Upli: Financial Health Appiness (C)

This field-based case set uses qualitative and quantitative research during the early stages of app development to unfold circumstances that allow for an analysis of the problems people have around financial health, consumer insights, and the largest market opportunity. The material provides the opportunity to explore data gathered through focus groups, quantitative survey research, and factor analysis for segment inputs. This further enables exploration of experimentation, practice in using and interpreting qualitative data, and discussion of using qualitative data as a stimulus for generating quantitative data. Key takeaways include when and where a focus group approach is appropriate, risks, and other research techniques that might be considered, as well as learning around segmentation, targeting, positioning, and new product development.

In the A and B cases, the founders of Upli, Michael Krause and Christof Meyer, use focus groups to generate insights into who would use a financial wellness app, then use qualitative data from the focus groups to write survey questions to test quantitatively and create segments, and finally use factor analysis to identify which variables appear to be most potent for segmentation inputs and construct a framework to compare segments. This C case reveals the steps they took to design the Upli MVP and push it out to a small group of people. It also offers insight into entrepreneurial motivations to keep moving forward and allows discussion of different ways to finance entrepreneurial ventures.

This case set can be used in a first-year MBA or executive MBA program in a core marketing course, in a second-year elective on consumer behavior or marketing research, or in a strategy course on design thinking. It would also fit in courses on entrepreneurship and new product development. The material works well in a module on understanding consumers and consumer insights with focus groups.