Journey Document Whole Lotta Designs 

Jamie Creswell, Monique Dahya, Tessa Hartley, Ruth King, Tommy Sherk  

Marketing 305 - Services Marketing & Management 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Appendix 

1. Summary 

1.1 Design Challenge 

1.2 Key Story 

1.3 Key Insight 

1.4 Service Concept 

 

2. Progression of concept board 

2.1 Ideation Board 

2.2 Insight Board 

2.3 Final Concept Board 

 

3. Research and Observations 

3.1 Interview Notes 

3.2 Observation Notes 

 

4. Analysis 

4.1 Insight Summary 

4.2 POV Statement 

4.3 How Might We Statements  

4.4 Brainstorm of Ideas 

 

5. Prototypes 

 

6. References 

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1. Summary 

Design Challenge 

I’d like to ‘tech’ my place (office/kitchen/lounge) out and make it all work seamlessly,                           

however, I feel overwhelmed with too many different choices.

Key Story 

Interviews conducted with tech users that we defined as ‘Tech Enthusiasts’. 

Key Insight 

Tech Enthusiasts differ from other tech users because they do not just use technology in                             

their lives where necessary, and it is not necessarily a ‘work related’ aspect of their lives.                               

Rather, using technology is a hobby for the Tech Enthusiast - they derive significant fun                             

and enjoyment from using and experiencing technology. 

Service Concept 

‘VR Visualisation for Tech Out’ 

A process that enables Tech Enthusiasts to ‘play’ with VR technology in order to visualise 

tech products in their space before purchasing to ensure that they are confident in their 

tech purchases and have an overall enjoyable purchase experience. 

Taking the Next Steps 

Although this process is designed to take place 5-10 in the future, the technology to                             

render our proposed virtual environment already exists. Therefore, we suggest that Noel                       

Leeming acquires this technology and train employees to operate whatever isn’t                     

computer-generated. Other than that, Noel Leeming should make sure a VR headset is                         

available in-store.  

 

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2. Progression of Concept Board 

Insights Board

 

 

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Ideation Board 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Final Concept Board 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3. Research and Observations  

Interview Notes Interview One - Michael and Geneth 

● Enjoy using technology daily - especially to watch TV and movies. 

● Pain point: not enjoying the process of going in store to purchase tech                         

products. “When I go into a store to purchase tech products, it feels like the                             

sales staff disregard what I’m telling them, whether it’s about my current                       

set up at home, or my particular skills. It just feels like they’re trying to                             

upsell for the sake of a good commission.” 

● Pain point: getting frustrated when technology doesn’t work well together.                   

“I have to use separate remotes for the TV, Sky box, Apple TV and                           

Soundbar. This is really annoying because when I’m using the Apple TV, if I                           

want to check something on Sky I have to use three remotes just to switch                             

to it. Not only is this sometimes confusing, but it’s really annoying.” 

This interview helped us develop the user group ‘Tech Enthusiast’. 

 

Interview Two - Josh 

● Works in an IT job, therefore has significantly more knowledge about tech                       

than the average person and this influences the way he purchases and uses                         

technology. 

● Prefers to purchase tech products online rather than in store - PBTech. 

● Not interested in sales representative help. “I don’t like shopping in store                       

for tech products because you always have sales staff coming up to and                         

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because I generally know what I need and can find it myself, I don’t need                             

their help and it just gets annoying.” 

● When researching tech products, will refer to peer-reviewed tech forums                   

rather than looking at advertising or even customer reviews on a store’s                       

website. 

This interview helped us develop the user group ‘Tech Expert’. 

 

Interview Three - Dharesh (tech seller) 

● He is a 21 year old tech seller. 

● He explained to me that his need to purchase technology was dependent on                         

the latest functionality, and whether or not that would be useful to him.  

● He expressed that although he could purchase a product when he wanted,                       

it was not worth it to him if the product was not a significant upgrade. 

● Often before purchasing, he would spend time and review the product                     

himself and therefore did not want sales representatives to pitch the                     

product to him. The purchasing process was going to the store and                       

purchasing the product without much assistance.  

