How are Gen Z in the UK responding to Immersive Web Experiences?

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Ethical Concerns for Running a Survey

As the world evolves and new industries rapidly gain ground all these are backed up by research. We cannot undermine the importance of research in advancing the course of humanity. However, there is a key factor in carrying out these practices which are guidelines known as Ethics.

Ethics must be drawn from a proper perspective around diverse policy documents such as UN Declaration of Human Rights, General Data Protection Regulations, Nuremberg Code and specific moral standards regarding a peculiar field.

Adaptability 

Adaptability is essential as it allows the researcher to modify research guidelines based on the context, their field and its aim. This gives room to define the parameters in identifying the possible outcomes of the survey.

Clarity to respondents

The purpose of the survey should be understandable to the respondent although in some cases this may not be applicable, for instance a survey on a sensitive matter like sex and trauma may generate low responses. This calls for the ingenuity of making it clear to the subjects. Proper communication on how the data will be used, duration of access and  who will have access to them is essential in the research.

Privacy and Confidentiality

The respondents right to confidentiality must be captured within the framework of the survey process. Although, stronger legal protection on data regarding race, ethnics, genetics, sex life and health may be required in surveys. Cases where data will be used for another survey will require consent of respondent.

Right to Consent

The participant has the right to accept or withdraw at any given time in survey process should their wellbeing feel threatened or they experience discomfort in participating in the research. Documentation of consents should be considered  and legal requirements fulfilled. The use of consent forms need to be utilised. Avoid covert research practices as they pose  ethical risks.

Potential Harm

There is a possibility to harm by the respondent on the researcher especially on surveys that involve sensitive informations. The researcher must take into cognisance the risks attached to such. 

Best practices in creating questionnaire and interview questions

Define the aim 

The formulation process should begin with defining the aim in order to generate the right questions. The relevance of Questionnaire or interviews is determined by the  nature of the project, the field of study and the demographics of the respondents.

Sampling

It is not feasible to collect data from every single person within a  population as this may incur high cost. The concept of sampling is picking representatives of a larger population to derive a comprehensive profile of the population. There are methods in setting parameters for a sampling frame involving individuals who are accessible with respect to establishing the required sample size to minimise errors, enhance  response rates. Random and non-random sampling are two categories containing several techniques. Random sampling is a more generalised approach where individuals are selected by chance, this is usually on a quantitative method approach While the non-random sampling is applied within a quality method approach. Most often used on focus groups and interviews. This intentionally targets individuals in a given population.

Good Questionnaire layout 

The questionnaire layout should be easy to comprehend with clear informations to foster good response rates. Minimal Use of Upper case letters is essential. Questions related to each other should be properly segmented. Phrase sensitive questions in a positive language, Avoid direct responses of yes or no, responses should be on a scale form most likely 5 i.e on a scale of 1-5 what do you think? Another example could have different options like, do you strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree. Do not ask two questions at same time. Leave some room for open ended questions so they can express themselves while offering possible insights. Segment  sensitive information e.g demographic questions. You should keep an eye on the overall consistency of the layout.

Interview questions

Starting an interview newly can be a daunting task. The first thing is to establish a comfortable setting for the participants. If possible try to create the interview in an environment familiar to the participant. Due to Confidentiality reasons choose a quiet and private place.

It is important to gain your participants trust in order to get honest responses. You can do this by building rapport while being aware of your tone of voice. To make them feel at ease by asking background information on where they are from, their field of study. Connect more with your participants by sharing some personal information about yourself to help them open up especially they are hesitant. No one wants to feel like they are being interrogated. Then redirect  ack to the interview questions 

Pay attention to what they say and be wary of your personal biases.

Developing a survey on how Gen Z's engaging with immersive web experiences in the United Kingdom.

In today's digital age, it is crucial for Digital Designers to have a deep understanding of the level of engagement and interaction with online platforms among younger generations. This blog aims to shed light on the research to be conducted in the United Kingdom, specifically focusing on the tech-savvy Gen Z population in cities like London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Manchester.

Research Aim

The primary objective of this survey is to gain insights into the level of engagement and interaction among Gen Z individuals with immersive web experiences such as

• Virtual reality (VR) experiences

• Augmented reality (AR) websites

• Interactive storytelling websites

• Multiplayer online games

• Virtual events and concerts

Immersive web experiences cover a range of interactive digital environments that engage users in a dynamic and multi-sensory manner, blurring the lines between the virtual and physical worlds.

1. Virtual Reality (VR) Experiences:

This is an experience where the user gets lost in a digital world, which creates a sense of being there. A VR headset can be worn by the user through which he or she sees a 3D desktop that is computer generated while other environmental factors are completely blocked out. These virtual realities vary from simulated environments for training and education to interactive storytelling and immersive games, as well as virtual trips to actual places. This allows them to interact with the virtual environment via specialized controllers or through gestures like hand movements, thereby making the process highly interactive.

