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RESEARCH

Compiling Qualitative Data About Radio Hosts

OVERVIEW

The research phase is comprised of several research methods. First, we interviewed radio hosts and synthesized our findings. Then, we created provisional and polished personas. Finally, we created a user journey map for our users based on our personas and research. We also used contextual inquiry to observe a live broadcast at a local radio station. These research methods allowed us to understand our users, empathize with them, and identify a design problem.

Research Findings

Research Findings

Understanding Our Users

  

As the first step in the UCD process, we conducted semi-structured interviews with four local radio hosts. We asked them about their daily routine, use of technology, and possible stressors. Our research helped us better understand our users and helped us begin defining a problem we wanted to design for. The research revealed user characteristics, desires, goals, and pain points that were used to create provisional and polished personas in the next step.

Takeaways   

  • Users multitask on multiple screens and softwares

  • Users try to build a close community with their listeners around their show

  • Users are frustrated with the current technology which feels impersonal

  • Users are weary of the future of radio in the digital age

Contextual Inquiry 

Observing Our Users

Throughout the project, we conducted contextual inquiry at a local Top 40 radio station. We were able to observe a live radio broadcast, interview the hosts, and ask for feedback on our designs. These two in-person sessions proved critical to the design of INTUNE. These sessions helped us narrow our scope to focus on the radio host view of the application. The interviews also helped eliminate unnecessary functions from the application such as community forums. The feedback we received on our second visit to the radio station was vital to our final design choices. The contextual inquiry helped us refocus on the needs of our users and simplify our design.

Contextual Inquiry

Takeaways

     

  • Our users needed an application with minimal distractions

  • Our users needed the application to be optional for listeners

  • Our users needed an application that had multiple functions

Personas

Synthesizing Our Research 

    

Personas were created by synthesizing the findings in the previous steps to create an archetypal representation of our users. We created the polished personas to better understand our users and to focus our project on their specific attributes. The “INTUNE Pink” originated from one of the personas and became a key aspect of our brand identity. The scenario outlined in the personas helped guide the sequence of events described in our user journey map in the next step.

Personas

Takeaways

     

  • User experiences depend on the type of radio genre they work in

  • Given the time constraint, our project had to focus on one specific radio genre

Persona Evolution

Takeaways

    

  • Users are most enthusiastic when on-air

  • Users are most stressed when having to finish something before going back on-air

  • Users have repetitive tasks that need to be done quickly

User Journey Map Evolution

User Journey Map

Empathizing With Our Users

Using one of our personas, Debby Johnson, a Top 40 morning radio show host, we created a user journey map that details her actions and emotions throughout her time in the studio. While most of the map was grounded in user research, we made some assumptions about her thoughts and emotions due to time constraints. The user journey map helped us identify points of high stress and enthusiasm that we could design for. These touchpoints were instrumental for determining design requirements in the next step.

User Journey Map
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