3.2 Market Research

Have you ever had a fantastic idea for an app or a digital product? Before you jump into creating it, there’s something very important you should do first—Market Research!

What is Market Research? Market research involves collecting and analyzing information about:

• Your Target Market: Who are your potential users or customers?
• Competitors: Who else offers similar products or solutions?

Doing market research helps you understand what your users really need, what they like, and what problems they’re facing. By talking directly to these people through interviews and surveys, you’ll gather valuable information to make your idea even better.

But wait, there’s more! You also need to learn about others who might be doing something similar—your competitors. Understanding what others offer helps you find unique ways to make your app stand out and succeed.

In this lesson, you’ll become a detective:

• You’ll identify exactly who needs your app.
• You’ll learn how to ask the right questions to understand your users better.
• You’ll use what you find to improve your app idea.
• You’ll discover your competitors and learn how to make your solution uniquely special.

Okay team, Muzukuke! Welcome! Today, we’re diving into something super important for making your app ideas truly amazing and ready for the competition. It’s all about understanding who you’re building your app for and what problems they really face. Think of yourselves not just as coders, but as problem solvers for our communities here in Uganda!

This lesson is your foundation. Get this right, and your app has a much higher chance of being useful, loved, and winning! Let’s break it down.

Lesson Topic: Finding Your People & Understanding the Field (Market & Competitor Research)

Why does this even matter?

Imagine you build the best app ever for helping farmers track milk production. But… you built it for farmers who raise chickens. Or maybe you built it, but it requires constant, high-speed internet in a village with patchy network coverage. It won’t work, right?

Market research helps you avoid these mistakes. It ensures:

1. You’re solving a real problem.
2. You’re solving it for people who actually have that problem.
3. You’re building something they can and want to use.
4. You know what other solutions exist so you can be better or different.

Part 1: Identify Your Target Market (Who are you helping?)

This is about figuring out exactly who experiences the problem your app aims to solve. Be specific!

• Think: Who feels this pain the most? Where do they live? What do they do? How old are they?

Examples (Let’s make them Ugandan!):

• Your App Idea: An app to connect local artisans in Jinja with tourists looking for authentic crafts.
  • Target Market: Local craft makers (wood carvers, weavers, painters) in the Jinja area AND tourists (international & domestic) visiting Jinja who are interested in cultural souvenirs.
• Your App Idea: A mobile platform for reporting water pipe bursts or leaks quickly to National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC).
  • Target Market: Residents (homeowners, tenants) in urban and peri-urban areas of Uganda covered by NWSC, who have smartphones.
• Your App Idea: An app using USSD (because smartphones/data might be limited) to provide daily market prices for maize to smallholder farmers in Northern Uganda.
  • Target Market: Smallholder maize farmers in specific districts (e.g., Gulu, Lira) who own basic mobile phones (kabiriti).
• Your App Idea: An educational game app to help P.L.E. students revise Science concepts.
  • Target Market: Primary 7 students in Uganda, potentially their parents or teachers as well.

Okay team, Muzukuke! Welcome! Today, we’re diving into something super important for making your app ideas truly amazing and ready for the competition. It’s all about understanding who you’re building your app for and what problems they really face. Think of yourselves not just as coders, but as problem solvers for our communities here in Uganda!

This lesson is your foundation. Get this right, and your app has a much higher chance of being useful, loved, and winning! Let’s break it down.

Lesson Topic: Finding Your People & Understanding the Field (Market & Competitor Research)

Why does this even matter?

Imagine you build the best app ever for helping farmers track milk production. But… you built it for farmers who raise chickens. Or maybe you built it, but it requires constant, high-speed internet in a village with patchy network coverage. It won’t work, right?

Market research helps you avoid these mistakes. It ensures:

1. You’re solving a real problem.
2. You’re solving it for people who actually have that problem.
3. You’re building something they can and want to use.
4. You know what other solutions exist so you can be better or different.

Part 1: Identify Your Target Market (Who are you helping?)

This is about figuring out exactly who experiences the problem your app aims to solve. Be specific!

• Think: Who feels this pain the most? Where do they live? What do they do? How old are they?

