Tailoring Global Research Method to Fit Japanese Culture
Nowadays, global projects need agile movements. And the time pressure often has international projects employing standardized research tools, even for qualitative research operations.
Testing Products with Consumers to Evaluate Sensory Experience
“We heard about Sensory evaluations. But what can sensory evaluations do for our product development? “We answered this question by offering sensory workshops for our clients and sensory tests with consumers to meet their needs.
Creating a Cutting-Edge Consumer Community
Recruiting the right people is essential to get high quality from qualitative user research.
Remote-Sensory Testing in Consumers’ Homes
“We want to set up a sensory panel. But we do not have any budgets for building sensory test facilities. We are also worried about covid-19 effects when doing sensory tests….” Indeed, the requirement of the sensory facility is one of the reasons our clients give up the development of sensory panels.
Gathering Hidden Insights from User Communities
An online consumer community is an efficient way to have consumers discuss relevant topics beyond structured interviews. Most online community platforms have machine translation functions, making running consumer studies in multiple countries easy.
Desk Research for Exploring Business Opportunities
Secondary research (or desk research) is an effective way to understand existing knowledge at a low cost. Thanks to the internet, we can find information easily online.
In Search of Human Connections in Social Distancing
When I wake up in the morning, one message keeps coming into my email box. “Zoom Nomi (Drinking party on Zoom) will be tomorrow.
Customer Experience Pitfalls
Customer Experience (CX) and User Experience (UX) attract the interests of businesspeople in Japan. Google “Customer Experience” in Katakana, and you get 50 million search results. User Experience – over 4 million. We also notice that many companies are conducting customer research for their products and services. We recognize that companies are trying to enrich their customers’ experiences.
Influence of Majority
Queuing is a part of Japanese habits. In rush hours, people stand in line to wait for trains to get on. At amusement parks such as Disneyland, people wait for one or two hours to get into popular attractions. Likewise, people are queuing up in front of restaurants or food shops to get in. Queues mean sales growth. My recent experience tells how the first customer attracts more people quickly in Japan.
Why Senior Women Love Shopping
Women love to shop. And the women’s love for shopping does not fade by age. One Thursday at 9:30 a.m., I passed by a supermarket and saw five to six women making a line in front of the supermarket. They were all around aged the late 60s to 80s wearing walking shoes. Some people held their shopping carts, and others held mobility aids. “Why do they come early even to wait for opening the supermarket? ” I wondered.