Gen Z Unleashed: How the P.O.E.M.S Framework Supercharged My Startup Adventure
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In the ever-evolving business world, finding innovative solutions to everyday challenges can be a game-changer. This is a story of how I, Christine, a co-founder of DesignACE, leveraged user insights to launch a successful startup reimagining how professionals approach meetings.
To ensure we create products that benefit our users, I conducted extensive research to understand our target audience better. Throughout my research, I delved into the diverse needs of different generations working side by side in the workforce. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, each generation boasts unique characteristics that set them apart. I found it captivating to learn about these differences and how they play out in the workplace.
What is a user need?
A need is something wanted or desired because it is essential. Therefore, when we can truly understand our users and the ecosystem surrounding their product or service experience, we design with their needs at the forefront of our minds.
Example from our latest guide: User Interview Workbook, Strategic Guide & Research Templates
Embracing Feedback: Christine's Guiding Light Through Transformation
I found myself burned out during the pandemic. It became clear that traditional meetings needed more creativity and productivity. With a passion for technology, design thinking, and leadership, my best friend turned business partner, Andrew, and I set out on a mission to make work more fun and productive. Thus, DesignACE was born.
Ideas are the lifeblood of any successful business. As entrepreneurs and startup teams, we need to explore and test meaningful solutions to fuel our creative spark. But here's the catch: sometimes, we get so excited that we jump to conclusions and solutions without validating our hypotheses or checking assumptions at the door, which is dangerous when every penny counts.
That's when I realized that service design and user research were the perfect tools for the job. By connecting with our target audience early on and understanding their needs and motivations, we could strategically and thoughtfully decide which projects and initiatives to pursue to drive growth.
Drawing from my startup days at Public Mobile, I learned to embrace the reality of limited budgets and resources. Being scrappy and making the most out of what we have would be crucial—a valuable lesson reinforcing user research's importance. When you're facing a challenging problem (like starting an entire company) and lack time, money, or workforce, it's a clear sign to get out there and talk to people.
So, we made it our mission to connect with our users, dive deep into their world, and learn from their experiences. Equipped with valuable insights, we can confidently choose which projects to prioritize and invest our efforts in. By doing so, you can ensure that our time and resources are utilized effectively and efficiently.
By fostering an environment of co-creation, you tap into the expertise and insights of professionals from various industries. You can seek feedback to improve your offerings through workshops, interviews, and beta testing.
Through this journey of exploration and discovery, we found ourselves equipped with a powerful toolset that ignited our creative potential and helped us steer clear of potential pitfalls. User research became an essential part of our decision-making process, giving us the confidence to take calculated risks and pursue ventures with a higher chance of success.
So, the next time you face a daunting challenge with limited resources, remember this friendly advice: take a step back, embrace the power of user research, and let it guide you toward the solutions that truly make a difference. Trust me; it's a game-changer!
Next, you will learn how we did some rapid idea testing with our Gen Z siblings that taught us more about our user base than we bargained for. Using the P.O.E.M.S field notes template, we uncovered some key insights and enablers that would help us tailor our offering and place our bets in the right places.
I used our latest User Research Guide and P.O.E.M.S. field notes template to capture observations and data points.
Leveraging Existing Relationships and Engaging with Gen Z
A dynamic business environment requires organizations to embrace and understand the diverse generational landscape. Building relationships and learning about your users is essential to creating value, loyalty, and brand awareness. At the heart of designACE's success lies our strong relationships with a network of professionals who have played a pivotal role in shaping our company's offerings. These relationships have been instrumental in ensuring that our products meet the needs of our target audience and have helped us grow our perspectives as we learn more about them.
Tap in Gen Z
They just get it when it comes to digital branding and engaging content. On top of their critical eye for good visual design, they are unapologetic regarding having a low tolerance for mundane work, boring meetings, micromanagers, and all things designACE strives to eliminate from the workplace. With their impressive purchasing power and immense impact on the advertising industry, they are an ideal audience to pursue.
To be honest, this really freaked me out. How on earth was I supposed to approach them without looking like a complete dork or, even worse, a tech-phobic dinosaur? It might sound a bit extreme, but their insights and business acumen were vital to our success in the online world. The idea of admitting my social media anxiety seemed totally absurd and embarrassing. Luckily, Andrew and I have younger siblings who weren't afraid to offer up some brutally honest feedback.
