Auditing the 'Known vs. Unknown' is the Secret to Process Optimization
AKA “Toilet Study”
for Big-Tech
Emerging Technology, Smart Home, Consumer Electronics
Client IndustryAI & Emerging Technology Implementation, Organizational Process Optimization, Strategic Research
Services ProvidedPrevented redundant data collection and optimized research strategy, saving $10k+ in valuable budget
Shifted client focus from measuring standardized environments to uncovering actual user behavioral insights
Established a core Lini philosophy: clear objectives must be paired with an audit of existing data
Key ResultsChallenge
A major tech organization was developing a screen & camera-enabled emerging tech product designed for the home.
The research scope was massive, requiring an understanding of general product usage, floor plan mapping, and surface measurements to inform strict engineering specs like screen angle and lens size.
The friction point was the client was convinced users would place the device in their bathrooms, insisting that the research team manually measure every single participant's toilet.
Sound similar to your situation?
Identifying Redundancy
The issue wasn't the research objectives. It was that most of the data they were asking us to collect manually in the field already existed in manufacturing databases. Toilets are highly standardized fixtures. We were being asked to measure the known.
Optimizing Strategy
Lini worked with the client to audit the "Known vs. Unknown." By proving that standard environmental measurements could be sourced externally, we optimized the research strategy for these sessions, redirecting the high-value in-home efforts toward the true unknowns: how users actually felt about and interacted with a camera-enabled device in private spaces.
Impact +
Continued Success
This project affectionately became known as "The Toilet Study," serving as a permanent reminder that clear research objectives are not enough on their own. By successfully pushing back on redundant scope and optimizing the research process, we saved the client time and money, delivering the necessary engineering specs alongside deeper, more valuable behavioral insights.
Are you wasting budget measuring what you already know?
Schedule a Free Consultation to optimize your strategy and build workflows focused on the true unknowns.