Conducting Secondary Research & Framing the Design challenge, focusing on the use of AI.
Objective:
In the early stages of the design process it is important to conduct broad research to gain a better understanding of the overall landscape of the subject you are considering. Small local coffee shops is a niche community, but when you widen the scope to nationally, or globally there is a lot more information and experience in the field. Small coffee shops are sometimes just trying to stay afloat when first starting, but when they get their feet under them, creating a consistent community is vital to lasting success.
The difference between small local coffee shops and chain coffee places starts with the consumer. Many consumers prefer one experience over the other. Therefore, when considering the problem of seeking local coffee shops we have to consider how to target the small business consumer.
Providing this app is a benefit for both small businesses and consumers and offers a solution for each. Brand awareness is important as well as good quality coffee for the consumer.
In my research, I asked the question…
“How do local, small coffee shops advertise themselves to the public?”
AI Usage: I utilized the collective information of ChatGPT to summarize large internet findings. From there I narrowed down four categories of ways that coffee shops typically advertise their shop.
- Social Media Platforms
ChatGPT: Social media increases exposure to the local community. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are ideal for showcasing the shop’s ambiance, menu, and unique offerings.
2. Collaborations with other local businesses
ChatGPT: Collaboration with other businesses fosters a win-win relationship. It not only expands the coffee shop’s audience but also strengthens its image as a community-oriented and innovative brand.
3. In-Shop aesthetic
ChatGPT: Customers are more likely to share their experience if the shop feels unique or photogenic, amplifying word-of-mouth advertising.
4. Google My Business/Online Reviews
ChatGPT: These tools are crucial for attracting new customers and retaining loyal ones in an increasingly competitive coffee shop market.
Using AI allowed me to get my questions answered efficiently, with multiple perspective to challenges and how one may address those challenges. There were even answers that I would have never considered, however AI brought new ideas to light and provides a space to solve them.
Along with ChatGPT I used Statista to get a better grasp on the demographic of coffee drinkers. The findings will help me put together a better curated target audience. Here were some of the statistics found…
- 37% of coffee drinkers have a high annual household income
- An honest and respectable life has more importance to coffee drinkers than to the average consumer
- 27% of coffee drinkers are laggards when it comes to innovation adoption
- A relatively high share of coffee drinkers think that rising prices, inflation & cost of living are issues that need to be addressed
- Coffee drinkers remember seeing ads on social media more often than the average consumer
All of this information and more numeral data provides a deeper understanding of the target audience as a whole. This information can further my research when trying to market to my target audience.
Benefits/Challenges Realized: When using AI in research it offers a quicker outcome. The information is summarized and spit out in the most simplest terms, which is a good starting point. However, it is important to push those summaries deeper in order to get the most out of it. Going deeper in research is hard with AI because its generalized. But this early in the design process it is beneficial as a launching point for all the findings to come and to get your brain thinking.
Framing the project pushed my ideas further and put into perspective the potential goals to solve the problem. Along with goals it addressed possible issues I may run into. Now I can be proactive about those challenges and go after them head on with prepared research and an awareness.
Overall Reflection: The use of AI in the deign process should not be brushed passed, it provides broad understanding and helps you consider ideas you may not have thought of yourself. My experience with it was fairly easy and helpful in organizing my questions. I am curious how utilizing AI features within the coffee community will go, and how it could impact the solution to my problem statement. My idea and hope is that one possible solution, that will utilize AI features, could offer a personal algorithm like social media. Coffee shops will filter on your page with similar characteristics to the others you have been to or reviewed.
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