• R E S E A R C H
G U I D E •
packet H U N T E R C AT T L E C O M PA N Y
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contents
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Introduction
Strategic Principles
Research Goals
Research Groups & Example Applications
Methodologies, Tools, & Best Practices
Moving Forward...
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INTRODUCTION
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In order to generate creative strategies and develop potential business applications, we must have an understanding of Hunter Cattle’s current structures, processes, and systems. This research will act as the foundation and platform to move forward into concepting and ideation. The following contains the principles and goals that should be kept at the forefront of consideration in deciding what research to pursue.
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STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES
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Our strategic principles are meant to guide the rest of project in evaluating intent and purpose of research, concepts, and strategy application. For research, these higher-level themes should be used to determine what information is needed to understand the current realities of Hunter Cattle Company and questions should be generated basedon these principles. With completion of research, these themes will be used to focus ideation and concept development, while final strategies will likely include some component of each of these principles. 4
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES
VALUES Business activities that create perceived worth for participants in a dependent but fair transaction
PERCEPTIONS Image created through the understanding of a message from sensory stimuli
NETWORKS Infrastructures that connect systems of participants through transaction processes
COMMUNITY Local relationships built through activities and shared values which cultivate trust and loyalty
Research should identify how value is defined or where current value stems from
Research will focus on an misalignment of perception versus reality, and identify contrasts between internal and external perspectives
Research ideally will define existing systems and may demonstrate gaps that influence concept development of creating enabling systems for more productive transactions.
Research in this area is to elaborate on the intangible components which could be further developed or refined in business strategy development
MILESTONES Events which mark a significant change within the business
PROFITABILITY Measurement of financial gain from business activities in monetary form, in respect of cost and ROI
EFFICIENCY The effective use of time, effort, or cost within the business processes
PROJECTION Scenarios based on triggers, influencers and trends
Research should be structured to identify current resource inputs and some of the areas that would be important in consideration of concept opportunities
Research will feed future development with identified gaps, highlighted misconceptions, and discrepancies in perspectives
Research should find triggers that influenced current business development
Research will primarily be quantitative, but data should be collected that can contribute to understanding and developing strategic plans
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RESEARCH GOALS
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Our main research goal is to discover the actualities of Hunter Cattle’s value streams. • Define existing and aspirational stakeholders, relationships, revenues, and systems. • Determine the impact of technology on internal functions and external communications. • Assess the relationship of trends or movements of the agruicultural landscape.
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RESEARCH GROUPS & EXAMPLE APPILCATIONS
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In relation to the research goals, research groups have been identified to minimize duplication of efforts as well as create a greater-level of expertise for each segment. These teams will work in conjunction with each other to support overall understanding of the current landscape are define a comprehensive business model for Hunter Cattle Farms.
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RESEARCH GROUPS
farm ACTIVITIES This group will focus on the theme that ‘Hunter Cattle is more than just a farm.’ The initiative will be to improve the current ecosystem of elements existing on the farm properties.
external VALUE STREAMS This group’s focus will be to explore ways to increase earnings delivering to short and middledistance markets.
AWARENESS & EDUCATION Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer consectetur nisi sit amet nisl mattis volutpat. Sed enim erat, tempus vel feugiat a, faucibus at erat. Maecenas quis lobortis ipsum. Suspendelsie waa fiel.
communication channels Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer consectetur nisi sit amet nisl mattis volutpat. Sed enim erat, tempus vel feugiat a, faucibus at erat. Maecenas quis lobortis ipsum. Suspendelsie waa fiel.
Type more?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Values Business activities that create percieved worth for participants in a fair dependant transaction.
possible questions per group
What value added services do you currently provide at the farm?
How do you leverage the benefits from different partnerships?
What purpose do your current communication channels serve?
Are your customer’s requirements compatible with your business philosophy?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Perceptions An image created through the understanding of a message by sensory stimuli.
possible questions per group
What methods have been established to collect feedback about your services?
What type of feedback do you recieve from your buyers and collaborators? What methods of measurement are being used through your communication channels to see how the public perceives Hunter Cattle? How is Hunter Cattle’s brand, services, and products currently perceived?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Networks Enabling infrastructures which connect systems of participants for productive transactions.
possible questions per group
What relationships and or partnerships have been beneficial in building your brand? What is your knowledge of how your partners work with unaffiliated partners?
How do you see yourself building on your social media platform?
How are you currently promoting Hunter Cattle’s services?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Community Local relationships built throuh activities and shared values which cultivate trust and loyalty.
possible questions per group
What activities do you currently participate in within the community?
What is missing from your current relationships within the community?
What techniques are you using to communicate your brand to the community?
How are you educating the community on your brand?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Milestones Events which mark a significant change within the business.
possible questions per group
What factors have played a significant role in how the farm is run?
What were significant partnerships that have affected your business? What communication channels have been beneficial in setting you apart from competitors. What educational tools have been beneficial in your day-to-day operations?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Profitability Measurement of financial gain from business activities in monetary form, in respect of cost and return on investment (ROI). possible questions per group
Currently, what activities are generating the most profit? Which aren’t?
