Mobile User Behavior Groups

According to an article on Information Week, Google classifies mobile users into three behavior groups:

The “repetitive now” user is someone checking for the same piece of information over and over again, like checking the same stock quotes or weather. Google uses cookies to help cater to mobile users who check and recheck the same data points.

The “bored now” are users who have time on their hands. People on trains or waiting in airports or sitting in cafes. Mobile users in this behavior group look a lot more like casual Web surfers, but mobile phones don’t offer the robust user input of a desktop, so the applications have to be tailored.

The “urgent now” is a request to find something specific fast, like the location of a bakery or directions to the airport. Since a lot of these questions are location-aware, Google tries to build location into the mobile versions of these queries.

I think it’s a pretty accurate categorization, and a good thing to keep in mind when you’re building your mobile site or app. Each “type” of user is interacting with your content with a different goal in mind, and the experience should be tailored accordingly.