Using information from the most recent UK census and data firm Experian, the researchers at UCL have created 23 "e-types". These 23 e-types are themselves organised into seven broader categories including:
- E-unengaged
- E-marginalised
- Becoming engaged
- E for entertainment and shopping
- E-independents
- Instrumental E-users
- E-business users
- E- experts
However, the researchers have gone further than simply creating the 23 e-types. They have mapped those types onto the 1.7 million British postcodes. By entering a postcode on their site, you can see the e-type for that postcode. This provides an incredible granularity down to approximately 17 households!
Unsurprisingly the ability to see the e-type of your individual postcode has created a lot of interest in the press. However, it is not the postcode functionality that particularly excites me. Although knowing the technical literacy of a postcode is interesting, it does not really help me as a web designer. I cannot think of a single site, which I have worked on that is aimed at a specific geographic area.
What I find more interesting is the definition of the e-types. This could prove a very powerful tool for web designers to understand the target audience for a site. Used in conjunction with personas I see this as an excellent way quantify how users will interact with your site.