Many market research groups would use multi method design to gather their information leading themselves to a qualitative and quantitative research method such as using in depth interviewing to help establish what issues they may need to question people on when conducting a questionnaire.

In depth interviews are usually carried out face to face this allows the moderator to engage with the interviewee and gain trust and build a relationship which in forth brings upon more in-depth insight and deeper answers that they maybe looking for. This makes it very useful for hen research issues are not known, processes need describing in detail, and when

needing to test products and find out emotional responses with out contamination from others.

Same as focus groups they can be used as a multi method research or as a stand-alone source. It is best to carry about 10-30 interviews how the more done the more cost effective it can be.

Developing an area of discussion Depth interviewing is a qualitative data collection method, which means it uses a less concise structure for discussion. “This is opposite to a highly structured questionnaire that is used in a quantitative interview. It should follow a definite sequence. The conventional sequence being introduction, warm up questions, main body of interview, and thank and close.”

The main body will be arranged through a number of stages that will be sorted by the research objectives.

This will be done by using probes and prompts to help develop the discussion to provided deep insight and data.

A probe is a way to get the respondent to expand further on their answer.

Phrases such as ‘and what do you think about that?’, ‘Can you talk me through that again?’ and ‘Anything more?’ are good ways to allow the interviewee to reveal more insight and build upon what has already been

said. A probe is way of enhancing an answer whereas a prompt is used to introduce a subject matter that has not been discussed yet.

Observations Observation is having more of a major impact within market research, especially with the increase in digital recording equipment it has become more regularly available to use. Ways in which it can play an importance in market research is it shows visual insights that cannot be recorded any other way. An example could be recording a group interview to look at their body language, to gain insight on their behaviour or reaction to aspects of the interview. Another way in which it can be used is to understand how consumers may shop in a supermarket and see what items they would like to purchase first or what deliberation they may have when selecting a brand or product. This method of collection can record great insight and may deliver to be very useful when trying to understand the consumers’ preferences and desires as well as their dislikes.

The questionnaire A questionnaire has an important role of gathering data from a respondent.

They play an important role in data collection methodology. This is because they allow “responses to be

recorded in a consistent way to facilitate data analysis.” (p99, http://site. ebrary.com/lib/aib/docDetail.action?docID=10084442)

+

To understand how to gain insight into the banking I will conduct interviews and document processes on how people bank to gain a deeper understanding. My first approach will be interviewing a range of candidates from a mixture of ages from early 20’s to 70+ and from both genders this will help me gain an understanding if there are different patterns and processes between the demographics, which could help to understand problems they might have.

Scenario 1

The way I will conduct these initial interviews will be through a series of questions that I will conduct individually and record to as means of gather all the information they have said so I do not miss out on any thing. The questions will be based around different scenarios. I have decided to this as a way of re-phrasing questions to see if that can spark different answers from the candidates that will offer greater insights.

4. How do you seek advice/help?

The use of scenarios To create a scenario to understand how people we want banking to be in general. The scenario needs to remove the general concepts that we associate with a bank, and allow the interviewee to imagine how they would like things to be.

1. In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1. How is your money managed?

2. What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

3. How do you access your money?

5. How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

2. In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

3. In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

4. In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Scenario 3 Will be divided into 3 stages Stage 1: Visual aids to help inform pros and cons of certain aspects of banking.

Using a series of printed out words that would be 50% positive and 50% negative the interviewee would choose what words they would associate with the given term to do with banking.

These terms would be: 1. Telephone banking 2. ATM machine 3. Mobile banking 4. In-Branch 5. Help with finance 6. Information on banking 7. Security Stage 2 Refer back to stage 1 and ask them to explain why they chose the words they did?

Stage 3 How would they like to see it being done?

Dealing with digital services in modern society is becoming a growing trend. The Office of National Statistics published information that reported 36million adults in the UK 73% of the population access the Internet everyday. 72% of the Internet users buy goods or services online. 50% of people using the Internet use it to access bank accounts. This makes it a vital priority that security is at it’s best. However the processes that are in place now, are they really suited to our lifestyles. Online banking requires either a long password and security questions which many people struggle to remember or you have to get information from one device like a pin sentry to give you a code to enter using your bank card.

For the tech savvy this may to be an issue but for other who struggle to use technology and can just about open up their inbox to read emails, this can be overwhelming. What is needed is a way that can provide a easy way to bank online where users are not greeted by an interface that looks like another language and even more complicated to operate as well as a hassle just to log on for security.

Biotechnology could be used to help customers of banks accesses their details in a safe way, seamlessly without any hassle.

Providing a seamless way journey that allows the customer to continue

banking conveniently would provide a greeter customer experience. In business customer insight has revealed that satisfaction is majority down to customer ease. Customer ease equals to customer retention. This makes it important that customer experience is at the importance of a service for the company. Market research shows that “people love to shop in stores that love them back” – Pamela N. Danziger, Shopping why we love it and how retailers can create the ultimate customer experience. With pricing being a major issue with competition in business it is hard for others to compete, as all pricing is the same.

This is a reflection of the banking sector. So it falls onto the experience as mentioned in this book about shopping retailers need to focus heavily on the experience customers have with them as a way of winning them over.

Feedback Sample Verity : female, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

On the go wherever I am any time.

