Context: context-based research group

Clients : Microsoft Corporation

An Ethnography of the Mobile Lifestyle
Microsoft's Mobile Experience division has done extensive research related to the lifestyle and needs of individuals who use mobile devices. In order to gain a truly behavioral perspective on mobility, they decided to take an ethnographic approach to the subject.

Context anthropologists met with teens, parents and young adults (both students and non-students) in several cities in Germany and Spain, while an in-house Microsoft anthropologist completed the same study in the US. Anthropologists spent hours with each participant, observing and talking with them during time spent outside of their homes (while mobile) – all of which was photo-documented. Each participant also completed a week-long activity log in which they recorded, in detail, each time they used a mobile device for any reason.

Consensus theory was used to validate and quantify the ethnographic data, offering a deeper understanding of the core values and consensus felt in each study location and among each participant segment.

Based on the study findings, Context developed a series of portraits of the mobile consumer driven by mindset and behavior. These portraits and other insights gleaned from the study will influence the development of new mobile tools and applications, and their corresponding marketing efforts.

About Context Consumer Insights

Context Consumer Insights provides a lens into consumer behavior based on our ethnographic research. This year, we cover the Grounded Consumer. We will identify key pieces that comprise this insight, illustrate examples from the marketplace and offer recommendations on what to do with this information from a marketing and product development standpoint.

Sign up here to get notified when new information is available.

Get Updates

Sign up to receive email notifications when new information is available.


Name:
Email:
	( SUBMIT )