USER EXPERIENCE HITS TARGET
True or False: "Target is bringing User Experience directly to consumers everywhere!" This statement may sound "false," but it's "true". Target is bringing User Experience directly to consumers, as evident from Target's Open House Store. Open House provides consumers with an up-close look inside a "connected home."
CONNECTED HOME IS...
There are many commercials about "connected homes," yet the storyline is the same:
An individual returns home. As the person unlocks the door, the lights turn on, illuminating the house. Music begins to play, and the drapes descend automatically.
This scenario depicts a "connected home." The scenario also demonstrates why connected homes are on becoming increasingly popular every day. Unlike traditional consumer goods, connected home devices are new. Benefits of a connected home may be unknown to many, such as baby-boomers or those who are not digital-natives. Consider the fact that the technology that makes a connected home possible was launched just four years ago.
THE HISTORY OF IFTTT
Today's connected home started from IFTTT technology. IFTTT is an abbreviation of "If This Then That" (pronounced like "gift" without the "g"). Created by Linden Tibbets, Jesse Tane, and Alexander Tibbets in San Francisco, California, IFTTT is a web-based service that allows users to create chains of simple conditional statements, called "recipes." These recipes trigger changes to other web services such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Earlier this year, the creators renamed their original application to IF and released a new suite of apps called "Do." Do apps allow users to create customizable shortcut applications and automated actions.
You maybe thinking, "That's great and all, but what does this have to do with me? Do apps are great, but how do these apps improve my life? Or make it easier?" The answer lies in the integration of Do apps and device connectivity.
YOUR LIFESTYLE... PERSONALIZED
In Target's Open House, tech companies such as SmartThings have taken IFTTT to the next level. For example, SmartThings enables consumers to connect, manage, and monitor their homes via their smartphones using the SmartThings mobile app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. SmartThings has users the ability to enjoy device integration with partners like Philips Hue, Belkin WeMo, and Sonos. The result is integrating SmartThings technology with Jawbone UP24 to trigger a morning wake-up routine that turns on kitchen lights, begins brewing coffee, and tunes a Sonos Play1 to NPR News.
Sounds good, but will consumers fully appreciate the features and convenience of a connected house when traditional advertising fails to convey all the benefits? Will consumers buy devices for a connected house when social media can only describe half of a "connected home story?" Maybe, but smart retailers like Target have are directing their dollars towards developing targeted User Experience to ensure that the entire "connected home story" is told....
The story continues... in the next post.
Fanya
BE SURE TO READ THE NEXT POST "CONNECTING TO CONSUMERS THROUGH USER EXPERIENCE."
