OVERVIEW

Project Statement

How might our team improve Microsoft's self-help resources for Millennial and Gen-Z users so that the self-help experience is more interactive, engaging, and easier to use? How do Millennial and Gen-Z users currently interact with Microsoft's self-help platforms, and how can we use this to inform our research?

User Group

Our user group for this project focused on Millennials and Gen-Zers who use Microsoft products, especially looking into those with a moderate to low level of tech-literacy.

Project Goals

Our teams goals for this project were to better understand how our user group interacts with Microsoft's self help platforms and resources, and to identify what might make them use these services or stray away from them. Through this extensive research, we would create in-depth design recommendations for Microsoft.

What Is Self-Help?

This project centered completely around the concept of self-help, which our group defined as:

Our team focused primarily at self-help in the form of websites, forums, and other types of online guides.

Understanding the User Group

Gen Z

We identified Gen Z as people aged 16 through 26. This generation is the first to grow up completely immersed in the internet, and thus highly value digital experiences.

A significant 76% of Americans, predominantly from this generation, indicate they would recommend a brand based solely on a positive digital experience.

The preference for self-service solutions is markedly strong among Gen Z, who favor resolving issues through modern conveniences such as online chat, texting, or social media. This tendency highlights an essential shift towards digital solutions that provide efficient problem resolution without the necessity for direct human interaction.

Millennials

We considered millennials through a broad range of 27 to 45, mostly focusing on those closer to Gen Z age. Though their childhoods weren't as integrated in technology as Gen Z's, this generation is still tech savvy, maturing during the blossoming of the internet and tech boom.

Millennials tend to have more brand loyalty compared to Gen Z, often sticking to brands they have had positive interactions with in the past or childhood, sticking with brands that they might find flawed for a variety of reasons.

Millennials value concrete results and expert interactions, with 47% prioritizing issue resolution and 38% appreciating knowledgeable support. They are particularly sensitive to customer service quality, with bad experiences prompting them to switch brands, underscoring the importance of memorable and positive service encounters.

Current Resources for User Group

Through research and interviews, we found the most popular places that our user group searches for self-help content when needed.

Google

+ Most popular search engine
+ Built for efficiency
+ Produces the most relevant results, utilizes targeted key words the best

Reddit

+ Well established, free to use, and user driven
+ Suitable for resolving more specific and complex issues
+ Built on other users' experiences, seems more familiar and trustworthy
+ “Users are mostly inviting and helpful” - Jason Sandys, Principal PM Architect for Microsoft Intune & Reddit User

YouTube

+ More familiar to our user group
+ Users have a preference for video content
+ Videos are able to show more clear instructions and communication than articles would

Takeaways

These websites are all designed around efficiency, having mixed media integration and give users a more personalized experience. Reddit and Youtube both have a strong sense of community, creating a feeling of trust in users.

User Group Values

Authenticity

For our user group, authenticity isn't just a preference; it's a requirement. These generations have grown up in an era of information overload, where distinguishing between genuine and misleading content has become a daily challenge. They prefer a genuine, human touch to their service.

Efficiency

Our user group prioritizes fast and accurate online service. Both groups much prefer instant, precise responses and value streamlined, efficient digital interactions. Their high standards for speed and quality reflect their deep integration with digital technology and heightened expectations from customer service platforms.

Personalization

Both generations appreciate when brands recognize their individual preferences and tailor experiences accordingly. Offering personalized recommendations makes it feel bespoke and tailored specifically to the user's tastes and preferences.