Unlocking global market potential.
Empowering product development with cultural and linguistic insights.
Tech Startup
CLIENT
A global tech start-up, focused on creating innovative collaborative reading and reference tools.
BRIEF
Kore was approached to conduct a comprehensive research and development (R&D) exercise aimed at validating product assumptions and gathering evidence to inform both product development and business strategy. The research centred around two key areas: (1) collaborative experiences related to digital reading and (2) the authority of text, exploring how language scripts and fonts impact user engagement and interaction across diverse cultures and languages, including Hindi, Arabic, and Chinese. This R&D effort was a critical component for a proof of concept (POC) and upcoming funding rounds
Kore was tasked with delivering a robust R&D project that would directly inform the start-up's product development and business positioning. Our approach included a multi-phased research process, combining extensive market analysis with ethnographic research and user interviews conducted across various global regions. We worked closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) and local communities to ensure that insights were deeply rooted in the lived experiences of users from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Global User Research and Ethnographic Study
Kore's team conducted on-the-ground research across eight countries, focusing on regions where Hindi, Arabic, and Chinese were the primary languages. We engaged with users in a wide range of settings, from community learning environments and educational institutions to remote rural villages, including regions in the Himalayas where access to shared digital devices was the norm. By observing digital reading behaviours in both urban centres and rural communities, we gained a nuanced understanding of how users interact with text across different cultures and linguistic contexts.
The research uncovered critical insights into how collaborative digital reading experiences can foster community learning and engagement. For example, we observed that users in community learning environments were highly responsive to interactive reading tools, especially in settings like book clubs or educational forums where collaboration was key to the experience.
Cultural Attitudes Toward Text and Script
A central focus of our research was understanding how different language scripts and fonts influence user interaction with digital text. We explored how cultural perceptions of authority, accessibility, and engagement shift based on the script being used. For example, we examined whether users felt more comfortable engaging with text in Arabic, Hindi, or Chinese scripts versus other languages like English or Portuguese.
Market Analysis and Technical Recommendations
In addition to user research, Kore conducted a detailed market analysis to assess global trends in collaborative learning tools and digital reading experiences. This analysis identified key opportunities for the start-up to differentiate its product in a rapidly evolving sector.
The research revealed fascinating cultural dynamics. For instance, Arabic users expressed a stronger sense of authority and formality when interacting with Arabic script, while some Hindi-speaking users found Romanised text more approachable but less authoritative. In China, script style and font choices had a significant impact on whether text was perceived as informal or official, directly influencing user engagement, the perception of the writing and user willingness to interact digitally with it.
IMPACT
Our comprehensive research yielded critical insights into how different cultures and linguistic groups engage with digital text and collaborative reading tools. These findings directly shaped the start-up’s product development and strategy, helping to refine the value proposition for global markets.
Understanding the nuances of script and font authority across cultures allowed for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive platform, ensuring users in different regions could engage meaningfully with the product.
Our research findings emphasised the importance of localised user experiences, demonstrating how collaborative reading tools could foster stronger community engagement in education settings, rural communities, and urban centres alike.
The insights gathered from market analysis and user research provided a strong foundation for the POC and funding rounds, giving investors confidence in the product’s potential to scale globally and increasing the startup’s valuation by 257% between funding rounds.
Four ❹
Ethnographic community research conducted in four continents
257% ⏶
increase to business valuation
Leading ↗
Groundbreaking sectoral research and insights