This interview helped us understand the position of the ‘Tech Seller’, and the role                           

that they play in the tech purchasing process. 

 

Interview Four -Kirit (tech user) 

● This person was interested in technology, often his house had a lot of tech                           

including brand new TVs, and smart lights. 

● However, it also seemed that he did not have much understanding of                       

technology. He often purchases the newest technology if that what was the                       

sales representative told him.  

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● He was financially secure and therefore did not install any technology                     

himself, but rather paid people to do it for him as he had no motivation to                               

do it himself.  

● He had no need to the extra accessories included with the technology,                       

however, he enjoyed the purchasing process as the sales representatives                   

played a huge part to what wanted.  

 

Interview Five - Sandra  

● Middle aged woman who finds technology fascinating and very useful, but                     

finds that learning how to use new technology takes time and effort so                         

prefers to keep to the same product and will only change if the tech used                             

stops working.  

● Relies solely on recommendations from family, friends, and in-store staff,                   

and almost always goes into the store to see or try out the in-store demos                             

before purchasing the product.  

● Couldn’t find any staff at the back of the store and had to go to the front of                                   

the store to find one. Ended up purchasing a product that the staff member                           

recommended based on her needs, but the rice cooker just sits in the                         

cupboard now because she found out later that it didn’t do what she                         

wanted it to do.  

 

Interview Six - Owen  

● Young adult who is very enthusiastic about learning and using new                     

technology but is also very quick to get bored of it. He doesn’t have a lot of                                 

income but is willing to save up to buy a product of high-quality, attractive                           

appearance, useful features, and lots of good reviews.  

● Doesn’t have a lot of knowledge of the brands, models, and specifications                       

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before purchase but always does a lot of research beforehand and enjoys                       

finding out more about the technology and getting the best value for his                         

money.  

● Asks family and friends for any recommendations and looks at online                     

articles and reviews for the best portable speaker. Goes to stores mainly                       

just to try out the product or to purchase it, rarely to get help or                             

recommendations from staff.  

 

Interview Seven - Paul 

● Sees technology as a fun and exciting object in his life. Sees it as something                             

to show off to his friends and family. 

● Feels like technology makes life easier and more efficient. 

● Gets irritated when is too hard or complicated to set up. 

● Finds it super annoying when tech doesn’t work together and has to many                         

things going at once and isn’t controlled by one center eg TV and the                           

surround sound. 

● Wants the best technology but gets irritated when it gets outdated a month                         

later. 

 

Interview Eight - Rob 

● Gets irritated when gets disturbed by sales person selling him other                     

products when he knows what he wants due to being a pc gamer and                           

builds his own PC from scratch. 

● Isn’t bothered by outdated compartments and isn’t bothered by the latest                     

flashiest parts, therefore when the older versions get taken off the shelf                       

Rob finds this very annoying. 

● Would rather buy products online or at PB tech rather than Noel Leeming                         

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as finds that they never have high end compartments. 

● Finds his products through online reviews and word of mouth so isn’t                       

susceptible to advertising material. 

 

Interview Nine - Connor (PC Gamer) 

● Connor is a 20-year-old university student who spends a majority of each 

day gaming on his PC desktop computer.  

● He routinely uses other tech, such as headphones, mobile phones, and a 

speakers during his daily routine in the dorm room.  

● Connor bought his computer from PB Tech because of the good warranty 

and maintenance policies.  

● The tech he purchased was dependent on the space he has in his dorm 

room. Connor considers himself an expert in the technology he uses to 

game, therefore does not feel susceptible to mainstream marketing or in 

in-store sellers.  

● He does not feel the need to upgrade his technology unless “something 

revolutionary” comes out.  

● His main want from tech is to make life easier, interesting, and better.  

● He believes tech should be “low-floor, high ceiling” which means anybody 

can use it, but can be more complex if the user wants.  

 

Interview Ten - Polly (Business Tech User) 

● Polly is a 23-year-old businesswoman who interacts with tech in her office 

on a day-to-day basis.  

