Designing the Ride:
Turning Research Design into Experience Design
Have you ever visited an amusement park and jumped on a roller coaster with perhaps a bit of fear but lots of excitement? I personally love this feeling! Anytime I am standing on the entrance, staring at those huge twists and hearing the screams, I can’t help but to notice all the hard work and time that was dedicated to building this. I truly appreciate the fact that before a roller coaster ever roars through its first drop, engineers spend years imagining every twist, turn, and gasp. This is all so we, as the visitors, can enjoy this experience. They (engineers) design with the end purpose in mind (visitors pleasure), mapping not just the track and speed, but the feeling they want riders to have when they step on and off, wide-eyed and smiling.
As a marketer, I’ve come to the realization that conducting marketing research is no different than the engineers work in this scenario. Regardless if it is studying customer behavior or testing for a new campaign, we as marketers are designing and testing a customer experience. One that leads to a clear insight instead of a mixed up conclusion. Something is very clear: without a clear destination, data becomes a tangled track to nowhere.
If we apply this to an audience like Gen Z, marketing and communications design matters more than ever. Deloitte’s 2023 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that this specific generation trust isn’t built through price tags or press releases, it’s built through proof. They believe in brands that act with empathy and live their values both online and in the real world. A campaign might catch their attention, but a cause-driven experience earns their actual loyalty.
If the research doesn’t start with their worldview in mind, the real thrill might be missed, understanding what moves them to action is crucial.
Qualitative vs. Quantitative: The Park Map and the Ride Metrics
Imagine walking into Universal Studios without a map. You’d wander, maybe stumble upon a gem, maybe miss the main attraction. That’s qualitative research, it helps marketers explore the park through the visitor’s eyes and emotions, uncovering hidden stories about why people choose one ride over another, or what makes them return for a second loop.
Qualitative Research Questions — “The Park Map”
Qualitative research questions are the guide to discovery and empathy. They’re about understanding emotions, motivations, and stories. In marketing terms, these are your empathy-building questions, the ones that reveal the “why” behind behaviors.
A few examples of qualitative research questions Universal Parks might have:
What makes a Gen Z feel most connected to the park: the thrill, the nostalgia, or the storytelling?
What emotions do visitors associate with waiting in line, sharing photos, or exiting a ride?
Quantitative Research Questions — “The Ride Metrics”
These questions deliver measurable insights. They’re about tracking patterns, frequencies, and results. In marketing terms: these are your performance gauges, the ones that tell you “what,” “how much,” and “how often.:
A few examples of quantitative research questions Universal Parks might have:
How many Gen Z visitors rated a specific ride (or brand experience) 9/10 or higher?
What percentage of parkgoers share photos or videos from their visit on social media?
The real magic happens when both of these come together. The map gives meaning to the park; the metrics build up the momentum. For Gen Z’s hybrid behavior, who blend online and offline worlds seamlessly, mixed-method research allows to beautifully capture both the clicks and the connection, the data and the delight.