Hassle free and effortless by a means of a device tat can interact with but not another object that you have caring around. It being easy to access the information you want at hand so it does not waste time and have to think too much about the process. So not having to put to many details in.

The system has to be fast and work quickly, their internet banking takes to long and turns into a “laborious task, instead of being quick and simple” “no one wants to go into a bank al the time to do something because it takes up time, we do not have time”. Bank times are inconvenient as well and are only open when you’re working.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Something similar to a phone a device that would be carrying around with us everywhere and anywhere, so that it is all in one place. Online will be easier to use and more services available.

They will have more assistance online for instance web chat and more self serve so you can do it completely your self. If the task s to complicated

preferred to call on the phone or even go to the bank to explain and understand how to solve the issue at hand.

Searching for best rates etc when setting up a new account is time consuming and annoying so it is easier to speak to a professional to ask them and they can give that information to you. Be able to speak to someone in branch is easier as online the facts or questions you want answering are not their or are hard to find. “ the key is everything needs to be easy and simple and on the go” 3.

How do you access your money?

Quickly and to have the confidence that every transaction and process you do is secure as being sceptic and paranoid sometimes about hacking and fraud etc.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Would like the experience of face-toface however through an easier interface similar to an app, like a virtual assistant similar to shops.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Being kept up to date more regularly would be better as monthly is not enough? The bank statement as a formal mentality delivering facts in a structured manner that does not communicate well with the viewer. Mentioned text alerts would be good on balance. The channel in which banks are contact you are old fashioned and could be more relevant to the user and the society we live in now. Delivery services have the communication

of information to the customer perfected. They allow you to track the order as well as keep you up to date on how far along it are and when it is coming in a simple easy to know method.

Making the text up date or notification hassle free and unobtrusive as you do not want to be bombarded but also not have to go out the way to have that information making the company do it for.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

On the go wherever I am, being able to access the information wherever you are so it is hassle free. Mobile banking is a deterrent to the user due to having to remember another pin code or password on top of the many that already are in place for other accounts. There is also a doubt in the security aspect of the mobile apps.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

Would not like to be charged if there are insufficient funds if I was a loyal customer and this happened on a rare occasion. Would rather be informed about these circumstances via a quicker method such as a notification rather than it is by post. If they do offer products/services like this then the customer has not been informed

or badly informed about these. Would like to be told you need to put the money in to cover the payment via email etc or even a phone call to explain what is going on. The phone call would have to be quick and not time consuming however. It should also be instant when the payment is taken so then it can be rectified as quickly as possible. The system in place should act before you have realise to deliver the service to the customer as it creates a good service as well as imply that the bank is there to look after your money and in turn yourself.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Likes to pay by card. Contactless payment is a good idea, but does not like the security issue that evolves around it. It has be a secure method of payment that can be easily carried around with you.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Bank balance, direct debit payments so that it could remind you not to spend certain amount money so that you do not go over drawn. To know how much things cost and maybe have comparisons of daily usages like food as well bank balance and direct debt payments.

Winston, male, age 60-70 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Checking monthly bank statement is the easiest way to check and manage money. And check upon them so they know when money is coming in and out. It would not need to be any more regular than that. Sending it by post seems more secure as well.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Likes the convenience of being able to view statements digitally on a device however does not trust it as people can hack it, so would rather have it sent by post.

3.

How do you access your money?

Card payment would be most preferable with pin for security.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

X 5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Through bank statements and letters through the post.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

To be able to access details online, as

it would be safer.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

Would like to cover the cost until money is transferred in and would like to be notified on when this happens through the channels already used.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Would like to have a simple device to take around that could pay for things such as a mobile phone however would be scared to lose it and the security so may opt for using the normal card that we have now.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Would like to have text messages t inform you that there is not enough money in the account.

Josh, male, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Mainly have to manage through apps on mobile and not have to go into branch. There should be an easy way to deposit money into an account.

Never have to go into a branch, as it is an inconvenience.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Computer or mobile phone used so

it is flexible in your own time and self served. Sometimes speaking to an advisor is helpful when needing advice.

Simple transactions need to be easy and quick.

3.

How do you access your money?

Never check bank balance at cash points, as it is not up to date. Mobile app or online is more update with recent transactions.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Call through an app to not have go through security questions and can call so it is in my own time and speaking to an advisor is nicer so that it is easier to solve the issue and make sure it can be solved correctly and quickly.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Using an app can be up to date with your accounts. Near limit alerts are to slow which is not that helpful but the idea is good. Fraud activity should be spotted and informed quickly.

Checking apps or online to go through bank statements for unusual activity.

Notifications through a device should inform you of details and should be more digital to keep with the times.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

How I do now, which uses a mobile app and it is always with him. So it is

more convenient and the data provided is more up to date than on an ATM. However statements should be updated quicker using the app as it only updates the balance.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

Notify me the user and then cover the expense until it can be repaid with out charging extra if you have a good credit rating.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Would rather not to pay by cash. Card transactions would be better if contactless and could use your mobile o pay so there is less to carry. And you are always with your mobile so it not an extra inconvenience. Mobile phone can already do so much such as read bar codes etc so it seems logical that you should be able to pay with it.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Large transactions that are coming in and out of the account, if the user had any extra charges, or when payments have been debited into the account.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

Payments are troubling when they do take card payments as not often use cash. With cash it is harder to manage how much is spent, as there are no records all in ne place of what you spend it on, unlike a bank statement.

