Comments on: Do I detect a movement? Car design gets more social by the week. http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/31/do-i-detect-a-movement-car-design-gets-more-social-by-the-week/ Drew Smith: design strategist, journalist and host of CreativeMornings/London Wed, 02 May 2012 16:08:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Ben Kraal http://downsideupdesign.com/2009/08/31/do-i-detect-a-movement-car-design-gets-more-social-by-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Ben Kraal Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:43:41 +0000 http://downsideupdesign.com/?p=1367#comment-187 This is probably better than (GMs) The Lab because, as you point out, it's engagement at the beginning of the process, rather than nearer the end. But now they have the problem of what people say they want (or do) isn't what they actually end up buying (or doing). And so, while I do tend to agree with you that the industry needs people to fall in love with cars again, I'm not sure that these marketing-driven methods are the way to do it. (Not that there's anything wrong with marketing per se. I just don't think their methods are the most appropriate methods for doing user research.) Translating from any sort of customer research into something that works as an input to the design process is hard, but if you start with bad or incomplete information, you end up with Antonella, or some other sort of user-centred BS. This is probably better than (GMs) The Lab because, as you point out, it’s engagement at the beginning of the process, rather than nearer the end.

But now they have the problem of what people say they want (or do) isn’t what they actually end up buying (or doing).

And so, while I do tend to agree with you that the industry needs people to fall in love with cars again, I’m not sure that these marketing-driven methods are the way to do it.

(Not that there’s anything wrong with marketing per se. I just don’t think their methods are the most appropriate methods for doing user research.)

Translating from any sort of customer research into something that works as an input to the design process is hard, but if you start with bad or incomplete information, you end up with Antonella, or some other sort of user-centred BS.

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