Global Village Teens and Technology

Susan AbbottAbbott Research & Consulting

For MRIA Conference

Winnipeg, Manitoba

May 2008

Teens and technology

Global Village

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Abbott Research & Consulting 2008 www.abbottresearch.com 1-888-244-0285

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What do creative qualitative people do with their free time?

They cook up a global pro-bono project and involve their buddies from all over the world to help


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What this presentation will cover

Some of


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To learn about teens and communication technologies

Current behaviors and habits ?

Choice of phone, e-mail, IM, text, etc?

Social networks?

Hopes, fears, dreams for future communications?


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Focus Forums bulletin board


QRCA ViewsSpring/2008

Revista da ABASetembro/2007

Q-Cast June 5Online (free)

Graphics courtesy of Diva Oliveira, Brazil

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The method section I didn’t mention


Home page with daily messaging from moderator

Home page with daily messaging from moderator

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The Chinese discussion. Respondents could easily upload

their own images.

The Chinese discussion. Respondents could easily upload

their own images.

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Method, continued

Lots of projective exercises, such as this picture sort for

“me and my cell-phone”, and “me and my cell-phone company”

Lots of projective exercises, such as this picture sort for

“me and my cell-phone”, and “me and my cell-phone company”

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Detailed responses common to this format.

Detailed responses common to this format.

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We learned a lot about teens


Similarities outweigh differences

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My cell-phone is sleek and sexy

Safe and protectedSomeone to help me

Frustrated if doesn’t workIt gives problems

How fingers feel from texting

Exciting

Like I’m making love

Window left open for you

Fun! Unites me with family and friends

Circle of friendsLinked with the crowd Connect with friendsTied together

A friend thatkeeps my secrets


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Satisfied most of the time

Functions/features: Clock, camera, wallpaper, old/minimal features

Stay connected to friends, people I know

Connects me to anyone in the world

Dissatisfied sometimes (slow, dropped calls,

can't hear, forget to charge)

My cell phone means the world to me.

I LOVE MY CELLPHONE!!!

Fun to have/use


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Cell-phone is at the centre of the communications universe – it’s the “myself phone”, and has a big emotional and functional role in daily life


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“I was in the 5th grade when I got my own phone - the first call I ever made was to my dad and it worked and my phone was very good to me like I took real good care of it I didn’t let no one hold it - I felt like I was grown up and felt like I was cool”


The cell-phone is easily personified.

A loyal and powerful servant, working hard while a teen has fun, but also in need of protection from many physical risks (such as being dropped in the toilet)

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“10:52 am-Opens it and checks for any new messages

11:00am to 2:00pm-Receives txt messages from friends and family. Replies back to msgs using phone or telecom home website.

3:00pm to 6:00pm-scrolls through contacts..

6:00pm till 3:00am-talking to friends

After 3:00-sleep”

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Teens select the right communication method …

to meet the needs of the moment.

Speed / immediacy, convenience, reliability, socializing characteristics, emotional distance and control


“I've learned to text without having to look at the keyboard, so it's really easy to talk during class”

“Expressing your feelings by sms is easier, I feel more in control”

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Mobile phone channel choices

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() = if not at computer, and speed/cost via phone is acceptable


Teens make savvy practical choices about devices, service providers

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Computers are not as reliable a servant as the cell phone

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Teens often do not have credit cards, which makes online shopping more cumbersome

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Teens wishes for computers

more speed, greater affordability, easier interconnectivity between devices,no need to synch,smaller computers

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What about … social networking?


Some major differences in social networking sites by country

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“Nobody can listen like when you talk at school with a friend“

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On the benefits of instant messaging…


“Last year I only got tdotwire because that's the only networking site my school hadn't banned! So i used it to network with my friends while I was in class.”

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What to do when your school bans a site …


“I don't tend to go on virtual communities because I don't feel really safe going on them."

“I‘ve been on Neopets and Habbohotel, they are just a waste of time, there's only 'one' thing most the members [of Habbohotel] want do and in my opinion just another predator site.”

"[Second Life] is only for the elder generation from 25 upwards... you need a lot of time and that is for people who do not have a real life and need to build up a second"

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Why virtual reality isn’t all that compelling…


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What the future holds …


Mobile internet applications will be a critical delivery channel for the Millenials

The phone is much more central than the computer as an access device.


Focus on fun

Teens are acutely aware of this phase of their life as a time they can have fun and evade responsibilities. They are not in any rush to “grow up.”


Canadian teens value tolerance and diversity and they are very open to new ideas.

The world may be dangerous, but it is also exciting, and technology holds incredible promise for the future.

A future they are looking forward to.


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What we learned about research – moderator styles, coordinating, and multi-lingual projects


Individual moderator styles are very different, even on a bulletin board

… length of intro… approach to follow-up questions… use of emoticons… use of probes


Blinded questions really dampen interaction… use sparingly, when really needed


Teens enjoyed the format They thought they opened up MORE than they would have in person


Recruiting specs needed to be flexible

“Heavy internet user” “New computer”“Your own cell phone”


11 bulletin board projects over 3 days generates a lot of data


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If you try this at home…


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Having some multi-lingual people helps especially for project coordination


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But….

Local idioms, Short-forms, Slang,Different service providersCultural norms

A local moderator is essential


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Set up a debrief guide in advance of each project

Set up a reporting format in advance of each project

Use online tools to collaborate throughout


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A bulletin board is not a survey

Leverage the unique strengths of the format


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You will have a lot of data.

Make a plan.

Allow enough time

Figure out how you will condense it in advance, based on project goals


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Awesome Global Village Moderator Team

Brazil: Diva Oliveira, Recherche, São Paulo [email protected]

Canada: Susan Abbott, Abbott Research & Consulting, Toronto [email protected]

China: DavidYing Hon Ho, Doxus, Hong Kong [email protected]

France: Colette Chambon, Resonance, Paris [email protected]

Germany: Ilka Kuhagen, IKM, Munich [email protected]

Italy: Raf Manna, RM Research Milan [email protected]

India: Piyul Mukherjee, Proact Research & Consultancy Pvt Ltd, Mumbai [email protected]

South Africa: Corette Haf, Masithethe, Malmesbury [email protected]

United Kingdom: Julia Gartside-Spink, Lumina Business Solutions Ltd. [email protected]

USA: Betsy Leichliter, Leichliter Associates LLC, New York, NY [email protected]

USA-Latino: Otto Rodriguez, Hispanic Research Inc. Miami, Florida [email protected]

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Questions?