How Mobile Is Changing the Research Universe

#sxsw #MoreChange

The smartphone has changed every element of research over the past few years – from the way consumers want to respond to inquiries (some 40% of research surveys are opened and completed on a mobile device) to the tools available to collect data and feedback to form research. However, it is the passive data that is being collected from the smartphone that is causing the most confusion, and frankly blurred legal lines, when it comes to the altered landscape of research. Is that data fair game? Or does the consumer own it? If mining passive data results in a better user experience, does it matter? Does the good outweigh the questionable?
This session will explore the different collection methods available, discuss in detail the changing definition of what research actually is (and isn’t), as well as the moral, legal, and ethical obligations researchers have as the above definition and collection methods continue to change.

Presenters

Andrew Campbell

Dir, User Research

Mutual Mobile

As a company built on the idea of user-centric design, Andrew’s job is to ensure we live up to that promise by leading the team in user-focused research. He and his team are tasked with ensuring every project we work on has the user at the core, and that we leverage our knowledge of those users to enhance their experience.

Andrew is intensely passionate about understanding consumers or clients and intent on digging deep to find out just what makes them tick--and then applying that knowledge to create a better product/design. Here at Mutual Mobile, that includes research to support our Strategy engagements and our Development projects, from pre-concept through to delivery. Experienced in methodologies new and old, in both qualitative and quantitative, he is always in search of answering the question “Why?” At his core he believes that if you can understand the why, you can connect with people on a real, emotional level.

Over his 10+ year career, he has cultivated this need to uncover the why by working in both corporate and agency environments, on products that range from PC’s to ads and brand identities. He has managed research projects on every continent of the globe and worked across a host of product categories--ranging from electronics to CPG, automotive to healthcare. Immediately prior to joining Mutual Mobile, Andrew was a Research Director at Dell, supporting the Client marketing and design teams.