Experiment.. (Hypothesis)

Well, although there's so much to know and do, I've decided to focus on one thing at a time.
Experiment Hypothesis:
Increased knowledge of the possibilities of MDS will results in a willingness to pay more for MDS.

As in everything, there must be a purpose in everything. So I'll try to explain the thought process as well as try to work out the experiment here.

Preparation process:
Logbook

1. Gives me a rough gauge as to how often they already use MDS.
2. Shows (more or less) how well they ALREADY know what MDS has to offer (hopefully)

Questionnaire

1. Again, how much they know about what MDS has to offer (actual questions later)
2. How they already use MDS

Purpose of the Logbook n Questionnaire: to group subjects

After the sample has completed the preparation process, they'll be ranked according to their knowledge of MDS as well as their willingness to pay for the services. Essentially, I'll try to get 4 groups: high knowledge & willingness, low knowledge & willingness, high knowledge low willingness and low knowledge high willingness. The last group might prove unlikely but i'll have to modify the experiment as it proceeds. (Adjusting for Covariates)

e.g. Rank 1 will go into the first group, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and rank 5 will go back into the first group etc.

The rest of this post will be on the optimistic assumption that I DO get the 4 groups. (The pessimistic one will come much later.)

So.. what happens after I get the 4 groups?

Well, I think the appropriate thing is to split them evenly into 2 - Experiment and Control

After this, What I've mentioned earlier SHOULD come into play, with the video being the variable. After the video has been played, ideally subjects should have another 2-day logging exercise now that they have a clearer idea of what MDS can do for them.

At the end of the second information logging exercise, a questionnaire which measures the same variables as the questionnaire in the preparation process should be administered.

At the conclusion of the experiment, I should be able to obtain enough raw data to do a between and within groups comparison of the information usage and willingness to pay.

Erh, my comm studies lecture is starting.. will post the pessimistic scenario later on...