MacStudies 2006
Following the insights gained from the first iPodStudies, it was decided to test a new study concept before and after WWDC keynote 2006. The new project is called MacStudies and will hopefully accompany some of the most relevant Apple events of 2007.
MacStudies provides those consumers interested in Apple-related products with the possibility to state their personal product suggestions in a structured way, and also to provide reasons why they consider their suggestions to be relevant.
Because the MacStudies project is purely an academic exercise, the study design varies in several significant aspects from commercially oriented research studies covering a similar subject. Firstly, MacStudies was designed by people interested in the subject themselves. Secondly, summaries and interpretations of the results are provided to participants through a variety of channels, such as a dedicated weblog and additional publications in a variety of different media. Finally, MacStudies aims at fostering and supporting a discussion among interested consumers.
The first MacStudies for WWDC 2006 was conducted among German consumers and consisted of two distinct stages:
- An initial survey prior to Steve Jobs' WWDC Keynote
- An additional survey after the Keynote
Initial Survey before WWDC Keynote
Before the actual keynote, participants could register for an initial survey, in which they were asked to state up to three products they would like to see Steve Jobs present during the Keynote. The survey consisted of open-ended questions, which meant that participants could actually name as many products as they wished. Additionally, participants were asked how realistic they consider the release of each of their product suggestions.
Altogether 221 people participated in this first survey and made 587 product suggestions. The products mentioned most often are shown in Figure 1. The majority of participants provided extensive explanation for their product suggestions.
Figure 1. MacStudies product suggestions.
Again, it has to be stressed that the products shown in Figure 1 are those participants had hoped for, not those they expected to be presented during the WWDC Keynote!
Second Survey after WWDC Keynote
A few days after the Keynote, 179 participants received an invitation for the second part of the study. Altogether, 120 respondents participated. They were asked to provide their opinion on a variety of aspects about the Keynote presentation, two of which will be presented in the following.
For example, 75 participants rated the performance of each of the four Apple executives that took part in the Keynote on a scale from 1 (best) to 6 (worst). Not surprisingly, Steve Jobs received the best score, followed by Scott Forstall (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Steve Jobs & Co at WWDC 2006.
Also, 54 participants took the opportunity to rate each of the ten OS X 10.5 features that were presented during the Keynote. The best score was given to Time Machine and the worst score to Dashboard (Figure 3).
Figure 3. MacOS X 10.5 Features.
Future Outlook
The goal of MacStudies is to provide the community of enthusiasts interested in discussing existing and potential Apple products, with a voice and allow their responses to be presented in a structured way.
We therefore hope to conduct a similar study in the near future, in which consumers from other nations, such as the US and Japan, can take part. This would allow us to turn MacStudies into a comprehensive discussion of Apple-related product suggestions!
So ... if you are interested in supporting our research project, or if you would like to join the team, please send me an e-mail.