I’ve been a bit of a pizza snob ever since my first job making pizza at the age of 15. I’ve always had a pretty low opinion of Domino’s Pizza®, so I was very impressed when I saw Domino’s recent efforts to reinvent both their pizza and their brand identity by tackling their problems head on.

When people ask us what we do for a living, it can be difficult to explain if they aren’t familiar with the user-centered design process. As user researchers, we’ve come to realize the average consumer doesn’t expect companies to involve their users in developing their products and services.

With more companies today putting a stronger emphasis on gaining a deeper understanding of their customer, it’s not unusual for us to be called in for a project to find that our clients don’t have a lot of experience with research and don’t know what to expect.

_It’s 2 a.m., and a call comes across the radio that a young man with a gun has barricaded himself and his mother in his home. No shots have been fired, and little communication has been established between the man and police officers outside.

It’s important to make a distinction between these two different research methodologies and the kind of data you get from each. Both involve visiting a participant in their homes or other environments but they are distinctly different.

A few days ago Foster City (located in Silicon Valley) opened its new synthetic soccer field after six months of hard work. It’s one of the most beautiful soccer fields I have ever seen.

Safeway is tackling the urban grocery market with their new brand “The Market.” With fresh produce, a broad wine selection, a butcher shop and all the other accoutrements one would expect from a suburban supermarket, packaged in a compact style reminiscent of an urban corner market.

Focus groups have traditionally been given a bit of a bad rap, and deservedly so. Starting off as a form of market research, focus groups have been used extensively to reach inappropriate conclusions regarding market segments by attempting to identify needs, preferences, and guide strategy.