For this assignment, I chose the segment of first and second year college students. All three of my interviewees first and second year students which means this their first time away from home and their parents, and being in a new environment without them. The first is a biology major heading towards the pre-med track but still considering other opportunities. The second is a psychology major with the goal of being a social worker or psychologist. And the third is a chemistry major with the hopes of being a dentist in the future.
Interview Information:
Interviewee #1: Brian (biology major)
When did you become aware of your need?
-Well, considering I no longer live on campus, I no longer have this need. However, I realized this became a need once I moved from home into a dorm on campus. I was unsure of the new environment and how to do certain things, and I also felt like I wasn't very informed.
What is something you do to try and solve this problem?
- I would usually ask my parents or my roommates on their input or if they knew something I didn't.
What was your source of information?
- I knew that there was a desk assistant at the Beaty area desk but they would usually give us vague and confusing answers and if the desk was closed, they were unavailable.
Do you talk to friends, roommates and neighbors about problem?
- I would ask my parents what I should do and who to talk to. I would also ask my roommates if they knew the answer to my problem.
When you search in google, what are your search terms?
- Looking on the website for Beaty towers is sometimes helpful but does not always provide me with the answers that I am looking for.
When did you become aware of your need?
-Well, considering I no longer live on campus, I no longer have this need. However, I realized this became a need once I moved from home into a dorm on campus. I was unsure of the new environment and how to do certain things, and I also felt like I wasn't very informed.
What is something you do to try and solve this problem?
- I would usually ask my parents or my roommates on their input or if they knew something I didn't.
What was your source of information?
- I knew that there was a desk assistant at the Beaty area desk but they would usually give us vague and confusing answers and if the desk was closed, they were unavailable.
Do you talk to friends, roommates and neighbors about problem?
- I would ask my parents what I should do and who to talk to. I would also ask my roommates if they knew the answer to my problem.
When you search in google, what are your search terms?
- Looking on the website for Beaty towers is sometimes helpful but does not always provide me with the answers that I am looking for.
Interviewee #2: Michelle (psychology major)
When did you become aware of your need?
- I became aware of my need when I moved to Beaty towers and was unsure about our maintenance services and how we receive packages.
What is something you do to try and solve this problem?
- I usually try to ask the desk assistant if the desk is open but if not, I'll just try to ask my roommates.
What is your source of information?
- I try to ask my friends who have lived in dorms before or i'll ask my parents.
Do you talk to friends, roommates and neighbors about problem?
- I usually ask my roommates and friends about this problem.
When you search in google, what are your search terms?
- There is a Beaty Towers website but it doesn't answer the questions I have. It's only meant for people who are looking to live there. The information is very broad.
When did you become aware of your need?
- I became aware of my need when I moved to Beaty towers and was unsure about our maintenance services and how we receive packages.
What is something you do to try and solve this problem?
- I usually try to ask the desk assistant if the desk is open but if not, I'll just try to ask my roommates.
What is your source of information?
- I try to ask my friends who have lived in dorms before or i'll ask my parents.
Do you talk to friends, roommates and neighbors about problem?
- I usually ask my roommates and friends about this problem.
When you search in google, what are your search terms?
- There is a Beaty Towers website but it doesn't answer the questions I have. It's only meant for people who are looking to live there. The information is very broad.
Interviewee #3: Pratt (chemistry major)
When did you become aware of your need?
- I became aware of my need when I started living in a dormitory setting and realized that I was one out of many residents who were unsure about the same things.
What is something you do to try and solve this problem?
- I'll first try to ask my roommates and if they are unsure then I'll go downstairs and ask the desk assistant.
What is your source of information?
-I think my most reliable source is the desk assistant or anything I can find on the Beaty towers website.
Do you talk to friends, roommates and neighbors about problem?
-Yes I do, I'll first ask my roommates my question to see if they know.
When you search in google, what are your search terms?
- Like I said before, there is a Beaty towers website but it doesn't answer the specific questions I have. It's more people who are looking to move in.
When did you become aware of your need?
- I became aware of my need when I started living in a dormitory setting and realized that I was one out of many residents who were unsure about the same things.
What is something you do to try and solve this problem?
- I'll first try to ask my roommates and if they are unsure then I'll go downstairs and ask the desk assistant.
What is your source of information?
-I think my most reliable source is the desk assistant or anything I can find on the Beaty towers website.
Do you talk to friends, roommates and neighbors about problem?
-Yes I do, I'll first ask my roommates my question to see if they know.
When you search in google, what are your search terms?
- Like I said before, there is a Beaty towers website but it doesn't answer the specific questions I have. It's more people who are looking to move in.
What I learned:
I learned that the un-met need that I have identified is only present with the interviewees who live in a dormitory on campus. Two of my interviewees live at Beaty Towers and the other lives at Gainseville Place Apartments. I have discovered that because the apartment environment is usually familiar in the way packages are received, the parking regulations and maintenance services, there are not many questions on their new living environment and therefore, there is less confusion. However, for my two interviewees who have been introduced to a completely new environment, they are unfamiliar with these aspects and must be informed of these new processes and the ways to deal with them. Also, because they are just coming from home, they have never had to deal with most of these aspects of living, it was always the responsibility of their parent/guardian.
When searching for solutions to the problem, I found that when the interviewees have questions about any services, they tend to either ask their roommates, neighbors or the desk assistants working at the area desk. These sources are not reliable all the time because neighbors and roommates may not know the answers and the desk assistant is only reliable during their work hours, which is nnot all the time.
How I would describe the segment:
The students who usually live in dorms are first and second year students. They are not used to being away from home which means they are sometimes naive and unfamiliar with how to take responsibility. This segment correlates with majority of the people living in dorms.
Hey Karina,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea and your interviews were very informative. I am worried about the logistics surrounding obtaining all of the data that you require for your application. How would you collect data from the apartment complexes around Gainesville? Besides that, I think this is a serious issue especially the parking, as many students are constantly being towed around campus.
Because the need isn't a pressing one - or, students already have access to solutions, I think the introduction of your product and service would become a preferable one and catch on very quickly. I'm not exactly sure HOW you'd contract with apartments for this, but using it as a University service for dorms would be extremely helpful for students that live on campus. Having everything centralized would eliminate the need to ask others for (often unreliable) information, and help reduce confusion around campus.
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