Density of Meaning in Autogenic Value: A manifesto for better understanding consumer experiences, Part One

This manifesto was developed without traditional research, case studies, interviews or surveys. For this reason it may be laughed at and regarded as irrelevant by most who read it. I won’t object to any claims of irrelevance, immaturity or being just plain wrong. The theory is simply my vision of a framework to apply a new understanding of value and meaning. I wrote it with the help of unrelated disciplines, dusty old novels and a misleading intuition. This self-effacing introduction may save you from certain boredom, but I hope it will simply shift your expectations so that you see it with the raw naïvety in which it was written.
The aim of this manifesto is first to outline an ensemble of devices that take the burden off conscious control and design of the consumer experience, but also to describe the ensemble as self-generating and self-organizing in creating value for the consumer within the experience. The most important aspect of the ensemble is that it is not designed; it must be the result of interconnected patterns between consumer behaviors and their cognitive processes. The ensemble then has the ability to deal with multiple layers of value-meaning relationships in concert with one another, adapting to new relationships through it’s intrinsic autogenic quality.
Things will be the same as they were – only the way things are seen changes. If we can accept this, then we understand that positioning vision is the most important task for any business or organization. Ayn Rand’s character Ellsworth Toohey of The Fountainhead speaks in support of this theme.

“It’s much simpler than it appears. That’s because you think in terms of personalities. You think it’s done piecemeal. But dear me, the lifetimes of a hundred press agents wouldn’t be enough. It can be done much faster. This is the age of time-saving devices. If you want something to grow, you don’t nurture each seed separately. You just spread a certain fertilizer. Nature will do the rest.”

He continues later by expanding this idea with another gardening reference:

“You can follow one of two procedures. You can devote your life to pulling out each single weed as it comes up – and then ten lifetimes won’t be enough for the job. Or you can prepare your soil in such a manner – by spreading a certain chemical, let us say – that it will be impossible for weeds to grow. This last is faster.”

Ms. Rand does an excellent job of explaining the importance of creating a better framework. If we try and design separate experiences for each consumer, we would never reach a large enough group to build a business. Yet, on the other hand, a one-size-fits-all approach yields a one-size-fits-none result.

In his book, Notes of the Synthesis of Form, Christopher Alexander describes the problem of the “architect” as a role in form making. The designer developed as a progression from the act of addressing micro-problems as subsets of cultural tradition, to the modern designer tackling macro-problems through “conceptual habits.” The fact is that the cognitive abilities of humans do not have the breadth necessary to capture all micro-problems involved in form making. Concepts are used as a crutch to help group micro-problems into manageable subsets of the macro-problem.

This is analogous to how a book’s index is divided, arranged and grouped to provide the reader with a method of navigation. We would not, however, presume to understand the book through a glance at the chapter organization.

I am not arguing against the functionality of the index. It has a very specific role, but too often it is used as a substitute for understanding. A chapter heading represents a boundary, rule or principle. In practice, a principle is often created as a summary of biases, and therefor cannot be trusted as fact.

Now let’s turn the focus from the problem to the solution. In a novel, characters are typically introduced in some fashion to the reader. The characters are concepts from the writer’s mind, but expressing their meaning is difficult, if not impossible without first condensing meaning into a persona. Take a character’s name, John, which has no initial meaning except for any previous associations (friends, family) that the reader has experienced with the name. The writer must embed the character with qualities, personality and tendencies that can later be recalled with a single mention of the name, John. This is one way that dense meaning is formed. Compression is formed from the persona the writer provides, but the reader also plays a major role. The words and phrases used by the writer have their own cultural and experiential associations for the reader. All of these associated meanings from the reader are also compressed into the character, John.

Compression is economic. It refers to the compression of meaning into sensory input. Words, for example, are the compression of language. Cultures drive the compression of meaning, while individuals expand and express this meaning. Each individual will expand the compressed meaning differently, but there are always patterns that describe this process. Each pattern is a description of both a problem and a solution. Each problem is a burden of choice, need, expenditure, culture and desire. Too often the solution is not visible simply because the problems are not recognized as interrelated burdens. The following will attempt to lift this veil.