Meet Gen Z: Sam Reynolds and Sera Westlake
Sam Reynolds and Sera Westlake, two talented members of Gen Z who recently entered the workforce, have been invaluable to designACE. We have established a close partnership with them, incorporating their fresh perspectives and firsthand knowledge of what ambitious individuals need in today's competitive job market. Their feedback has been instrumental in refining our products to resonate with our target demographic. This collaboration ensures that DesignACE's innovative solutions are relevant and accessible to a broader audience. And they have put our social media skills (and patience) to the test, coaching us on what is and isn’t “the vibe”.
Research note: While family members shouldn't be relied on as the only source of feedback, they can provide early indicators for content, brand, and tone. Getting outside feedback can spark creativity and guide deeper research. To help avoid this bias, Andrew worked with Sam and I worked with Sera. #SiblingSwap
Including Gen Z in our target demographic and early research was a strategic decision driven by a few factors. As the newest addition to the workplace, Gen Z brings a fresh perspective and energy that can be harnessed to drive innovation and creativity within our offerings. Their digital nativeness and keen understanding of social media and emerging technologies offer valuable insights into how we can evolve our products to remain relevant and future-proof.
The most distinguishing characteristic of Gen Z's approach to work is their desire for meaningful engagement and their strong aversion to monotony. Gen Z might be our perfect market, seeing as this all spells “I don’t want to be bored at work,” so this was a perfect opportunity to validate if our mission to create an environment that cultivates excitement, challenges, and continuous growth was hitting the mark.
Our resources for busy professionals embody these principles by definition, and offering a fun and engaging user experience that could empower Gen Z would help us engage the remaining generations. This became our working hypothesis.
P.O.E.M.S. In Action: A snapshot of my field notes
At designACE, we place user insight at the forefront of our business strategy. This user-centric approach empowers us to create solutions that address the pain points and challenges professionals face at work. We gather qualitative and quantitative data through surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews to understand user preferences, pain points, and aspirations. This user insight acts as a compass, guiding our product roadmap and ensuring that our solutions truly meet the needs of our customers.
P.O.E.M.S. research template completed by Christine observing Sera.
Four Key Findings from Our Research
Make it sparkle if you want to stand out: you can’t reimagine something by staying the same. This is why we love using jewel tones, bright accents, and light-hearted tones in all our branded products.
Interactive is key: people learn by doing and want to mark the page and make notes. This is why all our strategic guides include templates, games, and activities so our users can hit the ground running.
Be everything, everywhere, all at once: is it a pdf? Is it a slide? Is it a digital whiteboard? The answer is yes. No matter how you like to work we have a format to meet you where you are.
Put your face on it: founders must be CEOs, influencers, stock art models and infomercial stars. After all, if you aren’t willing to put your face and name on your product, do you even care?
Be a Trend Explorer: Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Your Own POEMS Field Study
Are you ready to turn your ideas into reality with the invaluable help of user feedback?
Introducing the "User Interview Workbook, Strategic Guide & Research Templates" – the ultimate toolkit designed exclusively for ambitious entrepreneurs and small business owners like you!
Embrace the Power of User Feedback
Say goodbye to guesswork and welcome the era of data-driven decision-making! With our comprehensive User Interview Workbook, you can embark on a transformative journey from brainstorming to executing your ideas. Gain a profound understanding of your target audience's needs, preferences, and pain points through meaningful user feedback.
Premium Templates for Extraordinary Entrepreneurs
Elevate your business to a realm of excellence with our exclusive research templates. Designed to cater to entrepreneurs and small businesses, our templates offer practical solutions to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities. With the "User Interview Workbook, Strategic Guide & Research Templates," you'll have the tools to drive your business forward and leave a lasting impact on your customers.
Chasing Dreams, Catching Success: The Gratifying Result of Our Research Odyssey
Our unwavering commitment to incorporating user insight into our business strategy has paid off. Our products and services, including eBooks, do-it-yourself meeting guides, icebreaker cards, and learning and development services, have gained significant traction in the market. designACE has redefined how professionals approach meetings. Our mission of #NoMoreBoringMeetings has resonated with our target audience, enabling us to carve out a unique space in the industry.
In conclusion, incorporating Gen Z into our target demographic is a strategic business move and a testament to our commitment to building products that cater to all generations' unique needs and aspirations in the workforce. By leveraging their social media creativity, embracing their Gen Z traits, and ensuring an engaging user experience, we could position ourselves at the forefront of new ways of working and collaborating, making #NoMoreBoringMeetings a reality.