Examples (Let’s make them Ugandan!):

• Your App Idea: An app to connect local artisans in Jinja with tourists looking for authentic crafts.
  • Target Market: Local craft makers (wood carvers, weavers, painters) in the Jinja area AND tourists (international & domestic) visiting Jinja who are interested in cultural souvenirs.
• Your App Idea: A mobile platform for reporting water pipe bursts or leaks quickly to National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC).
  • Target Market: Residents (homeowners, tenants) in urban and peri-urban areas of Uganda covered by NWSC, who have smartphones.
• Your App Idea: An app using USSD (because smartphones/data might be limited) to provide daily market prices for maize to smallholder farmers in Northern Uganda.
  • Target Market: Smallholder maize farmers in specific districts (e.g., Gulu, Lira) who own basic mobile phones (kabiriti).
• Your App Idea: An educational game app to help P.L.E. students revise Science concepts.
  • Target Market: Primary 7 students in Uganda, potentially their parents or teachers as well.

Activity Idea (Mini-Brainstorm – 10 mins):

• Each team take 5 minutes: Write down your current app idea. Now, list 3 specific groups of people in Uganda who might be your target market. Be precise! (e.g., not just “students,” but “Senior 4 students in Kampala preparing for UNEB physics practicals”). Share briefly with the group.

Part 2: Interview Your Target Market (Talk to the People!)

This is where you get REAL insights. Don’t just guess what people need – ask them!

Why Interview? You uncover hidden details, understand their feelings about the problem, and test if your idea resonates.

How to Interview (Think Local Context):

1. Best:Face-to-face (Obusobozi): Go where your target market is!
   • Scenario: If your app is for market vendors, go to Jinja Central Market or Amber Court Market. Ask permission, be polite, maybe even buy something first! Explain you’re students working on a project.
   • Scenario: If it’s for students, talk to your classmates, friends in other schools, or visit a nearby school (with permission).
   • Scenario: For farmers? Plan a visit to a nearby village or farming cooperative (maybe talk to your relatives first).
2. Better: Video or Phone Call: Good if people are far away (e.g., interviewing someone in Kampala from Jinja). WhatsApp calls are common.
3. Good: Email/WhatsApp Message: Can work, but it’s less personal. People might ignore it, or give short answers. Best for simple, direct questions.

What to Ask? (Keep it Conversational!)

Don’t just read a list! Have a chat, but guide it with questions like these:

About the Problem:

• “We’re exploring challenges around [Your Problem Area, e.g., ‘getting fair prices for crafts’]. Is this something you experience?” (Instead of: Do you have this problem?)
• “How do you currently handle [the problem, e.g., ‘finding customers for your crafts’]?” (Understand their current methods – word of mouth? selling by the roadside? a specific shop?)
• “What works well with that? What’s frustrating about it?” (Find the pain points!)
• “Have you ever wished there was an easier/better way to [solve the problem, e.g., ‘reach tourists directly’]?”

About Your (Potential) Solution:

• “We have an idea for an app that would help you [briefly explain your core idea, e.g., ‘showcase your crafts online for tourists to see before they visit’]. Does that sound interesting?” (Instead of: Would you use it?)
• “If something like this existed, what would be the most important thing it should do for you?” (Identify key features – photos? prices? contact info? map location?)
• “Some apps have costs. Would something like this be valuable enough for you to pay a small amount for? Perhaps a small monthly fee, or a small commission per sale?” (Gauge willingness to pay – be sensitive, maybe offer free/paid versions). Be ready for “No,” and ask why!

Interviewing Experts:

• If your app is about agriculture, try talking to an extension worker (NAADS/OWC) or someone at a local farming NGO.
• Health app? Talk to a nurse at the local clinic, a village health team (VHT) member, or a doctor if possible.
• Education app? Talk to experienced teachers or headteachers.
  • Scenario: Your P.L.E. Science app team could interview a P.7 Science teacher to understand common revision challenges.

Part 3: Conducting Surveys (Asking Many People Quickly)

Interviews give depth, surveys give breadth (numbers!). Good for confirming patterns you saw in interviews.