The Burden of Choice
While the burden of choice is typically the outcome of influence exerted by other burdens, the burden of choice is influential due to the drastic psychological effects of choice scales. We make choices based on unlimited factors, but these factors fit into patterns that describe our burdens. Therefore, in a top-down approach, dissecting the burden of choice will lead to the definition of the other burdens. The burden of choice, however, is more about the process of narrowing a given number of options to one final choice.

The Burden of Need
Needs are conditions that, without satisfaction, cannot support a healthy existence. Food, water and shelter are generally defined as basic human needs, but these are immediate needs that sustain life. Over time other needs may surface such as companionship, mobility and stimulation. Needs are separated from desires through their functional relationship to the human condition.

The Burden of Expenditure
In a world dominated by capitalism, money will always be a burden, regardless of material worth. It is also the easiest burden for people to identify. Consumers are bombarded daily by businesses recognizing this burden by wielding sales and premiums to capitalize on it’s effect. For some, the burden spawns from necessity, for others, unnecessary expenditure is a cultural symbol of luxury. In this light, it should be noted that the burden of expenditure is strongly linked to cultural burdens. Culture does not change the nature of expenditure, but it does shift the importance differently between currency, goods and services.

The Burden of Culture
Culture can influence needs and desires, but it remains a separate burden due to its role in behaviors. Patterns of an individual or groups behavior both define and create the burden of culture. In order to make the burden of culture actionable, the degree of influence must be determined. To what degree will an individual seek to satisfy the burden of culture? Sometimes an individual or group will seek the opposite. They will attempt to remove the burden of culture by actively disengaging from it’s influence. Attempt is the key word, because disengaging from one culture can only bring the burdens of the new culture.

The Burden of Desire
Desire is formed as a result of an imbalanced condition. We are constantly seeking that which brings equilibrium to our condition.

Burdens are often dependent on other burdens in defining a problem. For example, I have a need for shelter on a car trip, so I search for a shelter that I desire. I desire to occupy a place where I am comfortable. The discomfort or instability that I experience when I occupy a place with a different culture than my own is undesirable. Through this personal observation, I have narrowed my options down to two options that meet my desire for comfort. This burden of choice is limited due to my burden of expenditure. Therefor, my burden of expenditure ultimately leads me to a solution.    The order of the burdens, of course, can change. Perhaps I recognize my burden of expenditure early, or I prioritize the burdens differently. In any case, this example describes how different burdens interact along the path to a solution.

So where does meaning fit into the patterns of burdens? In the previous example, meaning helps me define or recognize my cultural burden. Let’s say I was born and raised in rural Kentucky. When I’m on my road trip making a choice between two hotels, I see one that is named “Bluegrass Inn,” and another, “Arabian Nights.” Meaning is automatically triggering my experiences and biases toward a equilibrium of cultural comfort.

“There is more than one way to burn a book.” -Ray Bradbury

In his book, Notes of the Synthesis of Form, Christopher Alexander describes the problem of the “architect” as a role in form making. The designer developed as a progression from the act of addressing micro-problems as subsets of cultural tradition, to the modern designer tackling macro-problems through “conceptual habits.” The fact is that the cognitive abilities of humans do not have the breadth necessary to capture all micro-problems involved in form making. Concepts are used as a crutch to help group micro-problems into manageable subsets of the macro-problem. This is analogous to how a book’s index is divided, arranged and grouped to provide the reader with a method of navigation. We would not, however, presume to understand the book through a glance at the chapter organization.

Ray Bradbury presents an extreme, but parallel scenario in Fahrenheit 451. The novel is essentially about how censorship removes facts and even understanding of life. All of the books and words that are being burnt in the story are representations of micro-level understandings. Once these are removed and replaced with broad concepts like the “parlor walls” or “firemen”, basic understandings of the human experience slowly fade.

In the coda Bradbury recalls the ridiculous attempt of some editors to put together an anthology for a school reader that stuffed an appalling 400 short stories into one volume. How did they do it?

