Participatory Design Study
Discovering how to improve on a product in conceptual stage
A top online media company developed a new concept for displaying search results. Before investing additional development resources, it was important to obtain user input to determine the likelihood of product adoption as well as to uncover additional needs that could be met by the product.
AnswerLab conducted three focus groups to explore the general user experience regarding online search and uncover user preferences and recommendations for improvement. Participants were presented with concepts in rough form and asked for input on key themes.
Because the information displayed on the search results came from diverse sources, it was evident that trust was a key issue with users - they wanted to know where the information came from and how it got there. They were particularly interested in the concept when it was for a topic that was highly visual, since images and videos were included on the page. This helped the client narrow down the topics for the concept, and clearly demarcate information sources. The product rolled out successfully in selected global markets.
