Back to research hub
Central Platform logo

Equipment discovery study

Understanding how people find a useful investigation path when they do not already know the right equipment, method, expert, or previous case.

This short simulation asks you to imagine working with a new internal platform for technical organizations. You will face a realistic technical problem and choose how you would naturally begin exploring the resources available inside your organization.

Takes ~5 minutes · No right or wrong answers · Based on a realistic work situation

Start the study

Does this sound familiar?

What the simulation feels like

You will be shown a product-like walkthrough, not a normal questionnaire. The platform can be approached through different starting points, depending on what feels most natural to you.

Central Discovery Platform
Simulation preview
Describe the problem
Search for equipment
Explore methods
Find experts
Find similar cases

What this study looks at

Natural starting point

Whether people begin from a problem, equipment, methods, experts, or similar cases.

Discovery of a path

Whether the platform helps users identify an investigation approach they would consider useful.

Trust before action

What people need next before they would feel ready to act on a recommendation.

How it works

1

Read a realistic scenario

You are asked to investigate an unclear technical failure where the right next step is not obvious.

2

Choose how you would begin

You decide whether to start from the problem itself, equipment, methods, experts, or prior cases.

3

React to recommended paths

You select a suggested investigation path and indicate what you would need before moving forward.

This study is part of a broader ETH MAS thesis research project on early-stage product learning through real-world experiments.

This is not a product demo or sales funnel. The goal is to understand how people approach uncertainty in technical work.

Start the study

No signup required · responses are anonymous