Will is correct, these are clusters. Clustering is what companies
like USAinfo and others offer as prepackaged market segments. The
problem with these market segments is that they are generic and are
typically generated by statistical analysis of socio, psycho and demo
graphics. These three groups of behaviors are excellent for
understanding the how, when and where of contact and communications
with customers. They are not however suitable as a substitute for
design research. They are also not personae. In fact they do not even
make for very good archetypes. The first problem is that they are
aggregate. The best approach for a persona is a deep understanding of
one person that is similar to one of a larger market segments for
your product. The second is the complete lack of depth needed.
We have had some good luck using cluster analysis (prizm and others)
of our user base within specific channels. Basically it helps us look
at the differences between different user groups. This is a far cry
from having deep understanding of user needs and wants.
In general, clusters will give you good information for marketing to
specific customers groups. For designing products, you need different
groupings. You need user segments generated through analysis of
'desired attributes'. Your product manager will call these features -
the user experience group will likely call these functionality of
capabilities.
Don't be fooled into thinking that 'marketing' data and clusters will
give you what you need to effectively design for users. The wrong
research, used for the wrong purpose can be worse than the lack of
information.
Mark
On Oct 21, 2008, at 11:25 AM, Will Evans wrote:
That sounds eerily similar to the old marketing
lifestyle/behavioral/psychographics that main stream marketers have
been
using Claritas for - http://www.claritas.com and as some smart
person, think
it might have been in the book Groundswell, mentioned - that's for
folks
that want to shout into the cave and listen for the ecco, in
otherwords,
agencies that are good at defining a message, broadcasting (media
placement), and then measuring results, which is the old politics -
the new
politics is represented by things like Obama's iPhone app (I am not
stumping
for him - just giving an example) - a platform of tools to empower
people to
talk with people - and that means less marketing, and more social
media
strategy - creating a platform that is Built for Conversation (the
title of
my upcoming talk).
On Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 11:07 AM, Carol Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
research.com> wrote:
Here's another way voters are being categorized:
The Christian Science Monitor identified 11 places across the US that
represent distinct types of voter communities.
http://www.csmonitor.com/patchworknation/
They are Monied 'Burbs, Minority Central, Evangelical Epicenters,
Tractor
Country, Campus and Careers, Immigration Nation, Industrial
Metropolis,
Boom
Towns, Service Worker Centers, Emptying Nests, and Military Bastions.
-------------------
Carol J. Smith
Principal Consultant, Midwest Research, LLC
http://www.mw-research.com
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/167/781
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--
~ will
"Where you innovate, how you innovate,
and what you innovate are design problems"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
Will Evans | User Experience Architect
tel: +1.617.281.1281 | [EMAIL PROTECTED]
aim: semanticwill | gtalk: wkevans4
twitter: semanticwill | skype: semanticwill
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