Abstract:

The use of Information and Communication Technology (henceforth ICT) products and services varies to a considerable degree. There are users who devour any innovation and would prefer beta versions to challenge both themselves and technology. Other users or target groups abhor such a situation. They experience innovations as overload, change as strain and beta versions as bane of techno. In other words: one person's "benefit" is another person's barrier. Behind it, there are differing value patterns and coping strategies which are decisive for the way ICT products, services and innovations are perceived and integrated into everyday life and thus made blockbusters or (regrettably more often) flops. The study in hand reveals different patterns of use, motivations and barriers and contributes to a deeper understanding of target group specific benefits:barriers. Deutsche Telekom Laboratories uses these findings in order to develop target group appropriate ICT products, services and innovations, to appraise market potentials and to design marketing measures geared to the target groups. The task of market research doesn't end with testing existing things (passive function), but extends to being an integral part of product development, product improvement and marketing optimization. This can (first and foremost) be achieved because we always have our sights on the consumer: we always take the needs of the people as a starting point (bottom up approach).