Understanding User Behaviours around Transliteration

Client/Funder

STBY

Sectors

Consumer Goods
Telecom

Service

Ethnography

PROJECT CHALLENGE

The focus of this research was to understand how people use language as a tool for negotiating relationships, expression of identity and projection of social status, as well as simply to communicate and convey meaning. Quicksand worked closely with STBY to investigate language in action in everyday life contexts, using ethnographic tools.

The results of this research will be used to develop current and new transliteration concepts to improve the text input experience on mobile for a global communications company.

KEY PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS

The field work included user research along with some expert interviews in Delhi and Bangalore in India. This created a deck of insights on consumer behaviours and attitudes towards transliteration, with a broader understanding of digital writing. We used video to capture how users communicate and convey meaning through text input on their phones.

The findings collated from this research were presented through 'design documentary' videos to key stakeholders and designers within the organisation. Through a facilitated workshop with the design and technical team, insights were co-created with an aim to use these as inputs for the assessment and creation of transliteration design concepts.