There is also a security aspect to the issue. If you lose your wallet with

cash in it you may never get that cash back. However if you lost your card you can cancel it and have a new sent you so the lost card cannot be used by anyone. If you want out take out cash from a machine and you have a small amount under a rounded figure you can only take out an amount ÂŁ10 under which is annoying.

Cam, male, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Progression into more digital management and self-service, however there could be more risk of cyber threat. If it went more digital there is the aspect of losing the concept of reality when paying. As you do not take into consideration that your paying with money but just a simple transaction making it easier to spend more spontaneously without regard to what you can afford.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Online banking would be main tool, already with NatWest bank and the process is easy. Would normally use a laptop rather than mobile banking app due to feeling more secure and not having anyone looking over your shoulder, as well as the worry of losing the mobile, their would be a possibility that someone could hack

the phone to retrieve the information. .

3.

How do you access your money?

Customer services that you find in branch will change to becoming more digital and the experience may change when you are at home or in branch to offer the same level of service through a different channel to allow for the modern lifestyle.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Using a call centre can sometimes not be that helpful due to harder to communicate your problem as well as their could be a language barrier that can make it difficult to understand. Online you can ask a question and use a search function or email to the branch to get the information you want. However speaking to some one in branch face to face is easier due to having the language and body language to communicate your problem better or even show a physical piece of information that you do not understand so they can help you and have the relief that they know that they are helping you correctly and will solve it there and then for you.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Portable devices such as smart watches could be used however security could be an issue. Online has the privacy especially if it is done within your own home, which would be mostly used.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the

person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Technological aspect could talk to household items that you could be anywhere anytime to give you updates.

Also to have the luxury of not having to worry about money to device a service that relives the stress off the account holder and onto the bank.

Having information that is given to you that links to how you are spending your money as form of managing and viewing information. It needs to be fully integrated into your lifestyle so you do not need to have t carry an extra device around but something that is already apart of you.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

Constant reminder on your phone that you do need have to go through the hassle of security, and maybe have a guide to help you with your own life and to have schedules to help you and have ways to help you pay off bills through monitoring your expenditure and figuring out what to cut back on.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Paying when you know it has gone through. The idea of having paid something in cash has a reality of having spent it whilst paying for things online by just typing in a number and pressing a button seems to be easier to spend with out thinking about the

thought on how much can I afford. So realising how much you’re spending when you’re paying. However the convenience of having a card is nicer than cash. A card that could inform you on how much you’re spending and could set limits or inform you if your in the black or red like an overdraft but to have it physically on your card.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Payment knowledge to bills and websites, so having a tailored bank statement that could be personalised to you the user, the presentation is very cold and could have it more human orientated response so it could tell you the information you want and what you need to know.

Grandparents, male & female, age 80-90+ Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Bank statements, to monitor money as well as having the outgoings of cash withdrawals or payments kept in an easy to readable book.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Paper bank statements and managing it through recording notes in book.

3.

How do you access your mon-

ey?

Use building society where they go in branch to withdraw cash, otherwise payments are made using a credit card with chip and pin. Prefer to use cash and to get from branch due to the security of it. Otherwise if done using ATM machines they find it not very safe.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Would like to go in branch to speak to them face to face, does not find it a hassle to go to branch.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Would prefer to receive updates through letters in paper form due to security and easy to read and can store information away with out any hassle, as well as becoming part of a routine.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Bank statements would be preferred way to check money. Would like to also get updates on mobile however it could not be complicated and would like it to work on a simple phone. A button to take you to the bank details and then another to take you to bank balance.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

To notify you of what has happened instantly and to pay it for the time being until money transfers could be made to pay back the bill. Would like to receive a phone call so it can be instantly notified about the payment miss.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Card payment would be preferable without chip and pin as can sometimes forget the number but the transaction would have to be safe like chip and pin.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Would like to be notified on monthly by bank statement as uses building society to keep track of cash withdrawals, which is used for purchasing items.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

Does not like change and finds most old people do not like change either, especially with technology as to complicated. Rather spend cash than use card because they how a better recording of monitoring money spending through out the week. The bankbook shows income as well as weekly expenditure simply as it just says weekly figure. Bank/building society in branch experience is easy, helpful and convenient. Telephone banking does not get used, as it is hard to communicate especially if hard of hearing it can become confusing. ATM machines are seen as

unsafe due to fraud etc. Also they may send literature that is long and confusing it sometimes does not make sense so it has a disconnection between the bank and the customer.

West, male, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Computer more digital with little face to face, be able to accesses data on the go already uses mobile banking to check bank balance. However when older and in a career with higher income would like to sit down around a computer and spend time managing it in more detail.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Using mobile banking however the security aspect of it could be not is very secure.

3.

How do you access your money?

Can see there being more digital payments to make it easier with fingerprints to us as security to make it simple and safe.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

If it was all on one device it could be nice and easy to face time/Skype an assistant and have a face-to-face without leaving your home or when you’re out and about.

5.

How are you kept updated with

your accounts?

