XReco (eXtended Reality mEdia eCOsystem) is an ecosystem for frictionless and permissioned 2D and 3D content transformation, creation, curation, and transaction. Our streamlined and efficient integration of technology results in improved content creation and search and retrieval, and thus a more efficient pipeline for customers and users.
The project intends to provide media distributors, consumers, and creators with better access to content, as well as help ease the process of XR content creation for them. To do this we need to understand these potential customers and users and gain insight into the pains and gains they currently experience. All our insights need to be validated and evaluated by advisors, business experts, and potential users through feedback and testing.
In this blog we will discuss our exploitation approach and how the tenets of co-creation and Human-centered Design have influenced our method of two-way engagement with the market during, and after, the development cycle.
Our Human-Centered Design process
Our business approach for XReco aims to create a promising value proposition and has components in place to design, research, co-create, and (in)validate potential exploitation pathways on a joint and individual level.
The XReco methodology and exploitation process has been heavily influenced by Human-Centered Design. Human-Centered Design is a form of co-creation, a process of working with users to co-design solutions, rather than designing for them. This approach allows XReco to tap into the knowledge and creativity of our target segments, and to create solutions and services that are more likely to be adopted and used. As such our solution directly connects to their needs and wants concerning the creation, transformation, curation or transaction of 2D and 3D media content.
The following components are essential to the development of a human-centered solution and value proposition:
- User-focused: Start by understanding the needs, wants, and experiences of users. In XReco we work to identify the problems and challenges that users face and strive to create solutions that address these issues.
- Collaborative process: The development of XReco is a collaborative process between stakeholders, such as users and consortium members. This helps to ensure that the solution being designed truly meets the needs of the people who will be using it.
- Iterative approach: XReco’s exploitation process is iterative and involves several rounds of testing and refinement. XReco creates different value propositions and tests them with users, collects their feedback and implements improvements. This iterative approach ensures that the final result is optimised to provide the best possible solution for users.
- Empathy: At XReco we aim to understand the users’ perspectives, emotions, and motivations to create solutions that are meaningful and relevant to them.
- Inclusivity: XReco strives to create solutions that are accessible and usable for a diverse range of people, including people from different cultural backgrounds and people with varying levels of experience and expertise.
- Holistic view: XReco takes a holistic view of the problem being addressed and the users’ needs. This means considering not just the immediate needs of the users, but also the larger context in which they use the solution and the impact that the solution may have on their lives.
- Evidence-based: At XReco we rely on data and user feedback to make design and business decisions. This helps to ensure that the solutions being created are effective and meet the needs of the users.
The importance of feasibility, desirability, and viability
To ensure that XReco is designed around these key components of Human-Centered Design and that we take into account the needs of our users, it is crucial to consider three aspects of any good user-centered solution: feasibility, desirability, and viability.
Feasibility refers to the technical and practical aspects of our XR media ecosystem, ensuring that it can be realistically developed and deployed given current technology, resources, and constraints. Desirability refers to the user-centered aspects of XReco, making sure that it meets the needs and wants of its intended audience, in terms of features, user experience, and overall value.Viability refers to the business aspects of our ecosystem, including its financial viability, ability to generate revenue, and alignment with the overall business strategy and goals.
As such, we will consciously and continually ask the following questions as to ensure that XReco is located smack-dab in the core of understanding the needs of people, technology, and business:
- Desirability: Are we solving for the right pain points for potential users and customers?
- Feasibility: How can we build XReco to make our solution healthier and stronger?
- Viability: Does our business model fit with the way XReco customers want to use and pay for our solution?
There are several methods and tools that we use to assess the feasibility, desirability, and viability of our solution: Market research is used to assess viability by determining market demand and competition. Prototyping, done mainly during Joint Business Clinics and in the iterative development cycle, is a valuable tool for assessing feasibility and desirability, as it allows us to test and refine our business models. User research, testing, and engagement are crucial for evaluating desirability, as it allows us to gather feedback from users and make informed decisions about our value proposition and services.
Engagement with stakeholders
Engaging with potential customers, users, producers, and consumers is central to XReco’s approach and the development and validation of fitting value propositions. Continuous and structural engagement with these groups through Joint Business Clinics, focus groups and user interviews will help us better identify target segments, further understand our unique benefits and features of XReco, and validate our assumptions with user segments.
- Joint Business Clinics: a joint business clinic is a collaborative workshop or session that brings together up to 30 representatives from different areas to address specific challenges or opportunities. The primary goal of a joint business clinic is to align the project’s objectives with user needs and find innovative solutions through a human-centered approach. The key aspect of a joint business clinic is the inclusion of users as active participants or as a source of inspiration. This user-centric approach helps ensure that the solutions developed align with users’ needs, desires, and pain points. The clinic provides a platform for open dialogue, cross-functional collaboration, and alignment and the outcomes of a joint business clinic often include actionable insights, refined concepts, and prototypes that can be further developed and tested.
- Focus groups: a focus group is a research method used to gather feedback from a group of people who share certain characteristics or experiences. These groups typically consist of 6 to 10 participants. The main purpose of a focus group is to understand people’s attitudes, opinions, preferences, and behaviors related to the specific solutions XReco offers.
- User interviews: A user interview is a type of qualitative research that is used to gather insights and feedback from real users about our product, service, and experience. In XReco we will use user interviews as another method to validate our value proposition in conjunction with JBCs, focus groups, and internal interviews. The purpose of a user interview is to understand the needs, behaviors, and preferences of users to inform the design process.
By organising customer-focused validation events with the aim of fostering strong engagement with potential users, XReco can develop iteratively, focusing on the needs of different stakeholders.
Get involved
We are always happy to engage with potential users or other experts related to the project. At this point in time, we would like to emphasize that you can still sign up (until 21 May 2023) for the 1st Joint Business Clinic on 30 May 2023, if you would like to be involved in this process.
Follow XReco!