Differentiation in the Cloud: Methodology for Integrating Customer Values in Experience Design

How do organizations know they are designing products and services that their customers will value? This paper describes the initial results of the first four stages of a methodology for integrating customer Values in Experience design (ViEx). The theory of universal value structure was adapted to examine customer values in two contexts: online interaction (N=725) and shopping experience (N=742). The principle component analysis was used to identify the values structure in each context. The components represented persona dimensions and their relative order of importance characterized individual customers. The commonalities of the persona dimensions preferences were analyzed and customers were grouped by dimension preferences. Finally, the values-based persona descriptions were developed and complemented with demographic data and information from context-specific questions. The paper concludes with application of methodology to differentiation strategies in highly competitive business environments such as the cloud. The research also contributes to the discussion of values in context.