27/2-2018
Everything starts with the need of the user.
The aim of our research is always to help the ones who need better hearing. Therefore, it is important to listen to those in contact with hearing aid users, when generating the ideas which are the foundation of everything we do.
And that is exactly what we did for this week's idea generation workshop. To get inspired to think outside the box we took untraditional methods into use. We opened a window to reality by inviting Kirsten Miró, who is a hairdresser, and Tanja Pico Stougaard, who is an optician, to Eriksholm Research Centre. Their professions may not be the first that comes to mind when thinking of hearing loss, but they are both in contact with hearing aid users in their daily work. And that gives them a special knowledge.
To spark all kinds of alternative ideas, our two guest were interviewed about their experiences in a temporary living room in the lecture hall. A setup which hasn't been seen before at Eriksholm.
“Some costumers tell me that they have a hearing aid, because they want to make sure that I don’t cut the hair to short, so the hearing aid will be visible,” hairdresser Kirsten Miró explained in the interview.
Tanja Pico Stougaard told that for an optician it is quite important to know, whether the costumer is a hearing aid user in order to make the glasses fit properly next to the hearing aid.
“When we choose a frame, it needs to fit behind the ears, so we will always notice, if they are using a hearing aid, even if they don’t tell us,” she said.
Her impression is that her costumers are happy with their hearing aids and not afraid to talk about them. But some, especially women, still seem a bit shy about publicly showing their hearing aids. Kirsten Miró agreed to this.
After the interview our employees really got to work and opened up a creative mindset, which resulted in tables and windows painted with colourful post-its and bright ideas.