Reality check: Analysing User Research Findings

Intro

As we work together to develop the new Greenpeace website we are aware that it must work for the people who will want to use it. We interviewed people across the world to find out a little bit more about what motivates them to act and what they are looking to achieve. This has been important as we start to design the concept and move from research to ideation. We’ve analysed our notes and wanted to share what we’ve found. Our complete findings are accessible here.

Key findings*

You’re probably busy taking your own action in the world so let’s start with the conclusions:

• Participants** wanted advice on what they could do to help but will conduct research to determine if what is being asked of them makes sense.
• Transparency and strategic clarity (understanding how an action will help win a campaign) for actions one might take is highly important.
• The choice to take an action is largely driven by personal and social motivations, often based on an intrinsic sense of right and wrong.
• Participants are extremely impact-oriented and want to see results.
• Local situations and concrete actions are more motivating than global issues and abstract impact.
• People care about issues, but find some organisations are difficult to identify and engage with. Trust is critical and must be earned. Reputation matters.

Based on these themes, we can consider what will help us to inspire people and motivate them to act:

• Help people find something tangible and immediately impactful to do.
• Communicate clearly and specifically how their actions will have an impact and then keep them informed as that impact develops.
• Connect individual and local actions with global impact.
• Make the experiences personal and meaningful.
• Let people connect with others who care — both individuals and organisations — in an accessible and meaningful way.

If you want to go a little deeper and hear what people told us in their own words, keep reading. You can also check out the full report.

*These findings are based on 22 (and counting) 1:1 interviews conducted by team members in Romania, Russia, Mexico, and the United States, with more in progress.

**Please note that when we talk about “participants” or “people” we mean that a significant number of participants exhibited a given trait or behaviour, not that they all did nor that these are statistically significant findings. We’re looking here for design leverage rather than scientific truth.

Motivations.

People told us that their immediate reasons to take action are largely social, (either based on strengthening existing relationships or creating new ones) and personal. They may be based on an internal sense of right and wrong or they may lead people to develop those values over time.

[Thinking] “I should be more involved in the community” is [just] another thing on the to do list, but if you combine it with reconnecting, it’s something you want to do. These become shared experiences. (usa-p002)

“People usually become active only if it touches them personally…. For example, if in Pakistan a transgender person will be killed I definitely will sign up a petition about this issue to show my solidarity, and if the same will happen in Moscow I’ll not just sign up the petition, I will go to protest on the street”. (rus-p002)

“I am motivated to act when I feel the problem is affecting me directly and I feel angry about it. For example right now there are some alerts circulating around advising people not to exercise outdoors because the level of pollution in our city has been too high in the past couple of days.” (mex-p001)

Though less-frequently mentioned, people were also motivated by:

• A desire for recognition
• Setting a good example for others
• An awareness of their own privilege
• Interesting ideas and cool or creative actions

Goals and barriers.

In addition to their immediate motivations, we wanted to understand what participants are looking for when they consider taking action and what may stand in their way.

We heard a strong desire to know clearly and specifically how their actions would translate into tangible impact in the world, and they wished to be kept up to date with that progress. Several participants recognised that small changes can lead to larger impact, and understanding how these are connected could be empowering.

My bias is effective action…. something tangible and achievable. (usa-p002)

”Dogs bark, oxen pass” — Romanian expressing his thinking about the protests and the fact that nothing changes. (rou-p007)

All small victories raise people from feeling of hopelessness. It’s unlikely that you can do a one huge thing/campaign and win, but from small changes that’s more possible. (rus-p005)

Along with this impact orientation we saw evidence that people are looking to be part of a larger movement, working alongside others towards something better. Local can feel more real than global however and they want to understand that an effective strategy has been developed which their action is a part of. Surprisingly few people mentioned lack of time as a factor.

“My most immediate concern is climate change at this point, [but] It feels so remote. It’s so big. Things like driving an electric car, it feels like why even bother. I don’t know what to do about it.” (usa-p003)

“A petition won’t work…. Show me your strategy: we’re going to go after this senator, then this one. If that doesn’t work, we’ll go after this seat. Be transparent: how is this going to work?” (usa-p002)

“I believe people became more conscious [after planting trees]…. We need to develop more this sense of getting involved, without burning our enthusiasm, resources and energy.” (rou-p008)

Interview results showed that even though participants didn’t always know how to contribute, they didn’t necessarily just want to be told what to do, and reported doing research to understand issues, solutions, and organisations. They often had skills and wanted to know how they could use them to contribute to the movement.

“One of the things I’m starting to do more of is read. I feel overwhelmed still about the enormity of the landscape of problems and concepts. I feel like I need to gain understanding in order to do anything.” (usa-p003)

“If I can do something for the world that would have a direct impact of tackling the problem then I would rather do that instead of just go to protest about the problem. But most of the time I do not know what to do to tackle the problem.” (mex-p003)

Some wanted an organisation to help them engage, but found it difficult to find one that made them feel welcome. Trust came up many times. Some people, especially in Romania and Russia expressed concern for their safety.

“I wanted to participate once, I sent a request to be a volunteer in one action,…” [but organisers did not call her back]. (rus-p005)

“I don’t sign petitions any more. I feel like it’s data collection, someone’s business model…. Trustworthy organisations will do something with it.” (usa-p002)

“[She did not participate to protests, because she did not have a person to go with. She saw situations where all kind of bad things happened, violences occur, and she feels about herself that she can become really intimidated in these kind of situations.]” (rou-p003)

These findings are key for us to proceed in the development of wireframes and user journeys, which will ultimately shape how and which actions people will take starting from the new greenpeace.org, how they will be offered to join an online action or start their own local campaign, why they should donate and what their donation will be used for and much more.

You can find even more information in the full report including thoughts on specific types of actions.

If you want any more information or could conduct interviews in your own country to help enhance our knowledge please comment below and/or send us an email and let us know!