Having checking updates regularly on mobile device to make it easier to follow money than look at it regularly as well as being notified on any charges or account activity.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Would want to check information on the go wherever, but also have it private and more secure. “Something like Google glasses but better� constantly being able to get real time feed.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

Phone to alert you of what has happened or updates on when direct debits are due.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Being able to for things with one single device that not only has your banking details but also can pay contactless for items. As well as having the security measures there, which are easy and efficient.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Payments that go out, as well as being able to monitor expenditure and be able to have it broken down to make it easier to read and monitor what

you have spent on what aspect and where, i.e. food, phone bills etc.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

When going overdrawn and bank keeps charging you but there may have been miscommunication due to delays of letters and real time information, so it would be best to have updates and reminders sent real time to keep you aware and that it could be tailored to the users needs.

James, male, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Having an app that would manage the expenditure for you depending on your income. Making the experience hassle free.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Mobile phone however to have the process on the phone to be more simple and not have to worry with complex set up and usage which are the problems right now.

3.

How do you access your money?

Ideally not to go to a branch as they are closed when you are at work and there is more hassle. I would be best if it was a digital process that would be more convenient.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Never on the phone as the language barrier can sometimes be confusing as well as the security protocol can be long and confusing. Video chat would be better as it is a convenient way to have a face-to-face discussion.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Regular push notifications to monitor your accounts on the go more regularly giving you the information you need.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

On a device that is carried with you and to use voice as it would be easy to access without the hassle of security questions.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

To have a notification or phone straight away to inform you of the miss payment and then have the opportunity to pay it without receiving any additional charge.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Card payment would be preferable however chip and pin can be a hassle however would rather have the security aspect their.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Excess of spending and have notifi-

cation to tell you if you have made a large payment and then asks is that you to verify it.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

Customer service can be a problem with telephone banking as sometimes it can be costly as well as not very helpful. The bank has your money so there is an underlining notes that they should be offering you a free service to help you.

Mrs Pilling, female, age 80-90 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Bank statements, to monitor money as well as having the outgoings of cash withdrawals or payments kept in an easy to readable book.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Paper bank statements to check if it matches notes in account book, which has all expenditure recorded in.

3.

How do you access your money?

Go into branch or post office to withdraw cash, prefer to use cash and to get from branch due to the security of it. Does not like using credit card as can be to complex to remember pin number also the worry of fraud wit the

new technology.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Would like to go in branch to speak to them face to face, does not find it a hassle to go to branch. Telephone is hard to hear so could not use the telephone banking. However would normally call family for help first.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Would prefer to receive updates through letters in paper form due to security and easy to read and can store information away with out any hassle, as well as becoming part of a routine.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Bank statements would be preferred way to check money. As well as having the information in categories to make it easier. It is good way to get out. As well as getting confused when on the phone when they are asking for certain information.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

To seek help in the post office as the face to face with the staff know them, and the fact they will spend time and go over it with them. So it is all about service.

3.

In an ideal world how would

you like to pay?

Cash would be preferable as not use to change. You can’t grasp the reality of how much you’re spending.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Would like to be notified on regular basis on changes with accounts and bank statements showing transactions, and have bank statements sent by post monthly as record to compare with account book.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

Does not like change and finds most old people do not like change either, especially with technology as to complicated. Rather spend cash because they grasp the idea of how much they are spending. The bankbook shows income as well as weekly expenditure simply as it just says weekly figure.

Telephone banking does not get used, as it is hard to communicate especially if hard of hearing it can become confusing when they are asking for certain information. Tends not to use ATM machines or new technology for security issues and find it overwhelming.

Loren, male, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Use more digital means to manage and consuming. Would have more worry spending more due to digital transactions making it easy to buy things. More real time feedback to give you updates on your spending weekly trends and easy, digestible way of viewing the data. There would also have prompts to make you look at your balance and consider your spending hobbits like computer updates.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Tools used would be used on a digital device whether that is a computer or integrated in something you would wear or have on you such as mobile.

There would be a way to protect your information and could have accessible in a cloud. Worry about security and could have a way that could have all records to do with the person that is attached to your identity maybe even in a physical form.

3.

How do you access your money?

Ideally would like to access the money would be the same ways as now or have a way to print out money in your own home to make it easy or to have a way to access in your home or where ever you are. However I would not see the need for physical money in the future.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

I have scepticism about the bank.

They are trying to get as much money from me and would like to save it.

Third parties could be more reliable

and trust worthy to the user as there would not be a conflict of interest.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Having notifications such as on social media that could give you information constantly and allow us to stay up to date. Common belief is that young generation ignore bills and should have more prompters to inform them of when they are due etc. If knowing what is going on with your accounts, it would be harder to forget about these aspects of life such as banking and create a greater fulfilment knowing that you are on top of your financial responsibility.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Would have a way to digitally implant my accounts and money to me the person and would be safe. So using actions would be a pay to pay and the tangible objects used in banking would become irrelevant. You could put your hand into a scanner that would display your account balance.

