Select a high potential/urgency opportunity, and begin customer involvement. Collect available new product concepts that fit the opportunity and generate new ones as well.
Required Inputs to the Concept Generation Process
• Form (the physical thing created, or, for a service, the set of steps by which the service will be created)
• Technology (the source by which the form is to be attained)
• Benefit/Need (benefit to the customer for which the customer sees a need or desire)
"Technology permits us to develop a form that provides the benefit".
• Technology (the source by which the form is to be attained)
• Benefit/Need (benefit to the customer for which the customer sees a need or desire)
"Technology permits us to develop a form that provides the benefit".
What is a Product Concept?
Definition: A product concept is a verbal or prototype statement of what is going to be changed and how the customer stands to gain or lose.
Rule: You need at least two of the three inputs to have a feasible new product concept, and all three to have a new product.
Why it is needed:
• Needed to judge whether it is worthy of development
• Potential customers do not have enough information to judge the worthiness of an idea: the product concept gives them the required information.
Rule: You need at least two of the three inputs to have a feasible new product concept, and all three to have a new product.
Why it is needed:
• Needed to judge whether it is worthy of development
• Potential customers do not have enough information to judge the worthiness of an idea: the product concept gives them the required information.
Some Patterns in Concept Generation
- Customer need --> firm develops technology --> produces form
- Firm develops technology --> finds match to need in a customer segment --> produces form
- Firm envisions form --> develops technology to product form --> tests with customer to see what benefits are delivered
Problem Analysis
- Determine product or activity category for study.
- Identify heavy users.
- Gather set of problems associated with it
- Sort and rank the problems according to severity or importance.
Typical Questions:
• What is the real problem here – what if the product category did not exist?
• What are current attitudes and behaviors of focus group members toward the product category?
• What product attributes and benefits do the focus group members want?
• What are their dissatisfactions, problems, and unfilled needs?
• What changes occurring in their lifestyles are relevant to the product category?
Sources & Methodologies:
• Experts
• Published Sources
• Contacts with Your Business Customers or Consumers
– Interviewing
– Focus groups
– Observation of product in use
– Role playing
Analytical Attribute Techniques:
- Gap Analysis
- Factor Analysis
- Cluster Analysis
- Trade-Off (Conjoint) Analysis
Qualitative Attribute Techniques:
- Dimensional Analysis
- Checklists
- Relationship Analysis