On October 4, 2023, an in-depth Focus Group was held through the NWO Innovation Centre, to obtain key research towards the beginnings of a local seniors’ housing project. The main goals were to gather statistics, information, and opinions, from a small representational group of volunteers who resided within the surrounding city & rural communities. The group consisted of 11 people aged 55+, a mix of men & women, singles & couples. This two-hour session included a number of handouts and open-table discussions, led by two members of the NWO Innovation Centre, Judy Sander and Carole Long.
Based on proposed plans, Judy and Carole worked diligently alongside James Collie (lead developer the project) and Miranda van den Berg (graphic designer). Together they came up with a selective list of questions, specified details on the physical qualities of the proposed development, and a few initial branding samples, in order to gain insight towards response on the project.
Overall, it was a positive outcome. Valuable insight was gained through key feedback to help carry the project forward in several aspects.
Key Topics discussed:
• The concept of Life Leasing (in comparison to rental)
• The design of the proposed Garden Homes (Duplexes) / Villas (Townhomes) including exterior & interior properties
• Two proposed branding concepts including name & logo for each, PLUS one website mockup (Home page)
• The proposed services & fees associated with owning a home within the development
• Additional (miscellaneous) questions (ie. pets allowed, preferred appliances)
Key Observations:
• Most understood the concept of Life Leasing, with a positive reaction (in comparison to renting or purchasing a stand-alone home)
• ‘Community-oriented’ & ‘maintenance/worry-free lifestyle’ would be key features in the success of this development. This came up several times during various conversations and were valuable features to keep at the forefront of future promotions & discussions
• Positive feedback on the website mockup (Home page), both visually & informatively.
• Of the two branding concepts, 100% of the participants preferred the traditional & classy logo vs modernistic logo. As for the development name, this would need to be continually explored, separately from the branding visuals
• ‘The devil is in the details’ – there were many questions on the specifics of the Project, including details of the floor plans, the services & monthly fees, and pricing/affordability factors
We’d like to acknowledge our thanks to Judy and Carole, along with the NWO Innovation Centre, for assisting in and leading this Focus Group study. It proved to be a key component towards the beginning stages of the project!