Not having to carry anything and then it could not be stolen.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

To have a notification that would inform you of payments when they are coming such as a countdown clock

say how much that could be customisable to the user, would notify you enough like computer upgrades so they are harder to ignore or forget. For help to have a option to pay or have advice right they’re to contact your bank about the bill.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Would like the idea of paying with your physical self so that finger print retina or voice could be used for greater security and convenience then you could never lose your information and never have to remember it etc.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

To know feedback on positive investment gains such as stocks as well as interest rates, but not get the negative the information maybe react badly such as loss in interest rates sometimes etc, something that could be monitored by the user so you do not get information overload.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

Hate the fact that banks have a monopoly and have negative feelings on them and feel as if they cheat you out of money. Hates the dived between the poor and young and feel that it is against them. Services such as telephone banking are a negative thing with banking as it is way to sell a product to them. Having a service that could notify a custom with the information you want to know. Online and Mobile banking is sometimes an

information overload would like to see an irregular pattern and see common trends. Would have a bill alert app and balance. Sometimes the alerts bank give you are delayed and do not keep you up to date real time so you may act differently in spending habits.

Rory, male, age 20-30 Scenario 1 Ask: Imagine the year is 2020; Banking is simple, easy, quick and hassle free.

Ask series of questions: 1.

How is your money managed?

Managed more in my head where can understand what I need to spend and when should stop spending, due to low income. Managed instinctually more than using tools to help process the information. However in the future would like managing money in the future as customer service like an financial advisor and have a face-to-face with this service which needs time and attention to link personal experiences to help navigate you through this, maybe could be integrated in new technology that is out now in online and telephone banking so match the hear now aspect of society.

2.

What methods/tools are you using to manage your money?

Mobile banking would be used mainly to help you on the go anywhere anytime. Quick reliable tool would be most useful and be able to trust it.

3.

How do you access your money?

Ideally using more card transactions and having to be able to have something small and simple to use as well as paying on digital devices.

4.

How do you seek advice/help?

Would go into a bank and ask questions and have the face-to-face experience, however would normally have friends and family to ask questions to if confused. However if that does not work then would want the personal repose with a professional and have the service through the branch to relate to your needs and personal requests to suit you.

5.

How are you kept updated with your accounts?

Would have relevant information to what they want to know normally does not care that much about the bank information just want to know about own account details and have it sent through emails as it is what is used most that have it in a psychical form.

Scenario 2 Fill in the blanks Ask series of questions and allow the person to answer to complete the question.

1.

In an ideal world how would you check your money?

Using a smart device that would be used and carried around such as a mobile. Smart watch or Google glasses could be used.

2.

In an ideal world if you miss a payment how would you like to be helped?

Would want to have infrastructure to inform you that the money is or is not

in the account for an up coming bill and have that information given to you in advance of the bill being debited.

3.

In an ideal world how would you like to pay?

Would pay more card based, as it is easy, likes the security measures of paying on card.

4.

In an ideal world what would you like to be notified on?

Excess of spending or any fine that might be charged to your self, has to link to what is going on with your account. Would like to have email or text or notifications to inform you regularly.

Scenario 3 What other inconveniences do you have with banking?

Trust with a bank after the recession, as well as having a separation between the understanding and the style of the bank world. It is not user friendly and is hard to understand the technicalities that come with it. Banking opening hours are an inconvenience as well and security to do with digital apps like mobile banking come down to the security issues that maybe implanted to them as well as not needing to use it that constantly due to situation now. Does not use telephone banking compared to email in branch and online experience more. Prefers online more due to having the access to your account information anytime when you need to view information and can do it in your own privacy.

One areas of interest for me to take forward and investigate further is the notion of creating a help tool for the elderly that could allow them to idea with transactions in a safer manner instead of using cash, which can be easily stolen from them. However the main issue is the trust they have with it as well and the complications they have with using it. Before objects where designed with the purpose of form being the main function to how it works e.g. a toothbrush. You would be able to see this for the first time and know how pick it up and how it works.

Now that technology has the function the form no longer needs to represent its function to the extent as before.

This seems to be the issue with technology when they look at smart phones as example or a computer.

The idea would need to address the process in which they may need in to help them. How it functions must be simple that anyone could use it, it must also work within their lifestyle and their routine.

The forgotten generation Where technology is directed towards a young audience. Leaving the older generation as an analogue component engulfed in a digital world. Technology is created to further for the means of enriching our lives however it has only seemed to become more overwhelming for this demographic.

So how can technology help the older generation? Can it be done without any confusion, making it easy and simple to use?

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Bank Assist A device that allows the user to access their accounts and manage their banking from the comfort of their home without even pushing a button.

Making technology simple and easy to use. a sensor is located o the device that allows the user to turn it on with just a simple gusture, such as a wave.

Did you have a transaction in mind?

Hastle free, 24/7 service just like internet banking. However with no need to have any computer knowledge. No need to remeber a pin number or security questions.

Hello

Bank Assist is controled through voice commands and displays and can read out information requested by the user. It is as if you had your own bank clerk in your own home.

View Current Account

You have 1 new notification

Set notifications to alert you of certain activity on your accounts such as exspemsive purchases or use in uncommon places etc.

Bank assist is a digital device that allows the user to accesses their accounts from their home through Internet connect similar to online banking.

The idea was to create a device that allowed the convenience and service of online banking without the hassle of knowing security numbers and questions or even the knowledge of how to use a computer making it assessable to everyone.

It work with just simple OLED display that visualises the information of the account holder details as well as displaying the results to their questions. What makes this easy to use is the voice diagnostics and voice command system that allow it to work.

Voice diagnostics allows the user to speak to the product, which recognises the voice to pass through security similar to fingerprint. Voice commands allows the user to speak to the product and ask their questions or have information displayed, by doing this it eliminates the user having to know how to use a computer or even have the hassle of dealing with a piece of technology that might complicate them. It is designed to be so easy it is as if you where speaking to some one in your local branch.

