Digital Anthropology Design Workshop

Last month, Holition had the opportunity to deliver an exciting design workshop in Birmingham’s STEAMHouse to inspire new ways of thinking about the role of harnessing technology for creative problem-solving.

STEAMHouse is where businesses, creators, and learners come together to share ideas and collaborate on projects. At SteamHouse, people can access a range of support services, learning opportunities, and office spaces designed to foster innovation and growth.

Digital Anthropology: An In-Depth Look Inside Holition’s Methodology

With a core focus on human-centred design, the workshop kicked-off with an insightful talk by Holition’s Head of Strategy & User Experience, Anita Benko, and our Chief Executive, Jonathan Chippindale, around the importance of Digital Anthropology in designing innovative creative retail experiences.

During the presentation, Anita & Jonathan emphasised Holition’s approach - one that involves thinking human-first and the creative use of technology to design solutions that meet four core human needs: Acquire, Explore, Play, and Connect.

The Four Core Human Needs

Acquire: The need to obtain products or services.

Explore: The desire to discover and learn new things.

Play: The enjoyment of fun and engaging activities.

Connect: The need to interact and build relationships.

Exploring Emerging Trends and Technologies

To give insight into the future of the consumer retail industry, Holition delved into the latest trends and technologies, whilst highlighting how innovations like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing consumer engagement, and the added benefit these innovations offer brands within the industry.

The Design Workshop: A Hands-On Experience

Guided by this methodology, participants then had the opportunity to be fully immersed in an interactive workshop, which encouraged each one to think outside the box and come up with innovative design solutions.

Participants were divided into four groups, each focusing on one of the core human needs: Acquire, Explore, Play, and Connect. This structure helped everyone think specifically about how to address these needs in various retail contexts.

Each group then chose a retail sector they were familiar with, such as food, automotive, fashion, beauty, or fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), allowing participants to leverage their knowledge and insights into specific industries.

Creative Ideation 

Using various ideation frameworks, the groups began brainstorming on creative design solutions that were grounded on real-world pain points. Participants then used various creative mediums like sketches, clay, and LEGO bricks to visualise their ideas to illustrate how technology could help solve these problems and enhance the retail experience.

The Results

Team: Acquire 

The idea revolved around addressing decision paralysis and overstimulation experienced by consumers in supermarkets, particularly in the context of deciding what to have for dinner. The core question driving the solution is how to leverage technology, particularly bio data and other tech data, to assist individuals in making dinner decisions.

Sector: FMCG

Problems: The team considered negative experiences encountered in retail environments, such as overstimulation by the various ailes, products & information feeling exploited to buy more than what they need, and data harvesting practices with loyalty programmes. 

Provocation: They looked at ways to leverage technology in-store to alleviate decision paralysis, minimize overstimulation, and facilitate healthier and more satisfying dinner choices.

Ideas: They explored various ideas to address these issues, including AR glasses that remove color to focus solely on essential information, and apps or wearables that provide dinner recommendations based on bio data.

The solution integrates four streams of data: personal preferences, bio data, historical purchases, and aspirational goals. By leveraging these data streams, the team aims to provide personalised dinner suggestions tailored to individual needs, preferences, and health goals.

The proposed solution involves the use of LED lighting in supermarkets to guide consumers to relevant products based on their data profiles. This LED lighting system is designed to be subtle, beautiful, and non-intrusive, providing gentle cues related to different data streams without overwhelming shoppers. The goal is to create a sensory experience that empowers consumers to make informed choices while avoiding judgmental elements and allowing them to decide on their own terms.

Team: Explore 

Team Explore’s idea centered around a store concept that promotes sustainability in the textile industry through the use of nanofiber technology, intertwining environmental consciousness with historical significance and community engagement. 

Sector: Textile Retail

Problems: Consider the environmental ramifications of textile production, particularly the significant waste generated. 

Provocation: In response to this realisation, they brainstormed ways to disrupt this pattern and started exploring wool as a potentially sustainable solution.

Ideas:  This led to the conception of the "Wool Mark" product, symbolising their commitment to promoting wool as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional textiles.

