Chinese illiterates or half illiterates field study about mobile phone usage

ConfidentialRev PA1 2008-6-13 1

Illiterates Illiterates Exploration Exploration

Study in BeijingStudy in BeijingMay, 2008May, 2008

Beijing Experience LabBeijing Experience Lab


What’s illiterate?What’s illiterate?

Definition?Definition?

Less than 1500 Chinese charactersLess than 1500 Chinese characters

About 100 millionAbout 100 million


The first stepThe first step

Went to talk to themWent to talk to them 7 interviews7 interviews

Get to know how they used Get to know how they used mobile phonemobile phone


ContentContent

General findings General findings

3 segments identified3 segments identified Segment profileSegment profile Specific findings for this segmentSpecific findings for this segment Insight for designInsight for design


General FindingsGeneral Findings

Half-illiteratesHalf-illiterates


1. Low Literacy Level1. Low Literacy Level

2. Less willingness to explore2. Less willingness to explore

3. High Cost Awareness3. High Cost Awareness

4. Low Branding Awareness4. Low Branding Awareness

5. Poor understanding of icons5. Poor understanding of icons

6. Strong need of help6. Strong need of help


1. Low Literacy Level1. Low Literacy Level

Less schooling education (3-5 years Less schooling education (3-5 years schooling in this study)schooling in this study)

More difficulties in writing than More difficulties in writing than readingreading

Slow reading speedSlow reading speed


Basically they Basically they can read a lot of can read a lot of texts in the texts in the mobile phone, mobile phone, but they can but they can write a little. write a little.


2. Less willingness to 2. Less willingness to exploreexplore

Less willingness to explore the Less willingness to explore the phonephone

Strong need of help from others Strong need of help from others

Never change the default settingsNever change the default settings


3. High Cost Awareness3. High Cost Awareness

10-20RMB per month10-20RMB per month Add prefix e.g.12593 for cost savingAdd prefix e.g.12593 for cost saving More calls than messagingMore calls than messaging


4. Low Branding 4. Low Branding AwarenessAwareness

Basically they didn’t know Sony Basically they didn’t know Sony EricssonEricsson

Nokia was heard to be the best Nokia was heard to be the best brand.brand.


5. Poor understanding of 5. Poor understanding of iconsicons

Only the icons Only the icons similar with real similar with real artifacts make artifacts make sense.sense.

A lot of icons in A lot of icons in the mobile the mobile phone were phone were meaningless to meaningless to themthem


6. Strong need of help6. Strong need of help

Help on creating contactsHelp on creating contacts

Help on advanced featuresHelp on advanced features change some settings, E.g. adjust the change some settings, E.g. adjust the

backlight durationbacklight duration Transfer mp3, video, pictures etc.Transfer mp3, video, pictures etc.


3 Segments 3 Segments IdentifiedIdentified


1.Young 1.Young illiterates with illiterates with

exposure to exposure to technologytechnologyMost malesMost males


杨彦涛杨彦涛

22 years old, Henan

4 years of schooling

Underground garage maintainer

谢道高谢道高

37 years old, Anhui


Vegetable market


Specific findings for this Specific findings for this SegmentSegment

More experiences in using mobile More experiences in using mobile phonephone The 3rd mobile phone they have ownedThe 3rd mobile phone they have owned


Familiar with Navigation, soft key Familiar with Navigation, soft key etc.etc. Basically they Basically they

understood the understood the soft keys and soft keys and red/green keys red/green keys well, just not well, just not very sure.very sure.

Try and error Try and error was an was an important way important way of learning for of learning for them.them.



Willing to explore more non-text-Willing to explore more non-text-based features, e.g. MMS, MP3, based features, e.g. MMS, MP3, photo capture etc.photo capture etc.

Photo ID About 40

songs in storage card

Gif wallpaper



2.Young illiterate 2.Young illiterate with less with less

exposure to exposure to technologytechnologyMost femalesMost females


刘静娟刘静娟30 years old, Hebei


Farmer, housekeeper

张忠霞张忠霞34 years old, Henan


Lifter operator



They have some basic phone They have some basic phone experienceexperience


Local brand: CECTLocal brand: CECT Worn-out second Worn-out second

phone inherited from phone inherited from her husbandher husband

Ring tone brokenRing tone broken

Samsung colorful Samsung colorful screenscreen

An old phone An old phone inherited from her inherited from her friendfriend

Alarm didn’t workAlarm didn’t work



Managed to send text message is Managed to send text message is possiblepossible Although sometimes it takes half an Although sometimes it takes half an

hour to compose a text messagehour to compose a text message



3.middle-aged 3.middle-aged (40+) illiterates (40+) illiterates

with less exposure with less exposure to technologyto technologyMixed genderMixed gender


高矿宝高矿宝49 years old, Gansu


Construction worker

梁瑞芬梁瑞芬45 years old, Henan


Lifter operator

闫来良

39 years old, Henan


Construction worker



Basically no experience of mobile Basically no experience of mobile phonephone 5-way Navigation model didn’t work5-way Navigation model didn’t work

Up and down key tended to be pressed more Up and down key tended to be pressed more oftenoften

Separation of highlight and select didn’t Separation of highlight and select didn’t workwork

Soft key didn’t work Soft key didn’t work


More rote learningMore rote learning



RecapRecap Common findingsCommon findings

1. Low Literacy Level1. Low Literacy Level 2. Less willingness to explore2. Less willingness to explore 3. High Cost Awareness3. High Cost Awareness 4. Low Branding Awareness4. Low Branding Awareness 5. Poor understanding of icons5. Poor understanding of icons

3 segments3 segments Young illiterates with exposure to technologyYoung illiterates with exposure to technology Young illiterates with less exposure to Young illiterates with less exposure to

technologytechnology Middle aged illiterates with less exposure to Middle aged illiterates with less exposure to

technologytechnology


More neededMore needed

Go to the rural areaGo to the rural area Intermittent powerIntermittent power Intermittent connectivityIntermittent connectivity Variable population densityVariable population density

Do more interviewsDo more interviews


ThanksThanks

Chinese illiterates or half illiterates field study about mobile phone usage

Design

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