The intended audience for this product was the elderly? The idea was to help them find the convenience that modern technology can bring, as there seems to be a vast difference on how they compared to everyone else.

The intention was to make it easier for them to bank with still have the security that they want without any of the confusion.

There are a few issues with the concept. That from interviewing some elderly people they both mentioned how they do not like to change their habits of banking as well as that they always go to a bank to get cash out, this makes the product a potential lose if there is no demand for it. This could be something that I will need to build a prototype and test and do a walk through and explain how it works and gain feedback from people in the demographic.

One area that it could be useful for is the disabled, this could be an area in which the idea could be developed to help them with visual/hearing impaired or physically disabled people which would find it helpful having a product like this in their lives to make it easier.

This is something that I will look into and see if there is an audience for this type of service.

Voice Diagnostics In computer science and electrical engineering, speech recognition (SR) is the translation of spoken words into text. It is also known as “automatic speech recognition” (ASR), “computer speech recognition”, or just “speech to text” (STT).

Some SR systems use “speaker-independent speech recognition”[1] while others use “training” where an individual speaker reads sections of text into the SR system. These systems analyze the person’s specific voice and use it to fine-tune the recognition of that person’s speech, resulting in more accurate transcription. Systems that do not use training are called “speaker-independent” systems.

Systems that use training are called “speaker-dependent” systems.

Speech recognition applications include voice user interfaces such as voice dialling (e.g. “Call home”), call routing (e.g. “I would like to make a collect call”), domotic appliance control, search (e.g. find a podcast where particular words were spoken), simple data entry (e.g., entering a credit card number), preparation of structured documents (e.g. a radiology report), speech-to-text processing (e.g., word processors oremails), and aircraft (usually termed Direct Voice Input).

The term voice recognition or speaker identification refers to finding the identity of “who” is speaking, rather than what they are saying. Recognizing the speaker can simplify the task of trans-

lating speech in systems that have been trained on a specific person’s voice or it can be used to authenticate or verify the identity of a speaker as part of a security process.- Wikipedia The idea of being able to just speak as you normally would to be able to unlock and accesses your information without the worry of having to remember passwords creates a process that allows the customer to continue without hassle making the journey easy and more convenient. And example of this is how it is already being used in the banking world.

Barclays to offer voice recognition Memorising multiple passwords to access your bank account over the telephone may soon be a thing of the past, at least for Barclays customers.

The British bank is introducing a voice recognition system which verifies customers based on their speech patterns.

The pioneering system — which works on voice biometrics — has been offered to customers in Barclays’ high net worth Wealth arm, but will be rolled out to its 12m retail customers early next year.

The system operates by storing a recording of a customers voiceprint, which is stored securely. After the initial recording, future calls involve a brief conversation with a customer service agent, during which time the voice biometrics are verified.

Ashok Vaswani, chief executive of

Barclays personal and corporate banking, told The Sunday Telegraph the new system reduced the time it takes customers to verify their identity from 90 seconds to less than 10 seconds. “It’s foolproof,” he said in an interview. “You don’t get fraud, and you don’t annoy the customers by asking them to identify themselves with security.” – telegraph.co.uk

From gathering insights from conducting the interviews I began to realise that in the younger demographic people wanted to find out what their account balance was quick and easy as well simple ways to budget with out any hassle and be able to accesses this on the go. This conducted into developing a smart new way of looking at how the current services such as mobile banking can be reimaged and developed into a service that can be easily accessed giving the information the user wants in a simple easy to read form in real time with no hassle and nothing to figure out.

This way people can view their details on their accounts, monitor their spending in a simple easy to use service that can suit anyone from someone who just wants to know how much they have in their account to someone who wants to save and find out how.

The idea is to change the way we view our bank information and instead of being In a set format that revolves around the bank it is designed for the user.

Simplifying the eway you view your account details . At a glance you can view your accounts and be able to identify if their has been a significante withdrawl or maybe in negative. With a custome tollerance you can add to your accounts the user can have colour alerts come up on the account to inform them of these details. For example hereit is in negative amount that is why it the account is now made red. This makes it easier at a glance to see with finacial situation each account is in, with out the hassle of needing to remeber what your balance was before etc. This could be delivered to the user in real time similar to mobile banking.

To ush this idea further the user could go in and see in more detail the account activity and find out what transactions have caused this.

Useing simple colour to indicate when money has been added and when it has been tan out of the account

An easy way to keep track of what you spend and where.

Scan your recipt with your smart phone to add to your account

We all need to monitor our spending especially during the results of the resection we all have a tighter wallet.

However in our bank statements there is very little information provided and we do have to wait for it. So would it not be easier if we could keep all our recipes in one place. This place could file all off them into categories such as cloths, bills, food etc. Then it can inform us of how much we are spending and from what account. Be able to view the information quick and easy on the go or from the comfort of your home. A way of reinventing what a bank statement tells and how.

Receipts from stores could contain a QR code that could contain the information of the receipt so that the user could scan using their smart phones and it could be added to their account. So there receipt is stored on their account. This information is added to the account and stored away for viewing later. Not only that it will keep transaction up-to-date in real time as well if it is done straight away so that your accounts ca be given up-to-date feed of spending.

