The NCredible Framework Quadrant Descriptions: Definition

Before reading this article, learn about The NCredible Framework.

Definition learning reveals ideas and solutions.

Learning Objectives in the definition quadrant illuminates the relationship between concepts and feasibility. As a reminder, a Learning Objective is an aligned and affinitized set of questions with similar scope. These Learning Objectives drive teams to conceive possibilities, design fixes, actualize desirable experiences, and reflect on internal development limitations. Questions in this quadrant are reflexive, asking the organization “how might we…” They compel teams to brainstorm and co-create to come up with ideas and solutions.

Example question

How can we make the incident reporting app more intuitive?
The team wants to apply characteristics of “intuitive” to ideate solutions. Prior to developing possible solutions, the organization will have fully scrutinized and aligned upon what “intuitive” means and leverage this knowledge to imagine a solution. In Definition, they will explore how this term comes to life — in features, functionality, interactions, language, and visual affordances, among others. The result will be many possibilities, which then either need to be evaluated by people, or prioritized by the organization.

Study Design Considerations

• Engage populations from competitive offerings (e.g., look to users of other apps that involve some element of reporting and feedback loops)
• Leverage findings from Discovery and Exploratory (e.g., if the team cannot agree upon design characteristics of “intuitive,” then it is a good indicator that further research must be done)
• Avoid converging too quickly on familiar solutions (e.g., examine ideals for intuitive incident reporting prior to stretching the idea as opposed to immediately working within constraints)

Case Study

We facilitated conversations and then collaborated with Consumers Energy’s design partner to ideate solutions with the group.

Background

Consumers Energy is a public utility that provides natural gas and electric services to nearly 70% of Michigan’s population. Utilities are known for being large ships to move, but Consumers Energy’s dedicated team of designers is at the forefront of bringing a human-centered perspective to their decision-making processes. We collaborate with them on many projects, with a highlight being a carefully and aggressively designed robust personal development project, in which our research team was on the ground in Michigan for nearly 4 weeks of rich data collection.

It is not uncommon for customers to view their utility as a necessity, something that they cannot live without. As such, it’s rare for customers to proactively engage with their utility unless there is an enticing reason. Consumers Energy offers many energy efficiency programs and services (e.g., window rebates) through its website, and wanted to create a compelling digital experience that would continue to draw people to seek these services.

Consumers Energy shared primary data that indicated customers would come to the website to seek out information on energy efficiency programs, but then never return more than once. They wanted to further understand specifically why that was the case, and to use that as inspiration for redesigning the website. Additionally, Consumers Energy wanted their design partner to be closely involved in the study.

Learning Objective

To understand how energy efficiency customers engaged with the website and how Consumers Energy might compel them to return to the website to learn about and enroll in multiple services.

Sample

We spoke with both residential and commercial utility customers who had activated an energy efficiency program. We sought a mix of demographics (age, gender, race), and a mix of the various energy efficiency programs for a total of 24 residential customers and 14 commercial customers.

Methods

We conducted group sessions, which are ideal for ideation. With multiple minds in a room, presented with meaningful stimuli, participants have an easier time thinking about possible solutions and building on ideas. Each group was 3 hours long with up to 8 customers.

We used hands on activities to foster discussion. Participants completed activities like these individually and shared them with the group.

We began each group by understanding decision-making motivations, and ended each with co-creation activities co-facilitated by Consumers Energy’s design partner. Meena facilitated each group while Zarla conducted real-time affinity mapping and note taking. Sessions were conducted in a focus group facility, so the Consumers Energy team behind the glass engaged with their own note taking templates that we created for them. The third-party designers used that time to also develop initial concepts to share during co-creation.

The designers sketched concepts behind the glass as participants shared their motivation stories. In small groups, we built upon the idea.

We used an activity-based protocol and employed an empathy map and a reflection exercise to gather feedback on motivations and decision-making processes. Participants specifically reflected on their experience in selecting an energy efficiency program. During co-creation, we divided the room into smaller groups, presented them with a scenario and a designer real-time sketched concepts. The small groups then came together to present their ideas to the broader group. This approach of breaking the groups up and then bringing them back together ensured everyone’s voice was heard.

Outcomes

We learned that people seek an energy efficiency program typically due to a need-based circumstance. Oftentimes, this is a fix for something that is broken (e.g., I need new windows, I might as well get a rebate for energy efficient windows). However, people also may want to overhaul their home or business with a new energy efficient perspective in mind. These varying motivations of being more reactive or proactive about energy efficiency helped us understand primary goals and scenarios for engaging with the website.

We learned about the reactive and proactive reasons people seek energy efficiency programs. By understanding the frequency of these kinds of motivations, Consumers Energy could better tailor the messages and functionality of their website.

Beyond the need for an energy efficient offering, participants also discussed what they needed from the website experience in order to be drawn to return (and activate another program).. We gleaned trust signals that could be considered in the website experience. Not all participants resonated with every trust signal equally, so we used it as a basis to explore the variety of how these signals come to life. For example, a business owner who is overhauling a workspace with energy efficiency in mind will be looking for different trust signals than a person who wants to get lightbulbs for their home.

We described each trust signal, using specific examples from participant stories. We then used a simplified spider diagram to depict the level of emphasis on particular trust signals in order to compel a return to the website.

In presenting the variety, Consumers Energy was able to determine who and what they could and should focus on in the website. The design partner took our findings as evidence for creating several concepts.

Read about the other quadrants — Discovery, Exploratory, Validation.