DIY Expectations and Recommendations

Abstract

This master thesis examines DIY home-improvement projects and how technical knowledge can create gaps between perceived expectations and the actual DIY process. The choice of DIY as the topic was motivated by the assumption that construction stores do not offer adequate solutions to their customers. This assumption was based on the problem statements provided by STARK to CBS, which highlighted the need to improve internal processes to target new customer segments and increase sales. The thesis adopts a human-centered approach, meaning that the problems to be solved are derived from the customer's perspective, rather than the providers. DIY has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially due to the pandemic, which forced people to stay home and complete long-awaited projects themselves. Moreover, the pandemic prevented construction workers from entering people's homes, which further fueled the interest in DIY. To gain insight into what drives and motivates people to engage in DIY projects, we interviewed two of the most significant DIY influencers in Denmark and analyzed data from construction stores, individual DIY diaries, and popular online video guides. We also conducted DIY projects and collected data based on our practical experience. The data yielded insightful observations, particularly regarding the discrepancies between DIY participants' initial expectations and the actual DIY process. These gaps emerged in various aspects of the DIY process, including challenges in finding the right tools in construction stores and using the tools correctly. Additionally, Instagram's unrealistic portrayal of the DIY process was found to create unrealistic expectations among users. The thesis will use expectation theories to examine whether technical knowledge, such as the video guides provided by influencers on Instagram, is valuable to users or to the construction stores selling the tools and materials. Finally, the thesis will provide human-centered recommendations using the Value Proposition Canvas (Osterwalder et al., 2014) to address customer pains and create value for the customer.