“Skin, debone, demarrow, scarify, melt, render down and destroy. Every adjective that counted, every verb that moved, every metaphor that weighed more than a mosquito – out! Every simile that would have made a sub-moron’s mouth twitch – gone! Any aside that explained the two-bit philosophy of a first-rate writer – lost! Every story, slenderized, starved, bluepenciled, leeched and bled white, resembled every other story. Twain read like Poe read like Shakespeare read like Dostoevsky read like – in the finale – Edgar Guest.”

I am not arguing against the functionality of the index or a summary. They have a very specific role, but too often they are used as a substitute for understanding. A chapter heading represents a boundary, rule or principle. In practice, a principle is often created as a summary of biases, and therefor cannot be trusted as fact.

This is simply a word of caution. In the creative process, don’t rely on a concept to drive a solution. Look first to the micro-problems. That is where the most uncommon solutions are found.

The MashUp Theory is a new addition to the Disquisit website. In the MashUps tab at the top of the page you will find a new post every week that takes two contrasting or conflicting works and seeks the point of intersection. The theory is that different disciplines are are all solving problems in similar ways. Often the answer we’re looking for has already been discovered in a parallel discipline. Overlay their solution and your problem and you have a mashup approach to problem solving.

Just a few thoughts about a problem I want to find a solution to. Is it possible to carry-on a normal conversation in an office context while still enjoying high-quality music individually?

Just a few thoughts about a problem I want to find a solution to. Is it possible to carry-on a normal conversation in an office context while still enjoying high-quality music individually?

This logo was created early March 2010 for Fitness Medics, LLC, a Phoenix-based startup focused on preventative maintenance/cleaning in fitness centers across the area.

The only way to build a strong, lasting relationship with consumers is to communicate. With the rise of social media outlets online, many brands believe they are communicating with their customers by tweeting about their latest product or feature. Maybe they post links to rave reviews from independent sites, or maybe they even have a blog, but it is stuffed with plugs about why their technology or features are superior. The problem is that these brands forget that communication is two-way, and happens at every level of the brand experience, not just online.

Next time you walk into your local big box retailer, look for how different brands communicate to you. Try focusing on brands that you don’t know very well. These are typically the brands who need to communicate the most at the store level. Perhaps they are new or underdeveloped brands, so they might be competing with mega brands with deep pockets. These brands are strangers to most consumers, so how do these brands attract attention, convey information and establish value? The following will outline a strategy for attaining these goals and communicating with the consumer, not at them.

The strategy will center around the principles of introduction and communication. Composing the core of these principles are two widely accepted (and sometimes competing) theories: the Uncertainty Reduction Theory and the Predicted Outcome Value Theory

Uncertainty Reduction Theory
The Uncertainty Reduction Theory was developed by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese to predict and explain relational development between strangers. Seven different axioms were developed to support the theory, but the first three have a direct impact on brand communication.

Axiom 1 states: “Strangers enter an interaction with high levels of uncertainty about the other. However, as they begin to talk to one another, the level of uncertainty decreases. In turn, as the uncertainty decreases, the interactants will talk more.” This is probably an obvious observation for most people, but it has a slightly different application for brands. As the consumer becomes more familiar and more comfortable with the brand, the more they will communicate with you (provide feedback) and communicate about you (brand loyalty).

Axiom 2 states: “As nonverbal expressive communication increases, uncertainty levels decrease, and vice versa.” The question for brands is, without any spoken or written communication, what does the brand express to the consumer? Colors, icons and images are expressive elements that need to be developed in parallel with other communicative measures to eliminate uncertainty about the brand.

Axiom 3 states: “High levels of uncertainty prompt strangers to ask more questions of the other. As uncertainty decreases, so does the posing of questions.” The most important element in the introduction of the brand is to answer questions from the consumer. However, most brands don’t have the opportunity to interact dynamically with the consumer, and therefore can’t directly answer consumer inquiries. This is why it is equally important at the store level to identify the questions. If a consumer can easily identify their question, it is more likely that their uncertainty will be reduced.

