Better access to education gives women increasingly access to well paid jobs. This translates into personal buying power, but also when it comes to household budgets, company- and public budgets increasing buying power is in female hands. Estimates from leading business analysts say that up to 80% of buying decisions in private households are heavily influenced by women. The number of single households rises all over the world – and women live longer than men. So having a strategy for addressing the female consumer segments is a qualifier for your future business. At design-people we have leading experts and a toolbox to help you to succeed with this mission.
At design-people we strive to make innovation and great design accessible for as many people as possible.
Most tech-products are created by male engineers and developers – and quite a few of these products do not match female values, needs and preferences perfectly. We approach this as an opportunity: We can help you to create user centric tech solutions, aligned with female values and preferences that open for larger audiences and market potentials. This is what “inspired by women” is all about – it’s a powerful strategy to develop your business.
Why female buying power emerges – globally.
WHAT WE OFFER
Inspirational lectures
Help your organisation to understand and act on the business potentials of Womenomics. Learn about gender & innovation principles and get inspired from industry cases.
Workshops
How to take action on your womenomics potentials? – our experts will inspire your teams on how to improve your offerings and communication by responding to female and male user preferences in your business area.
Consulting
Make the change and advance your business – our expert teams are experienced in translating male and female user preferences into winning customer experiences – applying our research based “inspired by women” toolbox.
GET IN TOUCH
Do you have a notion that your organization has “inspired by women” business potentials worth adressing. Let’s get in touch and discuss how we can assist you.
Klaus Schroeder
strategic innovation director
E: ks@design-people.com
T: +45 70 22 64 62
M: +45 27 11 60 36
Stine Vilhelmsen
insights & experience design manager
E: sv@design-people.com
T: +45 88 88 39 42
WHAT WE DO
Routes to releasing your business potentials in diversity
HARVEST SHORT-TERM WINS
INNOVATE BEYOND COMPETITION
“User experience and usability has been a primary focus in creating Danfoss Smartheating App. The female benchmark helped us minimize complexity while prioritizing everyday convenience. With their extensive experience in this field, design-people has proved to be an excellent partner for our connectivity development.”
— Jesper Vraa, Project Manager, Danfoss Indoor Climate App Solutions
“User experience and usability has been a primary focus in creating Danfoss Smartheating App. The female benchmark helped us minimize complexity while prioritizing everyday convenience. With their extensive experience in this field, design-people has proved to be an excellent partner for our connectivity development.”
— Jesper Vraa, Project Manager, Danfoss Indoor Climate App Solutions
SELECTED CASES
How do women respond to new technology – what makes them buy? Understanding the dynamics of gender and technology can help you develop solutions that excite men and women both. design-people’s extensive research and tools can help you to expand your market.
FEMALE INTERACTION RESEARCH & GUIDELINES
To crack the code of female responsive tech innovation, design-people initiated the Female Interaction research project lasting from 2009-12. The project was co-financed by the Danish Business Authorities, enabling design-people to assemble a team of university researchers and experts in market analysis, interaction psychology, and user-centered design. The team worked directly with the development- and marketing professionals of three major technology companies – Danfoss, Bang & Olufsen and Jabra. The research team worked with more than 1500 women and 300 men on three continents to investigate their attitudes and their relation to technology. And they responded to several new concepts developed by design-people’s innovation team.
The project used this research to develop guidelines and methods that can help companies not only to create innovative products and services that speak directly to women, but also to market them so they appeal to female values and preferences. The Female Interaction guidelines were published at international conferences and as a guide book (see below).
To crack the code of female responsive tech innovation, design-people initiated the Female Interaction research project lasting from 3 years. The project was co-financed by the Danish Business Authorities, enabling design-people to assemble a team of university researchers and experts in market analysis, interaction psychology, and user-centered design. The team worked directly with the development- and marketing professionals of three major technology companies – Danfoss, Bang & Olufsen and Jabra. The research team worked with more than 1500 women and 300 men on three continents to investigate their attitudes and their relation to technology. And they responded to several new concepts developed by design-people’s innovation team.
The Female Interaction cases and the guidelines for gender & innovation have inspired people around the globe. And they have been used in an EU guide for gender-responsive innovation and business. Get access to both below…
“By 2028 women will control nearly three quarters
(72%) of consumer spending worldwide.”
— Boston Consulting Group
“By 2028 women will control nearly three quarters (72%) of consumer spending worldwide.”
— Boston Consulting Group
KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS
- Most companies have a limited understanding of female business potentials within their sector.
- To attract more female customers, a company should make sure that its products and services:
– contain a meaningful benefit story that tells her how this will improve her life.
– are intuitive to use in everyday life.
– make her look and feel right in social situations - It is important to test concepts, products and communication with women according to these criteria.
- Women are a diverse group, but they share common values. Effective segmentation and a targeted approach are necessary to avoid stereotyping.
- Products and services created with an “inspired by women” benchmark tend to be more attractive to average men too.
- Most companies have a limited understanding of female business potentials within their sector.
- To attract more female customers, a company should make sure that its products and services:
– contain a meaningful benefit story that tells her how this will improve her life.
– are intuitive to use in everyday life.
– make her look and feel right in social situations - It is important to test concepts, products and communication with women according to these criteria.
- Women are a diverse group, but they share common values. Effective segmentation and a targeted approach are necessary to avoid stereotyping.
- Products and services created with an “inspired by women” benchmark tend to be more attractive to average men too.
LEARN MORE
EU GUIDELINES
The COST Gender STE program has allowed a network of experts in gender and innovation from all over Europe to collaborate for 3 years. A result of their knowledge sharing is this set of guidelines and inspirational cases for gender responsive business & innovation.
TECH USER NAVIGATOR
Make your tech products respond to female and consumer preferences by applying the “Tech-user Navigator” – five tech-user profiles that unveil attitudes, use- and buying patterns for emerging tech products and online services.
GUIDEBOOK
The “Guidebook to a Female Interaction Strategy” summarises research findings, guidelines and cases for “inspired by women” innovation and communication in a comprehensive guide made for industry practitioners.
Some of our clients