How to Survey in Uganda:

• Paper: Very effective, especially in schools, community meetings, or places with limited internet. You can hand them out and collect them.
  • Scenario: Print survey sheets and ask P.7 students to fill them out during a break time (with teacher’s permission).
• Online: Google Forms are great if your target audience has reliable internet access and smartphones/computers. Share the link via WhatsApp, email, or social media.
  • Scenario: Surveying university students or young professionals in Kampala/Jinja via a WhatsApp group link to a Google Form.

Target: Aim for at least 15 responses to start seeing some trends. More is better!

Example Survey Questions (Mix & Match):

• Multiple Choice (Easy to answer):
  • (Artisan App) How do you currently sell most of your crafts?
    • ☐ Roadside stand
    • ☐ Own shop
    • ☐ Through a cooperative/gallery
    • ☐ Directly to tourists who walk by
    • ☐ Online (e.g., Facebook)
    • ☐ Other: ______
  • (Water Reporting App) Have you ever experienced a water leak/burst pipe at your home/business?
    • ☐ Yes ☐ No
  • (PLE App) Do you use a smartphone or tablet for schoolwork/revision?
    • ☐ Yes, regularly ☐ Yes, sometimes ☐ No
• Scale (Rating 1-5) (Measures intensity):
  • (Market Price App) How difficult is it for you to find reliable daily market prices for your maize?
    • (1-Very Easy, 2-Easy, 3-Neutral, 4-Difficult, 5-Very Difficult)
  • (PLE App) On a scale of 1 to 5, how helpful would practice quizzes be for your Science revision?
    • (1-Not helpful at all, 5-Extremely helpful)
• Yes/No (Quick confirmation):
  • (Artisan App) Would you be interested in listing your crafts on an app for tourists to see?
    • ☐ Yes ☐ No
  • (Water Reporting App) Would you use an app to report water issues if it was faster than calling?
    • ☐ Yes ☐ No

Technovation Example Adaptation:

• Nutrie App: “Is providing healthy meals for your child a challenge sometimes?” ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Nutrie App: “Would you use a simple app to get ideas for healthy, affordable Ugandan meals for kids?” ☐ Yes ☐ No

Part 4: Analyzing Survey Results (Making Sense of the Numbers)

Okay, you have interview notes and survey answers. Now what? Look for patterns!

• Tally the answers: How many people said “Yes” vs. “No”? What was the average rating on scale questions?
• Look for Trends: Did most farmers say finding prices is hard? Did most students want practice quizzes? Did older artisans prefer face-to-face sales while younger ones were open to an app?
• Key Questions to Answer with Your Data:
  • Is there real interest? Did people seem genuinely excited or just polite? Did survey numbers back this up? (e.g., “80% of students surveyed said they would use a revision quiz app.”)
  • Will they pay? This is tough. Be realistic. Maybe a free version with ads, or a small one-time fee is better than subscription in some Ugandan contexts. (e.g., “Only 20% said they’d pay, suggesting a free model is better initially.”)
  • What features matter MOST? Which features got people most excited in interviews? Which ones were rated highly in surveys? Focus on these first! (e.g., “Easy photo uploads and contact info were mentioned most by artisans.”)

Example Finding (Ugandan context):

• “Our survey of 25 small shop owners in Jinja showed that 90% use mobile money daily, but only 30% currently use a smartphone app for business tasks. This suggests potential, but maybe a USSD interface or very simple app is needed.”

Part 5: Competitor Research (Checking Out the Competition)

You’re probably not the only one trying to solve this problem. Knowing who else is out there helps you be unique.

Who are Competitors? They might be other apps, websites, or even non-tech solutions people currently use.

Ugandan Examples:

• Your App Idea: Boda-boda hailing app (like Uber/Bolt but for bodas).
  • Competitors: SafeBoda, Bolt, Uber (existing apps), Regular boda-boda stages (traditional way), Dial-a-boda services (phone calls).
• Your App Idea: App for learning local Ugandan languages (e.g., Luganda, Lusoga).
  • Competitors: YouTube channels teaching languages, Physical phrasebooks, Language tutors, Existing apps (like Duolingo – does it have local languages?), Websites with language lessons.
• Your App Idea: Mobile money comparison app (comparing fees).
  • Competitors: MTN MoMo app, Airtel Money app (people checking fees directly), Bank apps, Word-of-mouth (asking friends), Websites that might list fees (often outdated).