Predicted Outcome Value Theory
The Predicted Outcome Value Theory focuses more on predicting the value of a future relationship based on an initial meeting or introduction. The key proposition of the theory is that, “Communication proceeds in a manner predicted to result in the most positive outcome. In a broad sense, these outcome value predictions would lead to communicative attempts to terminate or curtail the conversation, to continue the entry-level conversation, or to escalate the conversation and relationship beyond this level.”

The brand’s communication with the customer will always proceed in a way that results in the most positive outcome. The consumer is in control of this procedure, so what this means for brands is that value must be established systematically throughout the relationship with the consumer. Consumers will focus on topics in conversation that have the most positive predicted outcome. This is another reason why it is vitally important to identify the right questions in a static environment.

The communication between a brand and consumer is multi-level and occurs in phases. It is multi-level because information and value relationships must be layered throughout the introduction to establish familiarity. The phases refer to axiom one of the Uncertainty Reduction Theory. Consumers that have a positive introductory phase communication will continue to communicate with and about the brand in the future. This provides brands with direct support for future product or service development, while also increasing awareness through the best volunteer PR group in the world: consumer advocacy.

Further Research:
Predicted Outcome Value Theory
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/1stimpre.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predicted_outcome_value_theory
Uncertainty Reduction Theory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_reduction_theory
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
http://spr.sagepub.com/

Official logo for Palm Tree Real Estate Management. Created/released November 2009.

This article is intended to address two questions. First, do ambiguous target products create different buying experiences than well-defined product categories? In other words, does the average consumer have sufficient previous experience with the target category to make a buying decision without aid? Second, can a favorable compliment category context be integrated into a target products retail display and packaging?

In order to answer these questions we will divide the consumer into two distinct segments based on their level of previous involvement with the target product. The first segment is the novice. Novice consumer are defined by the contrasting effect of context on their buying decisions. The other segment, experts, are defined by the assimilation effect of context. Experts and novices differ in how they process stimulations from target information and how they use the surrounding contextual information to make a judgment on the target product (Nam and Sternthal 2008).

The reason for dividing the consumer into these two segments is because they vary significantly in what they use as a standard for comparison. It is important to identify the standard because it is one of the first tools used by the consumer to make a judgment (Mussweiler 2003). At the novice level, the standard is highly subject to context. Novices are not likely to have a defined standard for the target product, and therefor rely on accessible and applicable environmental references to develop a standard for comparison (Lynch 1991).
Experts, on the other hand, are likely to have previous experience in the target product. They use their experience as a standard with which to evaluate the target. They are also less likely to be affected by context information, and in some cases they can even overcorrect for easily accessible context information and evaluate the target incorrectly based on a compromised standard (Nam and Sternthal 2008). However, accessibility plays a vital role in the value of context for the expert. Experts are more likely to consider associations between the target and the context if the information provided by the context is less accessible. Less accessible content acts as a stimulus for experts, and motivates them to consider associations on a deeper level (Nam and Sternthal 2008).

Returning to the first question, we have established that the product category targets discussed are ambiguous targets for novice consumers. This ambiguity allows novices to be heavily influenced by different-category contexts. Experts, on the other hand, are more influenced by stimuli resulting from less accessible context information. This information will guide the following discussion on integrating compliment category context into target product retail display and packaging.

We will start by focusing on the novice segment and defining their contextual needs, then focus on adapting the context to address the issue of information accessibility for experts. Our goal is to empower the consumer to make a positive judgment on a buying decision through contextual engagement. This can be accomplished by designing a context that is both highly accessible (identifiable benefits) and relevant to the target category. A high context relevance is necessary to produce a comparison effect rather than a contrast effect. A study by Nam and Sternthal (2008) shows that a non-relevant context perceived as high-value by the consumer will result in a low-value perception of the target product. The opposite is also true, but in an integrated context situation, a comparison to a low-value context risks devaluing the target product due to the close proximity of the context to the target.

