Identifying the Target Market for a Product or Design

Understanding the target market is crucial for any Design and Technology project. It is essential to clearly identify and understand who your target user is at the outset of your project. This article guides you through key questions to help you create a clear picture of your target market.

Why businesses target specific customers

Most products target a particular group of customers based on demographics (age, gender, location, family status, occupation, and so on) and socio-economic factors (income and employment status etc). Targeting a specific type of user helps companies ensure a good product-market fit. In other words, it is better to design a product that perfectly aligns with the needs of a smaller group, than to create a more generalised product that fully meets the needs of no one.

Understanding the target market helps a company understand the lifestyle, needs, and behaviours of potential customers. Understanding who the user is helps a company set appropriate price points, choose marketing strategies, and develop products that align with the target market’s needs, ultimately making it more likely that a greater number of products will be sold.

Key questions to help you identify your target market:

Are you designing for an individual or a group?

Consider whether your design will serve specialised individual needs or address common challenges faced by a larger group.

• Is your product aimed at a specific individual with unique needs, like an elderly relative or a child with specific requirements?
• Or are you targeting a broader segment of the population who share common characteristics or goals, such as urban commuters, or home gardeners?
• Who is the primary user?

What is the age range of your target user?

Age significantly influences physical capabilities, preferences, and product interactions. Consider how age affects physical strength and dexterity (dexterity is the fine motor skill and coordination in using hands and fingers to handle objects or perform tasks such as writing and tying shoelaces), ability to understand text and visual elements (for example, younger users may not understand written instructions and older users may have weaker vision), and safety concerns differ for babies and toddlers vs the elderly, for example.

• Does your product target children, teenagers, adults, or elderly?
• Is your product aimed at a specific age group or spanning multiple age ranges?

Does your product target a particular gender?

Although many products are gender-neutral, some products address specific gender-related needs or preferences – such as products related to pregnancy.

• Is your product specifically designed for a particular gender?

Does the product cater toward particular cultural preferences?

Cultural heritage and ethnic identity can shape preferences, needs, and product usage patterns.

• Does the target user typically belong to a specific cultural or ethnic group?
• Are there religious considerations to be aware of?

What are the typical living arrangements of the target user?

Whether someone is single, married, a parent, or living in a multi-generational household affects their needs and purchasing decisions. Family circumstances and living arrangements can significantly influence availability of space and how a product will be used. For example, a young adult at university who is house-sharing with friends has different needs to an elderly resident in a care home, or a family with young children.

• Is the user single, married, or living with family?
• Do they have pets, children, or dependents?
• Do they live in an apartment, house, shared accommodation, or care facility?

Does the target user live in a specific location, climate, or country?

Where people live – urban, suburban, or rural areas – as well as specific regions or countries, influences lifestyle and needs. The surrounding climate and weather conditions can have a significant impact on a design.

• Does the target user live in an urban, suburban, or rural environment?
• Does the target user reside in a particular geographical location or climate?
• Are there any infrastructure considerations or issues relating to access and availability of resources?

Does the target user have any distinguishing physical characteristics?

For example, some hair products are designed for those with long hair. Others cater to those with physical limitations, or special needs such as vision impairment, or hearing loss.

• Does the target user have any specific physical needs or limitations?
• Does the target user have any defining characteristics or capabilities?

What is the technology comfort level of the target user?

Technological fluency and comfort can influence influence later decisions about product complexity and interface design.

• Is the target audience tech-savvy or do they prefer simpler, ‘old-school’ solutions?
• How do users typically interact with similar products?
• Are there any issues or challenges in this area?
• Is the target market a heavy user of social media?

What is the typical education level of the user?

Educational background can influence product preferences, purchasing decisions, and how people interact with products. For example, an accounting software aimed at business owners might have a different level of complexity to a product targeted at a three year old.

Does the target user have a particular occupation?

For example, some products are designed for use in a particular profession – such as medical equipment.

• Does the product target a particular profession?
• Do the user work from home or commute?

What is the income level and socio-economic background of the target user?

Whether employed, self-employed, unemployed, or retired influences income and lifestyle. How much money someone earns directly affects their purchasing power and ability to afford different types of products. For example, variations in price sensitivity exist between different groups, such as teenagers, who are not yet employed, versus those in middle-age, who are often at peak earning capacity.

• Does the target audience have disposable income for non-essential products, such as premium or luxury goods?
• Do they have a high level of debt?
• Is the target user budget-focused?
• Are they home owners?
• What is the target user’s employment status?
• Does the product have variations that come at different price points to cater to different segments of the market?
• Does the target user have any brand alignment or quality expectations?

What level of product knowledge or experience does your user have?

Some users are beginner level – others are experts in their field. Users bring different levels of expertise and expectations.

• Does the user have previous experience with similar products?
• What is their level of technical knowledge and confidence?
• Does the user have a high need for instruction or guidance?

What are the daily routines and habits of your target user?

Understanding how your product fits into users’ lives is crucial. For example, some products are targeted at marathon runners.

• Does the target user have time constraints and important usage patterns?
• Does the target user require the product to link in with other daily activities?
• Does the user have any relevant routines or habits?
• Is the target user a frequent or occasional user of the product?

What are the overriding goals, beliefs, and desires of the user?

Many products aim to address deep, underlying fundamental desires and values that motivate purchasing decisions. What are they aiming to get from the product? In many ways, this is the most important question.

• Does the target user wish to be perceived as attractive or fashionable?
• Do they wish to display success or achievement?
• Do they wish to be seen as trendy or ahead of trends?
• Do they need to maintain professional appearance or fit in with a particular social group?
• Do they have strong environmental or ethical values, with a commitment to supporting sustainable materials or reducing waste?
• Do they have a concern for animal welfare?
• Do they have health and wellness goals, with an emphasis upon fitness and eating well?
• Do they wish to support natural or organic products?
• Do they wish to learn something new?
• Do they wish to improve their personal productivity?
• Do they wish to strengthen family bonds or build a sense of community?
• Do they need social recognition?
• Does the user have any ‘pain point’ or problems that need to be resolved?

Understanding these core values and desires will help inform how your product can meaningfully address the user’s deeper needs rather than just surface-level requirements.

How might the target market evolve or change over time?

Changing customer requirements can introduce complications, resulting in products that need to be more flexible or easily adapted.

• Has the target market changed over time? Are there demographic shifts in the target population?
• Is this change rapid or gradual?
• Do emerging technologies affect user needs?
• Are there changing social patterns or cultural expectations?
• Do new regulations impact the target market?

What are the buying patterns of the target market?

• Are there seasonal buying patterns?
• Online vs. in-store preferences?
• Are there brand loyalty factors?

This initial user profile provides the foundation for all subsequent research and design decisions in your coursework project. Understanding your target market helps to ensure your final product meets genuine user needs while demonstrating comprehensive market awareness.