A change in banking. A new article published on bbc website explains that the banking sector is monopolised by the main big banks and are not competing in an adiquate service for their customers.

“Markets watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recommended a full competition inquiry into banks.

The provisional decision recommends a full-scale inquiry into the banking sector including the provision of current accounts and business lending.

The process will start with a consultation, and the CMA will take a final decision in the autumn.

The banking industry said it would co-operate with the review, but that changes were already underway.

Alex Chisholm, CMA chief executive, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was “vital” that the banking sector worked properly, which was why the full eighteen-month investigation was being proposed.

“At the moment they don’t seem to be doing a good job of satisfying their customers,” he said.

“There are a lot of under-satisfied customers out there, and small businesses are saying they are not happy,” he added.

Start Quote The CMA said:

many customers saw little difference between the largest banks in terms of the services they offer.

the number of consumers shopping around and switching between banks remained low - just 3% a year for personal accounts.

current account overdraft charges were found to be very complex, making it harder for bank customers to choose the cheapest or most appropriate accounts.

free banking may be distorting competition.

it was still difficult for newer and smaller “challenger” banks to get into the industry, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Changes The banking industry said it would co-operate with the review, and any subsequent investigation.

The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) said there were already “substantial” changes underway. “ Start Quo “Banks are pro-competition - they compete for customers every day,” said Anthony Browne, chief executive of the BBA. “Last month we published a series of ideas to help new banks set up and smaller players to grow. We hope these suggestions will be taken up by regulators and politicians.”

Amongst those ideas was a proposal by the big four banks that they introduce a price comparison website, to help consumers switch accounts more easily.

But the CMA said a full-scale inquiry was still preferable.

The BBC’s Business Editor, Kamal Ahmed, said the key issue - and an anomaly of the market- is that banking is free.

“Free-in-credit banking means that customers lack incentives to move. It also makes it harder for new entrants,” he said.

What could change?

Any inquiry could, in theory, order a break-up of Britain’s biggest banks.

The big four - Barclays, RBS, HSBC and Lloyds - have a 77% share of the current account market.

However such outcomes are rare.

Both RBS - which is divesting itself of Williams and Glyn- and Lloyds, which has already hived off its TSB arm, are already smaller than they were.

But Ed Miliband, the Labour Leader, has already called for a full-scale break-up.

The CMA could also order “behavioural” changes, forcing banks to be more transparent about overdraft charges.

This forthcoming probe from the CMA is the latest in a plethora of inquiries into the state of the industry going back nearly two decades:

In 2002 there was a Competition Commission inquiry into the supply of banking services to small businesses by clearing banks

In 2008 the Office of Fair Trading investigated the provision of personal current accounts

In 2011 the Independent Commission on Banking also made recommendations aimed at promoting financial stability and com-

petition.” bbc news

the evil bank out to steal your money.

This article highlights certain issues that where mentioned in the interviews that I had with a selection of people saying that they thought the service was all the same and could not imagine it any other way. Is this because banks give the same service and try and not compete with one another to higher the level of service.

The idea then will be to design a service that will help inform users of their current bank balance as well as their bills or payments they make that may have them go into their overdraft without them realising.

“There are a lot of under-satisfied customers out there, and small businesses are saying they are not happy” Alex Chisholm CMA chief executive” So making a level of service that can help satisfy the customers experience is key for the evoloution of the bank.

“The CMA could also order “behavioural” changes, forcing banks to be more transparent about overdraft charges.”

Making a change. From my interviews I astablished that many people where not happy about the delay on account information such as bank balance and have even had fines due to the missinformation given to them.

This seems like a great area of intrest which would help restore faith and service in thebank if they could tckle this problem and instead of being the vilian but help their customers which could shake the conotations of being

This idea is based on deliver a service for a bnak that will help gain the trust of their customers by delvering them a service that can help with their lifestyle but also serve them not as a buisness but as friendly advice that could easily be given by a friend or relative etc.

It is this level of service that can win customers over and change the perception of one buisness from another.

Dealing with card payments can be an inconvenience. As highlighted earlier the older generation can find card payments confusing due to having to remember a pin number. Not only that other people find having to remember a pin number for multiple cards annoying. So how can we keep the level of security but never have the hassle of remembering a pin again?

The idea to have a card that can pass through the security measures needed without any interruptions during the paying process. Contactless payment cards have been done, however due to security they have a small limit for spending. So what other options could be used t replace chip and pin?

To understand this I must first look into the paying process and how we handle our cards and go to check outs.

Through own experience and observation I have noticed that the process of pulling out a card, your thumb grist h bottom of the card when you insert in to the device. This process lead me to the idea of having a card that all you need is that thumb to be in place for your card to pass the security.

Looking into finger scanners apple developed one called ‘Touch ID’ that was so small it fit within the home button on the mobile phone and was only ‘paper thin’. So why can’t it be used for making card payments and authorising them.

“Fingerprint sensors A fingerprint sensor is an electronic device used to capture a digital image of the fingerprint pattern. The captured image is called a live scan.

This live scan is digitally processed to create a biometric template (a collection of extracted features), which is stored and used for matching. This is an overview of some of the more commonly used fingerprint sensor technologies.