How is return on investment (ROI) measured for each partnership?
Are you seeing ROI from the communication channels that are being used?
How is your pricing supported in your marketing material?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Efficiency The effective use of time, effort, or cost within the business processes.
possible questions per group
In order to find ways of improving experiences, how are services reviewed?
What are some intangible resources needed to maintain flourishing partnerships?
How efficient have you been in communicating your message to the public?
How are your educational tours structured?
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EXAMPLE APPLICATION
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
Projection Stories and data based on triggers, influencers, and trends around Hunter Cattle Company.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE
This strategic principle will be relevant to scenarios that we will craft towards the end of the synthesis period. For now, we can continue writing research questions that pertain to Hunter Cattle Company’s views and aspirations of the future as well as agricultural and other relevant industries’ trends and opportunity areas.
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METHODS & TOOLS
4 Methods and tools are integral to purposeful data collection. While not all methods or tools may be appropriate, they should be selected to support successful research completion specific to your group’s focus. Incorporating best practices will allow for better cross-communication between groups and legitimize processes selected.
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METHODS
SHADOWING & OBSERVING Shadowing is when we follow participants: observing their minute-by-minute actions/ interactions.
INTERVIEWS Interviews are useful for getting the story behind a participant’s experiences. As the interviewer, you can pursue in-depth information around your topic.
This is also similar to observing: being aware of activities, artifacts, people and/or factors related to our five senses. We should refrain from interacting or interfering as a researcher.
Interviews may be also useful as a follow-up to certain respondents to questionnaires, to further investigate responses.
Source: Paraphrased from IDUS 711
Source: Paraphrased from IDUS 711
PARTICIPATORY METHODS Participatory methods center around enabling participants to acquire agency in the design process, de-mystifying and creating a partnership between the designer and the client.
COLLABORATIVE MAPPING Collaborative mapping is an initiative to collectively produce models of different types of systems that researchers can then access and use to synthesize furthur.
Click these to see examples: IDEO’s Human-Centered Design frog’s Collective Action Artefact’s Design for Empathy
Click these to see map examples: stakeholder map, customer journey map, blueprint, floor-plans, and ecology maps.
Source: Click links for sources
Source: Click links for sources
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TOOLS
AUDIO RECORDERS An easy way to capture specific details of what was said during an interview is to use an audio recording device (most modern smart-phones are just fine). This allows us to sort through pertinent quotes/information after the interivews are finished.
PEN, PAPER, & STICKIES Don’t forget a writing utensil, a general notebook, and/or stickies. Whichever method helps you best capture your research in noteform depends on what you’re most comfortable with. Recording audio is a great backup to catpure information, but additionally writing notes may help you pull out the most important insights you hear.
CAMERAS It will be important for a research member to bring a camera with high-resolution capabilities as these images will be used for printing purposes. Capture things you find interesting about the participant’s behavior, artifacts around them, and the environment.
MAPS It will be most helpful if your research team can generate a few maps that you have begun to populate. Throughout your interviews, you may be able to validate and finish these maps with participants. Refer to the previous slide for some map examples.
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DATA COLLECTION & SHARING BEST PRACTICES
PLANNING FOR RESEARCH Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer consectetur nisi sit amet nisl mattis volutpat. Sed enim erat, tempus vel Links Interview Protocol Sheet Interview Question Matrix XXX XXX
EXECUTING YOUR RESEARCH Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer consectetur nisi sit amet nisl mattis volutpat. Sed enim erat, tempus vel feugiat a, faucibus at erat. Maecenas quis lobortis ipsum. Suspendelsie waa fiel.
PROPER DOCUMENTATION Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer consectetur nisi sit amet nisl mattis volutpat. Sed enim erat, tempus vel feugiat a, faucibus at erat. Maecenas quis lobortis ipsum. Suspendelsie waa fiel. • After your interviews you should have audio files, pictures taken, and possibly written notes, etc. • We will use Google Drive to compile working documents, and we will use Dropbox to keep all original files. • Please upload in an organized fashion, your material into folders pertaining to your group, interview date, and person interviewed. More detialed instructions are currently being determined...
EFFECTIVE SHARING In order to properly understand what each group is doing and how to tie all research together into a holistic vision, there are a few guidelines to the way we will share:
• All research will be compiled onto our classroom walls. • All conversations within interviews must be transcribed by group members and printed out to place onto the wall. • Print important research images to an appropriate size. • All other images must be placed onto a contact sheet in photoshop. • All groups are assigned colors and information must be color-coded when placed on classroom walls. This ensures that if an item is moved to another wall, it can be returned to its home later. • Please keep all information strategically organized on your wall so everyone can understand the story you are trying to tell.
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MOVING FORWARD...
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NEXT STEPS • Develop more in-depth questions for each strategic principle in relation to your group’s focus. Refer to the examples provided below each strategic principle. • Prepare a research matrix of all questions and methods of data collection. (Click here for matrix template) • Design and prepare necessary maps to use while conducting contextual research. • Contact appropriate research participants and schedule agenda for research days and times. • Assign group members for different tasks including: asking questions, taking notes, and photography.
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ALL LINKS
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