By carrying out a worldwide user study, Microsoft Media Room found out how well their product can compete with the respective local products of their competitors. We carried out and evaluated this benchmark study for the Swiss market.
For this study, we found 30 representative users according to the profile that was provided by Microsoft Mediaroom: Cable TV subscribers to the two main operators in Switzerland between 18 and 55 years of age.
To come as close as possible to the reality of the users, we carried out the study in a simulated living room situation in the Swisscom Usability Labs. Participants were briefly interviewed and then completed a set of predefined tasks with the two set-top boxes. They conveyed their results using the thinking-aloud method.
The tests we recorded audiovisually. Then, we systematically analyzed the results. We facilitated the results in a final report that also included our expert report to the Microsoft development team.
Microsoft Mediaroom is the leading provider of TV-system software worldwide. Microsoft carried out this study in most of the countries in Europe in order to attain a sustainable improvement of their products and secure their market leadership.
Our project partners were Telono AG, Geneva and Amberlight Ltd, London.