● Mainly, she works with a Mac desktop computer which belongs to the 

office, her cell phone, and her speaker.  

● She has simple wants from her tech: she wants it to function as it is 

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intended to and she wants it to be easy enough as to not distract from her 

work.  

● Although there is some connectivity between her devices, she wishes that 

there was a master controller that could quickly adjust anything in the 

office, including A/C, lighting, and music.  

● She finds some difficulty bridging her personal tech and the company tech 

due to security differences. 

 

Observation Notes 

Observation One - Noel Leeming website 

● Strong focus on price-related images/messages on the homescreen. 

● More of a catalogue style website rather than informational 

Discover More section: 

● Smart home: doesn’t include much in the way of how/why/solutions for                     

“teching out” a smart home, it is moreso a collection of products for sale                           

that fit into the smart home category 

● Tech Solutions: has a few solutions for the set up of tech products/teaching                         

inexperienced people how to set up and use tech products 

● In home consultation: includes tips on how to make a home smarter 

 

Observation Two - PC Gamer’s Dorm Room 

● All of the outlets in the room were in use. They were a sort of hub for the 

technology.  

● The gamer uses a special gaming chair.  

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● The gamer has multiple monitors, one specifically for text chat 

communication.  

● The gamer talks consistently on the headset.  

● The gamer is comfortable enough to stay in front of his desk computer for 

hours on end, only getting up for food and to use the bathroom.  

● Extension cords are strewn across the floor.  

 

Observation Three - Business Woman’s Office 

● The user spends most of her time focused on her desktop computer.  

● The user plays music aloud on the speaker or uses her headphones.  

● The user most of her work on the computer and very little on paper.  

 

Observation four -Tech seller  

● The user only as apple products. He makes sure that all his products are                           

cohesive. 

● Spends a lot of his time watching tech reviews on youtube. 

● Spends time with friends talking about the newest technology. 

 

 

  

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4. Analysis 

Insight Summary 

Insights and quotes from our stories (interviews/observations). The interviews in                   

particular helped us define distinct user groups that differ from each other in                         

regards to how they use and purchase technology, and importantly, why they use                         

technology. 

Tech Novices 

● Uses technology only where necessary 

● Low level of expertise 

● Doesn’t derive fun and enjoyment from technology 

Tech Professionals 

● Significantly higher tech knowledge 

● These users rely on peer reviewed technology rather than staff help in- 

store 

● Knows where to find the best product for the best price 

Tech Seller 

● As consumers - have inside knowledge due to their employment and this 

affects their purchasing decisions 

● As sellers - are driven by a point system and commission scheme 

PC Gamer 

● Primary use for technology is for leisure 

● These users focus on quality rather than “frills” and marketing 

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● Doesn’t update technology until revolutionary innovation occurs and 

therefore an upgrade is ‘necessary’ 

Tech Enthusiasts 

● “I want tech to look good in my home” 

● “I really enjoy playing with new technology” 

● “I don’t like purchasing tech in-store; staff seem driven by commission” 

● User purchased TV and sound system and it didn’t fit in the space → 

subsequently had to purchase furniture to make it fit/look good. 

● “I want to showcase my tech set up to my friends” 

● “Buying tech is stressful because I don’t know if it’s going to look right and 

fulfil my needs” 

● Technology is a hobby for tech enthusiasts - it is something that they 

partake in primarily for fun 

● Tech enthusiasts have an experience/skill level higher than ‘novice’, but 

they are not experts when using technology  

● Tech enthusiasts are more likely to be susceptible to marketing/word of 

mouth  

● Tech enthusiasts are more likely to ‘tech out’ than the other defined user 

groups 

  

 

 

 

 

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POV Statement  Based on our interviews/observations, and the insights that we derived from this                       

research, we decided to focus on the ‘Tech Enthusiast’ user group. This is because                           

they, we believe, represent a unique demographic that has emerged in this era of                           

swift technology development, that have distinctly a different way in which they                       

use technology in their life. 