How to Analyze Competitors:

1. Identify: List at least 3 competitors (apps or other solutions).
2. Use Them: Download the apps! Try the websites! Pretend to be a customer using the traditional method.
3. Ask:
   • How does their solution work? What are the steps for a user?
   • What’s special or good about it? (e.g., “SafeBoda has trained drivers and helmets.”) Why do people use it?
   • What’s missing or bad about it? (e.g., “Existing apps don’t cover my town well,” “The traditional way has inconsistent pricing,” “That website is hard to use on a phone.”) This is your opportunity!
   • How can YOUR app be better or different? (e.g., “We can focus only on Jinja routes,” “We can offer USSD access,” “We can have clearer language options,” “We can integrate with local savings groups (SACCOs).”)

Part 6: Reflection (Thinking Time!)

You’ve done the research! Now, step back and think:

1. User Feedback: Based on your interviews and surveys, what needs to change about your original app idea?
   • Maybe you need to add a feature people really want.
   • Maybe you need to remove a feature nobody cared about.
   • Maybe you need to target a slightly different group.
   • Maybe you need to rethink the payment model (e.g., free vs. paid).
2. Standing Out: Based on your competitor research, how will your app be unique and better than what’s already available? What’s your special selling point?

This isn’t failure! This is smart adaptation! Making changes based on research is a sign of a strong team.

Part 7: Let’s Practice! (Activities)

Now it’s your turn to DO the work. This is crucial for your competition submission.

Activity 1: User Research (Your Mission – 90 min target, but take the time you need!)

1. Refine Your Idea: Briefly re-state your app idea and target market based on today.
2. Interview Prep: Write down 5-7 key questions you want to ask potential users (use the examples above!). Think about who specifically you can talk to.
3. Conduct Interviews: Go out (or call/message) and interview at least 2 potential users. Take good notes! Be polite and thank them!
4. Survey Prep: Create a short survey (5-8 questions) using Google Forms or on paper. Mix question types.
5. Survey Plan: How will you get at least 15 people to take your survey? Make a specific plan (e.g., “Ask teacher permission to survey P.7 class,” “Share Google Form link in family WhatsApp group,” “Print copies and visit the local market on Saturday”).
6. Use the Worksheet: Fill out the ‘User Research Worksheet’ provided by Technovation as you go.

Activity 2: Competitor Research (Your Mission – 60 min target)

1. Identify Competitors: Find at least 3 competitors for your app idea (apps or existing solutions).
2. Analyze: Use them/research them. Answer the analysis questions: How do they work? What’s good? What’s bad/missing?
3. Your Edge: How will YOUR app be different and better?
4. Use the Worksheet: Fill out the ‘Competitor Analysis Worksheet’.

Part 8: Quick Review (Key Terms)

• Target Market: The specific group of people in Uganda you want to help and who will use your app.
• User Research: Talking to (interviews) and asking (surveys) your target market to understand their needs.
• Competitor Research: Studying other apps or solutions that already exist to find your unique advantage.
• Survey: A way to ask many people the same questions quickly (online or on paper).

Part 9: Helpful Tools & Inspiration

• Visualize Your Findings: When you present your work later, showing your research results clearly is powerful. Use tools like:
  • Canva: Great for creating simple charts and infographics (easy to learn).
  • Adobe Express: Similar to Canva.
  • Google Slides: You can make basic charts and visuals right in your presentation.
• Learn from Others: Watch the Technovation videos linked in the lesson – see how other teams like yours did their research!

REVIEW OF KEY TERMS

• Target market – the people who will use your product
• Competitor Research – gathering information about the people or companies making things similar to your product
• Survey – asking a group of people questions either with paper or an online form

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Learn how Technovation Girls did user research for their projects!

Technovation alumnae discuss how they connected with end users in this video clip(5:30 min).

This takes effort, but it’s worth it. You are building solutions for our people, our communities. Let’s show everyone the amazing innovation coming out of Uganda! Webale nnyo! Yalama Noi! Afwoyo Mmateki! Mwanyala Naabi! Any questions before you start? Let’s make these apps shine! 🌟