Capacitance Capacitance sensors use principles associated with capacitance in order to form fingerprint images. In this method of imaging, the sensor array pixels each act as one plate of a parallel-platecapacitor, the dermal layer (which is electrically conductive) acts as the other plate, and the non-conductive epidermal layer acts as a dielectric.

Passive capacitance A passive capacitance sensor use the

principle outlined above to form an image of the fingerprint patterns on the dermal layer of skin. Each sensor pixel is used to measure the capacitance at that point of the array. The capacitance varies between the ridges and valleys of the fingerprint due to the fact that the volume between the dermal layer and sensing element in valleys contains an air gap. The dielectric constant of the epidermis and the area of the sensing element are known values. The measured capacitance values are then used to distinguish between fingerprint ridges and valleys.

Active capacitance Active capacitance sensors use a charging cycle to apply a voltage to the skin before measurement takes place. The application of voltage charges the effective capacitor. The electric field between the finger and sensor follows the pattern of the ridges in the dermal skin layer. On the discharge cycle, the voltage across the dermal layer and sensing element is compared against a reference voltage in order to calculate the capacitance.

The distance values are then calculated mathematically, and used to form an image of the fingerprint. Active capacitance sensors measure the ridge patterns of the dermal layer like the ultrasonic method. Again, this eliminates the need for clean, undamaged epidermal skin and a clean sensing surface.”-Wikipedia,

Apple’s iPhone 5s uses capacitance touch sensor that is built in to the home button to take the reading of the fingerprint. Which is accurate as well as being compact with the technology. This could be used towards the concept of card payments.

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The device designed to take a fingerprint from the user using the device that slide onto the back of the card when you insert it into the pay machine. However what is the need o the device, which could get lost by the user, and be expensive to produce for every customer of a bank. The step process would still long have to attach it to the card in the right place etc. So can the process be smoother. The idea of having a card that you could pay with normally with ease such as contactless payment however having the security of fingerprint scanner to make the need for a password irrelevant. That lead me to recognize that the card reader machine could have the scanner built in and could be authorising the card payment instead of entering in your pin. The transaction could be a smoother processes as well as quick and easy.

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The simplicity of being able to have the hassle free never forgetting what your pin is for your account and having alternative password that you carry with you everywhere. Your fingerprint can protect your card transactions with just a simple touch. This allows us to have the same password/ pin for every card without the worry of the security risk. You will never have to cover up your pin number or look over your shoulder if the person behind you is trying to see you enter it. It will just be a quick safe way to make payments.

Dealing with digital services in modern society is becoming a growing trend. The Office of National Statistics published information that reported 36million adults in the UK 73% of the population access the Internet everyday. 72% of the Internet users buy goods or services online. 50% of people using the Internet use it to access bank accounts. This makes it a vital priority that security is at it’s best. However the processes that are in place now, are they really suited to our lifestyles. Online banking requires either a long password and security questions which many people struggle to remember or you have to get information from one device like a pin sentry to give you a code to enter using your bank card.

For the tech savvy this may to be an issue but for other who struggle to use technology and can just about open up their inbox to read emails, this can be overwhelming. What is needed is a way that can provide a easy way to bank online where users are not greeted by an interface that looks like another language and even more complicated to operate as well as a hassle just to log on for security. Biotechnology could be used to help customers of banks accesses their details in a safe way, seamlessly without any hassle.

Providing a seamless way journey that allows the customer to continue

banking conveniently would provide a greeter customer experience. In business customer insight has revealed that satisfaction is majority down to customer ease. Customer ease equals to customer retention. This makes it important that customer experience is at the importance of a service for the company. Market research shows that “people love to shop in stores that love them back” – Pamela N. Danziger, Shopping why we love it and how retailers can create the ultimate customer experience. With pricing being a major issue with competition in business it is hard for others to compete, as all pricing is the same.

This is a reflection of the banking sector. So it falls onto the experience as mentioned in this book about shopping retailers need to focus heavily on the experience customers have with them as a way of winning them over.

However would this be useful if you had this convenience at your home?

So when you check your bank statements or want transfer your money you can do it just two simple steps.

Instead of going through the long process of logging on to online banking where it can get confusing with pin numbers and pin sentry devices or security questions. Why not make it simple for the user. The older generation are not wiling to change their ways with technology however the generation below are using it and find some of these process to use mobile and online banking not very user friendly this would illuminate the need in these long security processes if their was a device that could use the simplicity of finger print recognition to accesses your account details from the convenience of your home. Allowing the user to have the benefits of online banking with ease.

Accounts Current Account £234.72

Savings

£15,754.84

Accounts

Accounts ISA £5,000 £500

Current Account £234.72

- Savings £15,754.84 ISA

Current Account

ISA

£734.72

+

£4,500

£5,000

-

Savings £15,754.84

ISA £4,500

£234.72

The idea is creating a series of devices the bank assist and bank assist mini that allow the user to use finger print scanner to access their bank account without needing to remember pin numbers or security questions.

Making the process quick and easy which creates a greater journey for the customer. The idea of having a touch screen devices that is simple and easy for the customer to navigate instead of being overwhelmed by complicated interfaces and using computers that some people find difficult. The idea is to invest in the service instead of giving out cash incentives.

What I would like to do is look into modelling the device in real life so that I can test it and look for improvement instead of just explain it to people and receive a response.

Thomas Hardie