Google's Mobile Behaviour Groups

Photo by Rain Chen

Google breaks down mobile device users into three behaviour groups: repetitive now, bored now, and urgent now.

I've widely seen this reported as distinct types of users which doesn't make sense, as many, depending on context, could fit into anyone of these groups during the course of a day.

The "repetitive now" user is someone checking for the same piece of information over and over again, like checking the same stock quotes or weather. Google uses cookies to help cater to mobile users who check and recheck the same data points.

The "bored now" are users who have time on their hands. People on trains or waiting in airports or sitting in cafes. Mobile users in this behavior group look a lot more like casual Web surfers, but mobile phones don't offer the robust user input of a desktop, so the applications have to be tailored.

The "urgent now" is a request to find something specific fast, like the location of a bakery or directions to the airport. Since a lot of these questions are location-aware, Google tries to build location into the mobile versions of these queries.

Via Informationweek.

See also: Lessons From Google Mobile and Gartner: Mobile User Experience to Drive Design of Web Apps.

Google's Mobile Behaviour Groups

Photo by Rain Chen Google breaks down mobile device users into three behaviour groups: repetitive now, bored now, and urgent now. I've widely seen this reported as distinct types of users which doesn't make sense, as many, depending on context, could fit into anyone of these groups during the course of a day.

The "repetitive now" user is someone checking for the same piece of information over and over again, like checking the same stock quotes or weather. Google uses cookies to help cater to mobile users who check and recheck the same data points. The "bored now" are users who have time on their hands. People on trains or waiting in airports or sitting in cafes. Mobile users in this behavior group look a lot more like casual Web surfers, but mobile phones don't offer the robust user input of a desktop, so the applications have to be tailored. The "urgent now" is a request to find something specific fast, like the location of a bakery or directions to the airport. Since a lot of these questions are location-aware, Google tries to build location into the mobile versions of these queries.

Via Informationweek. See also: Lessons From Google Mobile and Gartner: Mobile User Experience to Drive Design of Web Apps.