Developing the Profile of Your Ideal Digital Camera

Enquire Within^® as a marketing interviewing tool enables you to learn what your customers think about your products and services, in their own language. It combines the fluidity and openness of the focus group with the rigour of precise statistical analysis as and when you need it.

We describe the process for defining desired product characteristics for personal use or as a marketing application. It can be carried out as a pencil and paper exercise - a process well described by Devi Jankowicz (See side bar). As an alternative, the Enquire Within software provides the input and analysis processes interactively and greatly simplifies the task. We assume a basic knowledge of the Repertory Grid interview that you may wish to review at An Outline of a Repertory Grid Session Using Enquire Within

Selecting Elements

First we need to develop a list of elements (digital camera models in this case) that traverses the full range of our interest. We need something like about eight models of digital camera. The aim, as with all element creation questions, is to have a good scatter over your experience, knowledge and preferences amongst models of digital camera. So you will be asked to think of:

• models which your’d never consider (2 or more),
• the digital camera or cameras you have at present,
• models you have considered and rejected (2 or more),
• models you’d have if money were no object (2 or more), etc.

The important thing is that you are aware of a range of models or can do research to develop a short list and have the facilities (the Internet for instance) to research details of the models you select.

We might develop a list such as:

• Canon PowerShot G6
• Fujifilm FinePix S9500
• Canon Digital Ixus i zoom
• Nikon Coolpix L1
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7
• Samsung Digimax V700
• Pentax Optio T10
• Olympus E-500 (SLR)

You will note that the models selected are quite specific so that when comparing there is clarity. That is a major rule for element selection – Ref Hints in Choosing Elements for the Repertory Grid Interview.

Having developed a list which we think covers the range of interest we can then start the grid compare and contrast process to develop our constructs about digital cameras.

Construct Formation

Constructs are developed by a two against one comparison process such as:

How are the Fujifilm FinePix S9500 and the Olympus E-500 (SLR) similar and different from the Samsung Digimax V700 in terms of…

The in terms of statement (qualifier) provides focus and would be something like:

• in terms of their appeal to me
• in terms of their features

Thus you would develop a list of constructs taking a random collection of two against one questions to develop a list of constructs.

Initially there is likely to be a range of constructs like:

• Light – heavy
• Large – small
• Cheap – expensive
• High resolution – low resolution

These are propositional constructs - those which describe objective characteristics of the elements.

Then there will come more evaluative constructs such as:

• Simple for me to use – Complicated
• Makes me feel good – makes me feel cheap
• Useful for snapshots of events – can be used to produce a quality product
• Old fashioned – up to date

And so on until we have a range of constructs - say 15 to 20 or more depending on the amount of analysis you are prepared to make or need to do for your purpose. The software provides for easy analysis for any number of constructs.

Construct Rating

The next step is to rate each element against each construct. A five point scale would be adequate. What we effectively do is, taking each digital camera in turn, ask to what degree is it large as compared to small, simple to use as compared to complicated, makes me feel good as compared to makes me feel cheap, etc on that 5 point scale. That provides a table of ratings that can be statistically analysed to see how each of the digital cameras compare.

That analysis may show that two digital cameras are very similar. In that which case you may wish to consider the two most similar cameras and ask yourself for a construct which would rate one of them at one end of the rating scale and the other at the other end. That is to seek out `What is the major difference between these two cameras’. That provides another construct that can be rated against the elements (digital cameras).

Further statistical analysis will of course show the digital cameras which were previously similar to be better differentiated.

The Ideal Element

As the next step, you can use the work you have done so far to add your fictitious ideal digital camera, ‘MY IDEAL CAMERA’, to the list of cameras.

Now if you rate MY IDEAL CAMERA against each construct and re analyse the grid you will find the digital camera most similar to your ideal camera is correlated most highly with your fictitious ideal digital camera. You may again wish to add more constructs related to the most similar cameras to better differentiate between them.

Your Ideal Digital Camera

What you have developed, when you look at the ratings of your ideal digital camera against your constructs, is your profile of your ideal camera and you have identified the camera most like your ideal. You could then go to your camera supplier with a clear idea of what you want or continue to add more, similar cameras to the matrix to help you refine your search

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Six Market Research Resources

• See how a simple market research example might be started with Enquire Within.
• The Repertory Grid: Eliciting User Experience Comparisons in the Customer’s Voice By Michael Hawley - Published: December 3, 2007 - an excellent article in the field of user research.
• An example of a simple market research interview.
• Coshall, John T. Measurement of tourists' images: The repertory grid approach. Journal of Travel Research 39.1 (August 2000)

  Abstract: This article suggests that repertory grids are an underused method of eliciting tourists' images of potential destinations. However, repertory grids possess great potential in the field of tourism research. As opposed to methods commonly used in studies of image, the repertory grid approach is couched in well-tested psychological theory and avoids bias inherent in alternative methods due to prespecification of study attributes. The technique permits the individuals to reveal their own personal constructions of the environment. Such personal constructs are more likely to be relevant explanatory factors in the decision-making process.

• Steven Pike The Use of Repertory Grid Analysis to Elicit Salient Short-Break Holiday Destination Attributes in New Zealand Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 41, No. 3, 315-319 (2003)

  Abstract: Repertory grid analysis was developed almost 50 years ago, but its application in destination image research has been rare. The technique was used to identify 17 attributes deemed salient to New Zealanders, when differentiating domestic short-break holiday destinations. These were then compared to those attributes used in 84 previous destination studies, as well as with results from personal interviews with tourism practitioners. A number of differences between the repertory grid findings and practitioner opinion confirmed the value of seeking consumer input when developing attribute lists for use in structured surveys. While both the repertory grid findings and practitioner opinion showed a general consistency with the range of 100+ attributes used in the literature, key differences highlighted the importance of the New Zealand domestic travel context. The article attempts to demonstrate the efficacy of repertory grid, an economical technique that has been underused by tourism market researchers.

• Caldwell, Niall, and John Coshall. Measuring brand associations for museums and galleries using repertory grid analysis.(Social Responsibility and Marketing). Management Decision 40.4 (April 2002)

  Abstract: This paper is a contribution to the literature on the branding of cultural institutions. In particular it focuses on visitor motivation in the field of museums and galleries. Measurement of visitor motivations and associated brand strength of cultural institutions is a relatively new concern for marketers. The need to develop further understanding of how best to market museums in the twenty-first century motivates this research. Repertory grid analysis was used as the survey method in order to get data that were “rich” in terms of concepts, but also malleable in terms of statistical analysis. The results of an exploratory study of museum brand associations are reported, along with a discussion of the method of repertory grid analysis that was used to obtain the data. A total of 11 museums in London were targeted, with a special focus on the Tate Gallery.

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