User research is the
key in choosing not
see the user interface as their
No. 1 priority.
When voice communications
were the main service for the
mobile industry and Korean
mobile manufacturers followed
leading companies like Nokia
and Motorola, technology and
quality of voice communications were important. As soon
as they achieved a certain level
of technological sophistication, Korean manufacturers
shifted their focus to the design
of products. However, as data
communications surpassed
voice communications in
importance in most developed
countries and Korean manufacturers began to lead the market
instead of following it, they
realized the importance of UI.
In order to be a top seller in
tough markets such as North
America, they needed more
than stunning design and a
balanced portfolio of phones.
They learned that UI itself
can be a key strategy not only
for smart phones but also
for all other feature phones.
This is why Samsung and
LG Electronics focus on user
research to understand the
unmet needs of mobile users
and to satisfy their customers
with impressive and unique UI.
LG Electronics recently founded
its Insight and Innovation (INI)
research center, which identi-
fies new business opportuni-
ties, new product designs, and
new marketing strategies—all
based on insights gained from
user research. INI investigators
use cutting-edge qualitative
research methods and segmen-
tation approaches to better
understand target audiences.
For example, INI researchers
visited Indian homes to study
the local lifestyle, eventually
developing home appliances
that are optimized to Indian
culture. The “Stars of India”
brand line resulted in a 100 per-
cent increase in LCD TV sales
and a 30 percent boost in cell
phone sales.
only the right user
interface design but
also the right strategy.
Stakeholders in
major Korean mobile
companies such as
Samsung and LG
Electronics see the user
interface as their
No. 1 priority.
Acknowledgment
I am grateful to Seok-Moo Kang
and Byungwoo Yang at SK Telecom,
who worked with us on the
mMessenger project. They showed
true partnership.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jay Chaeyong Yi is the
founder and CEO of pxd
( http://pxd.kr), a user inter-
face consulting firm that
offers digital products and
services strategy, user interface design,
and graphic user interface design. He holds
a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineer-
ing from Seoul National University and a
master’s in design from Carnegie Mellon
University. He and his colleagues apply
their interdisciplinary understanding of tech-
nology, art, and business to simultaneously
formulate business strategies and profes-
sional design implementations. He teaches
user interface design at Yonsei University.
Prior to founding pxd, Yi also worked at
Samsung Electronics for six years.
January + February 2010
DOI: 10.1145/1649475.1649487
© 2010 ACM 1072-5220/10/0100 $10.00