Reimagining Telecommunication
for Taiwanese Gen Z
The project goal was to enable Far EasTone Telecom to reimagine telecommunication for Taiwanese Gen Z. Using a design-led process we conducted research and attempted to demysitfy a generation of youngsters currently in their defining stage of life.
Key Highlights
Provided FET with insights about Gen Z, specifically their use of mobile technology, life stages, and contextual activities.
Delivered 3 early concepts backed by the research that specifically catered to FET’s telecom related requirements.
Provided a set of guiding Design Principles to guide future development of product concepts.
Project Opportunity
Gen Z, the first digital native generation now makes up 20% of Taiwan’s population.
A telecom company staffed by Gen X and Boomers trying to build relevance with a generation that treats their core product as invisible infrastructure.
Discovery and Secondary Research
Lack of brand & offering differentiation
Known Challenges
Unlike previous generations, Gen Z views telecom brands as easily interchangeable since they see no significant differences beyond the basic services like price and network stability
Price and stability
drive decisions
Where older generations would have paid more for bundled services, Gen Z prefers stripped-down plans if it means paying less
Traditional call services are now outdated
Gen Z has moved away from traditional voice minutes — with 80% of calls now happening through online apps like LINE, Whatsapp, Facetime
FET's leadership and teams were predominantly Gen X and Boomer, generations with fundamentally different relationships to technology, brand loyalty, and communication. The challenge was to understand a new customer segment whose entire framework for evaluating products didn't match their own.
Planning for primary research
Conducting primary research
We conducted a mixed-methods research program in Taipei, combining quantitative scale with qualitative depth.
Findings from secondary and primary research
GEN Z in Taiwan
4.67 M
45.9% Students
16.1% Other
20% of Taiwanese are Gen Z
38.0% Workers
According to the Executive Yuan's Important Gender Statistics Database, Taiwan's Generation Z (born approximately between 1996 and 2010, currently aged around 15-29) population is approximately 3.75 million people. Among these, 2.53 million individuals (aged 18-26) already possess economic decision-making capabilities.
Defining 5 Gen Z Archetypes
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Enjoys going out with friends on weekends to bars in Xinyi or the East District, attending glamping trips, music festivals, exhibitions, and parties. Loves taking photos, sharing moments, and staying updated on the latest memes and trends.
Often experiences information anxiety, fearing they might miss out on the latest trends or events.
Feels conflicted between their true self and the image they present on social media.
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Prioritizes health and connection with others. Enjoys hiking, early morning runs, gym sessions, yoga classes, or joining marathons. Sees exercise as a way to bond with people.
Struggles to find consistent workout partners or a compatible fitness community.
Sometimes misses out on registration info for marathons and other events.
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Family plays a big role in life. On weekends, they may watch baseball with their dad, shop with their mom, or go on family trips. Many of their habits and interests come from family influence.
Feels torn between peer culture and traditional family values.
Unfamiliar with practical matters like insurance, taxes, or paying utility bills because parents usually handle everything.
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Enjoys spending time alone visiting bookstores, small shops, or cafés. Weekends are often spent reading, journaling, or reflecting. Their pace is slower, but life is full of little rituals.
Often misunderstood by mainstream communities and labeled as reclusive.
Enjoys solitude but occasionally longs to be understood and seen.
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They build strong social circles online, teaming up with friends to play LoL or other video games, and they love anime culture, often going to anime conventions or cosplay events together.
Their interests are often seen as unproductive by mainstream society and hard to turn into tangible achievements.
Prone to overindulging in digital content, leading to feelings of losing control or disconnection from reality.
Creating insights from findings
What makes Gen Z different
from the previous generations?
Gen Z is facing similar themes as other generations, but they are first to do so as digital natives going through life defining transitions.
This amplifies how these values are being shaped for them.
EMERGING VALUES IN THE DIGITAL NATIVE GEN Z
Insights from (Interviews + Secondary Research + Surveys + Focus Groups) = Actionable Insights
INSIGHT #1
Gen Z wants to personalize and stand out from others
They actively seek flexible services & products that allow them to adapt, switch or opt out easily. This prompts brands to move beyond traditional “locked-in” models
Gen Z expects flexibility in where they discover products. They expect brands to meet them across diverse channels
INSIGHT #2
Gen Z values flexibility of choice
& resists rigid commitments
They look for experiences that are highly engaging both physical and digitally.
Gen Z have a natural tendency to curate their digital experience.
This drives them to look for brands that provide services enhancing their social interactions and overall experiences.
INSIGHT #3
Gen Z seeks out both digital
& real-life shared experiences within their circles
Gen Z uses personalization to stand out and remix trends—they express identity by putting their own spin on what’s popular.
They’re willing to spend money and share personal data for exclusive, personalized experiences, pushing brands to move beyond one-size-fits-all and enable individuality at scale.
Gen Z uses personalization to stand out and remix trends—they express identity by putting their own spin on what’s popular.
They’re willing to spend money and share personal data for exclusive, personalized experiences, pushing brands to move beyond one-size-fits-all and enable individuality at scale.
INSIGHT #4
Gen Z makes decisions based
on voices that they consider
authentic & trusted
