What is context mapping?
Context Mapping is a generative technique, developed at the faculty of Strategic Product Design at TUDelft , or as they describe it:
“Contextmapping is a procedure for conducting contextual research with users, where tacit knowledge is gained about the context of use of products. It aims to inform and inspire design teams, where users and stakeholders actively participate in the design process to ensure a good fit between the design and the use of a product.”
As we see it, Context Mapping is a technique to gain deep insights in the underlying motivations of consumers in a certain product or service category. Next to steering product design it provides a great platform for brand strategy & marketing communication.
The beginning of Context Mapping
We see a quick shift in the implementation of consumer insights towards the earlier stages of the design process for both brands & products. Where in the early days consumer panels were at most used to test concepts we are now co-creating brands and products in the early stages of the fuzzy front end of the design process.
Different tools
There are several tools used in Context Mapping. Every different product category uses tailor made techniques and requires different stimulative materials for the participants. There are different tools to be used, all having their own unique pro’s and con’s; cultural probes, collages, creation of mini product models and hand-out photo cameras. There is one rudimentary rule: all stimulative material has to be ambiguous in all possible ways. Participants are allowed to free flow with whatever they come up with as this is the only way of discovering our true motivations.
The power of Context Mapping
Context mapping is especially useful in the exploration phase of a project. It gives you deep insights in the context of your category and the underlying needs of your customers. It provides you with a clear platform to base your future vision upon. A vision necessary and invaluable to steer both brand and product development. And because you involve your customers from the beginning, your innovative ideas will better match a user need, decreasing the chance of failure.