 

User - Tech Enthusiast 

● Mid-level expertise  

→ Tech Enthusiast is more skilled than novice users 

→ Tech Enthusiast is less skilled than professional users 

→ Are willing to learn/educate in order to use technology more effectively 

● Technology is a hobby 

● Likes technology that is “flashy”  

→ Tech Enthusiasts want their tech to look good 

● Tech Enthusiasts have the money and desire to “tech out” 

 

Needs  

● To feel confident when purchasing technology  

● To enjoy the purchase experience 

 

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Insight/Problem 

To design a service process that not only allows the Tech Enthusiast to better                           

visualise products in their home before purchase, but is also a fun contribution to                           

their hobby 

 

How Might We Statements We began by brainstorming a large amount of How Might We (HMW) statements.                         

We wanted to ensure that we covered all bases and so we therefore took note of                               

every HMW statement that we thought of, and then categorised them into five                         

groups of common themes. After feedback, we narrowed these statements down                     

to those specifically aimed at our Tech Enthusiast user group.  

● HMW let the customer visualise products in their home before purchasing? 

● HMW make the purchasing process more fun? 

● HMW de-stress the purchasing process? 

● HMW make the retail experience more personalised? 

● HMW use product bundling to fulfil enthusiast needs? 

● HMW bring the retail experience to the home? 

● HMW help enthusiasts be more confident that they’re purchasing the right                     

tech? 

  

 

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Brainstorm of Ideas Consumer personalised profile 

● Contains past purchases 

● Contains information on the user e.g. experience level, past purchases  

● Gives the consumer a personalised experience, and can further provide                   

personalised deals. 

● Able to update them on the latest tech that can be complementary to their                           

already existing tech. 

 

Teaching tech 

● Help tech enthusiasts learn how to use their new technology at home 

● Allows the user to learn about how to get the most out of their tech. 

 

Leasing tech 

● Leasing system for new technology so that consumers can keep up to date                         

with new tech offerings 

● If they realise they don’t fully enjoy the tech after lease, they are not in the                               

position where they don’t want the tech and are heavily out of pocket due                           

to purchasing it. 

 

Personalised bundles 

● A mix and match system for bundling tech products together 

● Consumers pick items which suit their specific needs 

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● Allows consumers to select particular items and be assured that they will                       

work cohesively and optimally together 

 

Personalised at home app 

● An app that allows consumers to personalise technology to suit their needs 

● Allows them to see how the tech fits into their home. 

 

Tester/trial program  

● Tech enthusiasts sign up to a tester program that allows them to test out                           

new and upcoming tech in their home  

● They can write about their personal experience with the technology and                     

give it a rating for factors such as simplicity, convenience, styling, etc 

 

Tech upgrade app  

● Save details (scan QR code/save from purchase details) of technology in                     

tech enthusiast’s home 

● App will keep track of latest technology of the same brand or similar to that                             

product to make it easier for tech enthusiasts to keep up to date with the                             

latest tech without the hassle of continuous research  

 

Open days/workshops  

● Open days or workshops every week or so where tech enthusiasts can go                         

into a store with other similar-minded people to learn more about the                       

latest tech (eg its features, uses, techniques, tricks to using it, etc) 

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● Since technology is a hobby for tech enthusiasts, they will be willing to go                           

to an open day/workshop where they can ask more questions about the                       

technology  

 

 

 

 

5. Prototypes Tech Bundling Process 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

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VR Visualisation 

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Service Blueprint of VR service 

VR Service 

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Tech Trials 

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3D Modeling of space of ‘tech out’ 

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6. References 

Welcome to Noel Leeming | Technology & Appliances in NZ. (2019). Retrieved from 

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/?&nst=SEM&gclid=CjwKCAjw8qjnBRA-EiwAaNvhwCqPU

ONWVjQRDcDaiugMMr9mGBbpFIqNKWLEsnIKmZRluvpIA62zlhoCZ5kQAvD_BwE&gclsr

c=aw.ds 

 

Bitner, M. J., Ostrom, A. L., & Morgan, F. N. (2008). Service blueprinting: a practical 

technique for service innovation. California management review, 50(3), 66-94. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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