Their proposal involved creating a comprehensive store experience for consumers, starting from the source of wool production: the sheep farm. They envisioned a store where customers could immerse themselves in the entire lifecycle of wool, interacting with live sheep and witnessing the production process firsthand. The incorporation of technology, such as screens displaying different fields and interactive apps, aimed to enhance consumer engagement and education.

Central to their vision was the idea of the product as a legacy item through the use of nanofibre technology that can trace it, encouraging consumers to cherish and pass it on, thus fostering a sense of community. They proposed a cyclical approach to product disposal, where worn-out items would be returned to the shop to be recycled into insulation material. This closed-loop system aimed to minimize waste and maximize sustainability.

In addition to the product itself, the team discussed plans for broadcasting sheep-related activities to engage a wider audience. This includes live streaming from farms and interactive features allowing viewers to participate in decisions such as selecting snacks for the sheep, further fostering a sense of connection and community engagement.

Team: Play 

Team Play’s retail idea transformed the shopping experience into an interactive and playful escapism journey, addressing issues like loneliness and connection while enhancing engagement and sales. 

Sector: Fashion Retail

Problems: The team discussed broader societal issues such as loneliness, lack of connection with others or the present, and body image issues as a starting point for understanding the responsibilities of brands and retailers to todays’ consumers.

Provocation: They started exploring ways brands and retailers could inject more playfulness and entertainment into consumers’ experience to help themfind moments of joy and connection. 

Ideas:  The team’s concept includes several experiential elements:

1. Personalised Mannequin Experience: Customers undergo a body scan upon entering the shop, they see a mannequin that resembles themselves, showcasing various outfits. This not only adds novelty and fun but also addresses concerns about unrealistic body standards.

2. Nostalgic and Fantasy-themed Store Environment: The interior of the store immerses customers in a nostalgic and fantasy world, featuring elements like a giant tree and animated sky. This escapism experience aims to offer a break from mundane technology-filled life.

3. Global Connection Booths: The store features booths connected to stores in different cities around the world. Customers can try on clothes and interact with individuals from other countries, overcoming language barriers and fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

4. Collaborative Community Events: The store hosts collaborative events with novel writers, artists, and other creators to build a sense of community. This includes book readings, themed merchandise based on books of the month, and interactive displays that change based on the theme.

Team: Connect 

Team Connect came up with the concept of an app that aims to make the car buying journey more intuitive, interactive, and tailored to individual needs, ultimately enhancing the overall experience and fostering a sense of companionship throughout the ownership journey.

Sector: Automotive Retail

Problems:  They identified problems with choosing a car for purchase, including challenges such as lack of knowledge, time constraints, and trust issues with dealerships.

Provocation: They focussed their attention on finding ways to personalise and therefore, simplify the decision making process for user.

Ideas:  The idea revolves around creating an app called Core Bot to revolutionise the car purchasing experience. The app utilises AI technology to interact with users and tailor car recommendations based on their needs, preferences, and personality. The app guides users through a personalised journey, starting with exploring different car brands and segments. It provides information, options, and even virtual reality experiences for test driving and learning more about the vehicles. Users can also interact with others on the platform to share experiences and insights.

The app facilitates a seamless connection between users and dealerships when they feel ready to proceed further. It continues to provide support and personalised recommendations even after the purchase, ensuring a long-term relationship between the user and their vehicle.

Final Thoughts

Holition’s workshop at SteamHouse was a testament to the power of collaboration and creative thinking, and how these can allow us to rethink and redesign retail experiences to be more engaging, personalised, and beneficial for consumers.

“It was an amazing experience. Steamhouse’s newly built innovation room was the perfect spot for our workshop. It was so nice to witness the buzz and creative juices flowing in the room. Each team brought forth their ideas in innovative ways, utilizing tools ranging from Lego bricks to crafting 3D installations using clay.” - Anita Benko, Head of Strategy & User Experience

As we move forward, these kinds of innovative approaches will continue to shape the future of retail, making it more responsive to the needs of people everywhere.

For more information regarding Holition’s Innovation & Design services, send us a message at marketing@holition.com