Customers of the Future

Technology & Net convergence research

Rhonda O’Donnell

Overview

What is this program?• Consumer orientated approach to discovering future

technology• Supports One Net strategy by providing greater insight

into consumer behavior towards an integrated solution• Orientated towards young people (future customers)• Establishes Novell as thought leaders within industry• Supports new business introductions• Receiving significant exposure through Australian media,

industry reports & ongoing academic papers being published worldwide

• Currently run in partnership with leading researchers from The University of Melbourne

History

When did it start & where did it come from?• 1997 - program created by Rhonda O’Donnell

– Based on a need identified in the utilities sector– Started as a series of focus groups discovering needs

and wants of future customers for utility services• 2000 - Cambridge adopts program

– Focuses on the needs and wants of young people for technology and the internet

• 2001 – Cambridge expands program – Focus on mobile technology and discovery of the types

of devices supported by convergence of technology – Partnership established with the University of

Melbourne to expand program and add strong scientific validity

Outputs

What are the benefits?• New business introductions & presentations

– Audiences with NAB, Telstra, dStore, Intel– Keynote talk for Comms World 2002 conference Sydney

• Positioning Novell as a thought leader in technology innovation and customer behavior

• Assisting Novell consultants deploy world class solutions, and for innovative technology product design

• Media exposure– More than a dozen newspaper articles including front page of national

paper and feature in Boss Magazine– More than two dozen radio interview & airtime spots– Multiple online news coverage

• Industry reports and industry publications• Academic papers and presentations

– Papers for multiple Australian and international conferences (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Hawaii, UK*, Norway*)

* Currently being written & submitted

Outputs

Main discoveries 2001• Model describing how people take up and use (‘appropriate’)

technology created, tested and validated using latest WAP enabled phones supplied by Kyocera & Telstra

• Young people take up and use technology in such a way that it becomes a significant part of their lives affecting their identity or sense of belonging, power over parents, friends & teachers and helping control fragmentation in their lives

• Factors such as social management, lifestyle & critical mass affect the way young people adopt technology

• Found that young people reject WAP technology irrespective of cost unless it is easy to use and provides significant benefits to their lives

Technology-as-designed

Non Appropriation(reject before use)

ReinforcersidentitypowercohesionFilter

‘’ criteria•contact•social management •critical mass•safety & security

•leisure

‘x’ criteria•hidden cost•health•reception•ease of learning•usability

Attractors / repellants•cost•convenience•usefulness•fashion/style

•adaptability•familiarity•‘our stuff’

Dis Appropriation(reject after evaluation)

Technology-in-use

Appropriation(on-going use)

The Model!

Structure

How is it organised and who does it?• Run through business strategy group• Resources

– Part time program manager– Cognitive staff in downtime between projects– Cambridge/Novell supplies time & funds to conduct

focus groups and scenario work.– University of Melbourne supplies time & funds from

their internal research grants

• Significant government funding applications for 2002 onwards

Future

Where from here?• Program for 2002 being planned

– Focus on young people to be maintained– Focus on technology and envisioning the future to be

maintained

• Looking to create a package to assist companies to solve their technology problems and envision future technology requirements

• Looking to broaden the application of the model