Accessibility is the glue that holds a relevant, high-value context to the target product. In order to create a highly accessible context, we need to discover what context the target consumers are most comfortable with. If we can re-initiate the cognitive process from previous positive buying experiences in a high-value, high-relevance category, then we can use the consumer’s memory to offload part of the buying decision. The less effort needed by our target consumer purchase the target product, the more pleasant the buying experience will be. To access the consumer’s previous cognitive engagements, certain visual cues will be needed to draw attention to the existence of the context. It is important to note that novices can exhibit the same judgment as experts when they are engaged in highly accessible context. Using the right visual cues will empower the novice to feel more confident in their engagement with the target product.

Novices can be intimidated by complex statistics, facts and figures (Nam and Sternthal 2008). These items, however, are what the experts typically seek first. It is essential that the context association contain this display of information, but that it be accompanied by benefits related to the facts. Experts typically recognize the fact-benefit relationship without aid, so it is important to they retain the feeling of an informed consumer without making the information inaccessible to the novice.

Balancing the need to empower novices while not threatening the intelligence of the expert will be a  key measure of success for an integrated context. If all of the attributes discussed above are presented, it will be a beneficial retail strategy to integrate a favorable compliment category context into target product’s retail displays and packaging.

How does a consumer make a purchase decision when comparing two similar products from separate, competing brands? We have to assume that the products were not released simultaneously, resulting in an early entrant and a follower brand. The early adopter has clear advantages because consumers more intensively process the attributes of the early entrant, which leads to more retrievable memory of the attributes and their association with the brand and product (Carpenter 1989). This also can lead to preference for the early entrant over any late entrants.

The late entrant, however, has a few advantages of their own. Late entrants have the opportunity to overcome the early entrant advantage by offering common attributes plus a unique, high-value attribute (it should be noted that offering an increase in a common attribute will typically not result in a late entrant advantage due to the strength of the memory association of common attributes to early entrants). Research shows that consumers develop a stronger association between the late entrant and its unique attribute than between the early entrant and its unique attribute. The association is only useful, however, if the unique attribute is of high value (Kruschke 2001).

This directly applies to the decorative outdoor lighting product category. For the purpose of the current topic, strongly variable aesthetic attributes should not be considered. Each attribute discussed could also be broken down and treated as a product category itself. At that level, however, brand and product considerations become extremely skewed toward an aesthetic attribute preference. The focus here is strictly on technology advantages of the attributes.

The category has several competing brands, but nearly every brand shares at least one common attribute: switch-control. Because switch control is a ubiquitous attribute across many lighting product categories, we can safely assume that no single brand has the early entrant advantage through this attribute.

Another relatively established attribute is daylight control. Referred to as “dusk-to-dawn” control in the industry, it uses the occurrence of dusk and dawn to control when the light is on or off. This attribute is certainly not a standard feature in the decorative outdoor lighting category, and it is the first step away from switch-controlled lighting. Because switch-control is not ‘owned’ by any particular brand, the dusk-to-dawn attribute is typically the first encounter a consumer has with a unique attribute (see above: retrievable memory association). In this case, the dusk-to-dawn attribute is the early entrant advantage.

The ‘late’ entrant then needs a value-added unique attribute to compete (again, separating aesthetic preference from consideration). This unique attribute is typically motion control, or motion-activated lighting. In most cases, this entails that the light remains off until the motion sensor detects movement. The fixture then remains on for a set time until movement is no longer detected. Based on the research presented above, the first experience a consumer has with motion-activated outdoor decorative lighting is that brand’s unique attribute association.

In order to be successful, the next late entrant brand requires a product that shares one of the previously established attributes as a common attribute, while providing the consumer with a value-added unique attribute. This attribute could be a new technology, or some combination of the attributes listed above. Regardless of the specific feature, this unique attribute will be the defining attribute of the product and its brand. The common attributes (dusk-to-dawn, motion activation, switch-control) of the late entrant will be compared to the early entrants where the latter have the strongest advantage.

The implications of asymmetric brand associations like these is that the early entrant’s advantage lies in the value of their common attributes, where the late entrant can only gain advantage by offering a unique attribute that eclipses the value of the common attributes (Cunha Jr. and Laran 2008).