Reﬂection - Mind Mapping

Challenge

My challenge is to create a marketing website for property listings as well as for the developer who  builds the properties. The developer builds high quality properties and sells them to low to medium  income households in a developing country. The project includes branding for the developer as  well as the design of their website. The developer currently markets properties through two estate  agents, by marketing on the development themselves and using their own website.

Selection

I have selected to use mind mapping at this stage because we are still in the “What is?” phase of  the project. I believe it is important to understand the problem, the user and her context before we  are able to come up with a solution that adequately serves her needs.

Mind mapping is a tool that helps us achieve this by helping us sort through the information we  have gathered to uncover patterns in the data. By doing this we are able to clearly see the context  in which our users operate and the challenges they face, and to uncover their needs and  motivations by forcing us to dig deeper into the data we observer, it also helps us form an opining  as to which issues are more important for us to solve.

I am looking to identify patterns and themes in the users behaviour, and uncover insights that will  help guide and inspire the design for the website, branding, as well as the business strategy for the  developer as well helping my client understand the importance of focusing on the needs of their  customers.

Application

For this activity I will work with the business stake holders. We will be using pos-its, sharpies, and  all data gathered using secondary research about the user, competitors and indirect competitors to  help us deconstruct the problem and how are people currently approaching and solving their  needs.

Together we will use the post-its to describe what are the users trying to do at each stage as well  as what different channels they use and what we believe are the biggest challenges our users  encounter. We will try to uncover what are the underlying needs that people have when making  their choices.

Insight

The key insight from this is exercise has been, our main users are people who are looking for a  primary residence, not investors. These homebuyers would already be living in the area and would  see the contact information on the building itself. They will always chose to call a phone number  rather than attempt to contact the seller by any other channel even of they had visited the website.

Being homebuyers of low income households meant this is avery emotional decision and therefore  it needs to be treated with a great level of attention and empathy on the sale side.

Estate agents were perceived as disinterested in the homebuyer and their needs. Homebuyers  needed to accommodate the estate agent’s needs and preferences and estate agents were  reported to not taking or returning calls and treating homebuyers with what was perceived as  contempt. One let down by any of the estate agents was enough to discourage people from  attempting to reach out again.

However, once a homebuyer had a means to contact the developer directly they would quickly do  so and were quick to explain they have had been looking at the building for while but the estate  agents were unhelpful or rude. The consistency of the reports made one thing clear, these  homebuyers were made to feel they were not important as if the estate agent was doing them a  favour and had no time for their questions and this was resented and held agains the estate agent  directly.

Approach

As a result from this exercise, we have learnt that the most effective way for this developer to  market its properties in this context, is to do it directly so they are able to control the customer  experience and perception of their brand as a developer of high quality residences for low income  households, and so every lead is followed through.

I believe that in addition to mind mapping, story telling is powerful tool to explain what the  homebuyers go through on their day to day, what are their dreams and the challenges they  experience to ensure the developer’s strategy is aligned with their users needs and help them take  a big step. The developer is able to remove many pain points for its customers by ensuring their  inquiries are handled promptly and with great customer service and that their answers regarding  help to buy schemes are always available highlighting which ones are applicable to them as these  is something homebuyers ﬁnd confusing and overwhelming to deal with. i would be looking to use  story telling for this stage.


Reﬂection - Mind Mapping Challenge My challenge is to create a marketing website for property listings as well as for the developer who builds the properties . The developer builds high quality properties and sells them to low to medium income households in a developing country . The project includes branding for the developer as well as the design of their website . The developer currently markets properties through two estate agents , by marketing on the development themselves and using their own website . Selection I have selected to use mind mapping at this stage because we are still in the “ What is ? ” phase of the project . I believe it is important to understand the problem , the user and her context before we are able to come up with a solution that adequately serves her needs . Mind mapping is a tool that helps us achieve this by helping us sort through the information we have gathered to uncover patterns in the data . By doing this we are able to clearly see the context in which our users operate and the challenges they face , and to uncover their needs and motivations by forcing us to dig deeper into the data we observer , it also helps us form an opining as to which issues are more important for us to solve . I am looking to identify patterns and themes in the users behaviour , and uncover insights that will help guide and inspire the design for the website , branding , as well as the business strategy for the developer as well helping my client understand the importance of focusing on the needs of their customers . Application For this activity I will work with the business stake holders . We will be using pos - its , sharpies , and all data gathered using secondary research about the user , competitors and indirect competitors to help us deconstruct the problem and how are people currently approaching and solving their needs . Together we will use the post - its to describe what are the users trying to do at each stage as well as what different channels they use and what we believe are the biggest challenges our users encounter . We will try to uncover what are the underlying needs that people have when making their choices . Insight The key insight from this is exercise has been , our main users are people who are looking for a primary residence , not investors . These homebuyers would already be living in the area and would see the contact information on the building itself . They will always chose to call a phone number rather than attempt to contact the seller by any other channel even of they had visited the website . Being homebuyers of low income households meant this is avery emotional decision and therefore it needs to be treated with a great level of attention and empathy on the sale side . Estate agents were perceived as disinterested in the homebuyer and their needs . Homebuyers needed to accommodate the estate agent ’s needs and preferences and estate agents were reported to not taking or returning calls and treating homebuyers with what was perceived as contempt . One let down by any of the estate agents was enough to discourage people from attempting to reach out again . However , once a homebuyer had a means to contact the developer directly they would quickly do so and were quick to explain they have had been looking at the building for while but the estate agents were unhelpful or rude . The consistency of the reports made one thing clear , these homebuyers were made to feel they were not important as if the estate agent was doing them a favour and had no time for their questions and this was resented and held agains the estate agent directly . Approach As a result from this exercise , we have learnt that the most effective way for this developer to market its properties in this context , is to do it directly so they are able to control the customer experience and perception of their brand as a developer of high quality residences for low income households , and so every lead is followed through . I believe that in addition to mind mapping , story telling is powerful tool to explain what the homebuyers go through on their day to day , what are their dreams and the challenges they experience to ensure the developer ’s strategy is aligned with their users needs and help them take a big step . The developer is able to remove many pain points for its customers by ensuring their inquiries are handled promptly and with great customer service and that their answers regarding help to buy schemes are always available highlighting which ones are applicable to them as these is something homebuyers ﬁnd confusing and overwhelming to deal with . i would be looking to use story telling for this stage .