2. Augmented Reality (AR) Websites:

Augmented reality websites integrate digital content with real-world situations by superimposing computer imagery over what people see around them. AR differs from VR in that it does not create entirely virtual worlds but rather adds supplementary information, interactive features or visual enhancements to real-life scenes that users view on their screens. Mobile phones come equipped with cameras and motion sensors which enable users to access AR sites via browsers on their devices The camera on someone’s device can be pointed towards an object such as QR code triggering augmented content to appear on the screen. 3.Interactive Storytelling Websites

Engaging the user in a narrative experience that can lead to billions of different endings is what interactive storytelling websites are about. These websites often have text, images, videos, audio and interactive animations all mixed together to make an engaging and dynamic storytelling experience. The users may face choices or branching pathways in the story that can affect how it will be told allowing for personalized and non-linear storytelling experiences. Interactive storytelling websites come in various genres such as fiction, educational content, marketing campaigns or digital art projects.

4.Multiplayer Online Games

Online games involving many players across the world who are connected via the internet are called multiplayer online games (MOGs). This could include such diverse game formats as massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) first-person shooters (FPS), strategy games and social simulations. In these virtual worlds, multiple people can fight each other against each other either as allies or enemies while making alliances, completing quests or participating in virtual battles and challenges. Many of these have persistent virtual universes where players can create avatars which they then customize and participate in community-building activities with other users through their characters.

5. Virtual events and concerts

Virtual events and concerts replicate the experience of attending live events in a digital format and allow participants to interact with artists, speakers, and other attendees anywhere in the world. You can use these virtual experiences this has been used to livestream concerts, conferences, trade shows, Demonstrations, and networking events can be held. Participants can interact with event content, participate in real-time chats, and interact with other attendees through chat, video conferencing, and virtual environments. Virtual events and concerts offer a more convenient and accessible alternative to traditional in-person events, providing immersive and interactive experiences that transcend geographic boundaries By seeking to understand their digital habits, preferences, and behaviours, we can better understand how to create impactful designs that resonate with this target audience.

Sample Population

To ensure the accuracy and relevance of our findings, we specifically targeted the digitally proficient Gen Z population in the aforementioned cities. By narrowing down our sample to 50 respondents from each city, totaling up to 250 respondents, we aimed to capture a comprehensive snapshot of the Gen Z landscape in the UK.

Method

To conduct this research, we opted for a non-random sampling method. This decision was based on research findings that highlighted Gen Z as a digitally savvy generation. Additionally, we selected cities known for their technological advancements to further refine our sampling frame. This method proved to be both efficient and cost-effective, which will allow us to gather valuable insights without the need to include unrelated demographics. This will be done by reaching out to tertiary institutions and colleges and engaging with possible tutors in helping to gather the insights. These places are technologically inclined in use of online platforms within the cities mentioned. 

Risks

While the non-random sampling method offers its advantages, it is important to acknowledge the associated risks. One such risk is the potential exclusion of certain segments of the population, which may lead to biased reports. However, by focusing on the digitally inclined Gen Z population, we aimed to mitigate this risk and ensure the relevance of our findings.

Kindly click the button below to access the questionnaire.

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Critical Reflection

As a digital designer which is a field that is tilted towards user experience and designing for digital platforms understanding the role of the user and the purpose behind the questionnaire is crucial for instance,  Is it to gather feedback on a specific digital design project, evaluate user experience, or explore preferences in digital design trends? Or how will the insights from the questionnaire be used to guide decision-making through out the design process. 

The next key area to maximise the effectiveness of a questionnaire understanding your target audience paying attention to behavioural characteristics and  preferences covering specific demographics needed for the project in terms of location, age, occupation, industry. It’s also important to consider that the  tone of questions should be  relatable to the audience to encourage their responses. The age, location, industry, occupation and other specific information can be creatively included with relevance to the nature of the project. However, while all these factors above are mentioned, avoid a monotonous approach in the choice of questions using different types such as multiple choice, rating, open-ended e.t.c. this will prevent biased answers and honest feedback. The questions can include a combination of qualitative and quantitative questions to provide a holistic understanding of the topic. Ensure they are clear, concise  and relevant to the respondents.

Remember the information gathered will contribute to the design. Hence, I believe you should be careful not to put up direct questions to your audience also,  one should have a level of anonymity to enable the audience give their genuine responses.

Measures in ethical considerations must be taken into account, you don’t want to be in a legal issue. Will they have options to give consent or withdraw from the survey at any given time? One major tactic is to have iterative refining of the questionnaire in order to achieve its objective.  These are necessary insights that could contribute to your understanding in creating questionnaires for user research surveys for the digital design field.

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