# How Might We > How Might We (HMW) is South Africa's first dedicated qualitative UX research and customer insight studio, founded in 2017 and based in Cape Town. Chris Metcalfe and Jacky Smith have worked together in UX research since 2011. HMW conducts in-depth interviews, usability tests, contextual visits, diary studies, focus groups, and expert UX evaluations for product teams, digital teams, and executive leaders across Africa and internationally. Since inception, HMW has conducted over 2,082 one-on-one research sessions, including 465 in 2025 alone. Field research has been conducted in 9 countries; remote research has reached participants in 15 countries. ## About - [Who we are](https://howmightwe.co.za/about-us/): Chris Metcalfe and Jacky Smith, directors. Cape Town-based. Founded 2017. Team UX research experience since 2011. - [Our work](https://howmightwe.co.za/our-work/): Published case studies across finance, retail, education, and healthcare sectors. - [Behind our name](https://howmightwe.co.za/behind-our-name/): The "How Might We" framing comes from design thinking methodology. - [FAQs](https://howmightwe.co.za/faqs/): Common questions about UX research methods, usability testing, and working with HMW. - [Pricing](https://howmightwe.co.za/pricing/): Research packages and pricing for 2026. - [Contact](https://howmightwe.co.za/contact/): hello@howmightwe.co.za | +27 21 010 1700 ## Services - [Usability testing](https://howmightwe.co.za/usability-tests/): One-on-one sessions with real customers testing an app, site, prototype, or concept. Remote or in-person. Packages for 5 or 10 users. - [In-depth interviews](https://howmightwe.co.za/customer-research/in-depth-interviews/): 60-minute qualitative interviews exploring customer behaviour, motivation, and lived experience. - [Contextual visits](https://howmightwe.co.za/customer-research/contextual-visits/): On-site observation research in customers' actual environments. - [Diary studies](https://howmightwe.co.za/customer-research/diary-studies/): Longitudinal research over days or weeks. Participants document real experiences as they happen. - [Focus groups](https://howmightwe.co.za/customer-research/focus-groups/): Facilitated group sessions for exploring shared experiences and social dynamics. - [Expert evaluations](https://howmightwe.co.za/expert-evaluations/): Heuristic review of an app, site, or prototype against 50 HMW-developed criteria. Fast turnaround. - [Workshops and coaching](https://howmightwe.co.za/workshops/): Persona creation, journey mapping, ideation, product discovery. Full-day or consulting rate. - [ResearchOps](https://howmightwe.co.za/researchoperations/): Helping organisations build internal research capability, repositories, and processes. - [Research subscription](https://howmightwe.co.za/ux-research-subscription/): Ongoing research partnership. Smaller, more frequent studies rather than one large annual engagement. - [Strategic customer insight](https://howmightwe.co.za/strategic-customer-insight/): Positioning page explaining how HMW helps reduce risk and improve decision-making through evidence. ## Case studies - [Google Mobile Labs](https://howmightwe.co.za/our-work/google-mobile-labs/): HMW was Google's exclusive African partner running immersive customer centricity labs for senior leaders at South Africa's largest banks, insurers, and retailers. 2020-2023. Partner: CX Partners. - [Raspberry Pi Foundation](https://howmightwe.co.za/our-work/raspberry-pi-foundation/): On-the-ground fieldwork across 10 schools and coding clubs in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. Contextual visits and in-depth interviews to understand computer science education in under-resourced South African state schools. 2024. - [Petal and Post](https://howmightwe.co.za/our-work/petal-and-post/): Usability testing, UX audit, journey mapping, and full site redesign for a South African flower delivery business. Weekly orders grew from approximately 10 additional orders per week to approximately 40. Average products per order rose from two to three. 2021-2025. ## Clients HMW has worked with clients across five sectors since 2017. Healthcare and social impact: Healthforce, Mediclinic, Dis-Chem, Vula Medical, SameSame, Kena Health, Cipla Finance and fintech: FNB, Absa, Nedgroup Investments, Sanlam, Coronation, Allan Gray, Luno, Yoco, Mama Money, JaSure, Zoona, Kin Services and agencies: Google, Deloitte, Virgin Active, CX Partners, Behaviour Change Agency, King James, TouchFoundry, Xneelo, Dot, Plentify, Quote This Woman Retail and ecommerce: Superbalist, Petal and Post, Arc, Webtickets Education: Raspberry Pi Foundation, USB-Ed, Trackosaurus, Learning Sandbox ## Geographic reach Field research conducted in: South Africa, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Switzerland, Uganda, Zimbabwe. Remote research participants from: South Africa, Angola, Australia, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, DRC, Malawi, Morocco, Norway, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe. ## Selected testimonials "There are great UX teams and then there is How Might We. A cut above the rest, Chris and the team have been instrumental in helping Nedgroup Investments define business opportunities, cutting through the clutter and sharpening the client focus." - Donna Barnes, Head of Direct Clients, Nedgroup Investments "How Might We were a pleasure to work with. Having worked with multiple agencies, we were impressed by the organisation, depth of insight and professionalism of the team." - Jessica Hill, UX Researcher, Raspberry Pi Foundation "Working with How Might We has been a fantastic experience - it's a true partnership. The insights they uncover have been invaluable, helping us shape not only the products we build but also the way we communicate about them to our merchants." - Shabnam Osman, Director of Product "My experience of working with How Might We is exactly the experience I want to create for my customers when they work with my organisation." - Saul Kornik, CEO, Healthforce and Kena "SameSame hired How Might We to complete an almost impossible task: reach out to young queer South Africans who don't want to be found, convince them to answer some potentially sensitive questions, and create an environment that felt safe enough for them to share. They delivered." - Jonathan McKay, Founder, SameSame ## Blog - [Articles and research thinking](https://howmightwe.co.za/blog/): Topics include AI in UX research, qualitative vs quantitative research, usability testing, design thinking, behaviour change, and South African market context. ## Optional - [XML Sitemap](https://howmightwe.co.za/sitemap.xml): Full index of all public pages.