New Product Development & Testing
Early research in the area of new product development and testing is essential so that companies can devote their often limited resources to the areas where they can expect to achieve the greatest return. ConStat has helped many of our clients navigate the new product development pathway, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods (and often a combination of both) to guide their decision-making process.
Qualitative research is often conducted in the early stages of new product development as clients attempt to understand customer needs and discern the product features and functionalities that are likely to meet those needs. ConStat believes that qualitative research can be used effectively to obtain customer reactions to proposed products, often a critical first step for winnowing down the list of viable product concepts.
Quantitative research is typically most appropriate in the latter stages of new product development as clients seek to design an optimal product or select the most viable candidate from alternative product prototypes. ConStat has employed a range of methods, including in-home use tests, recruitment to a central location, and online surveys, in their product development research, using monadic, sequential monadic, proto-monadic and paired comparison test designs. ConStat has also frequently utilized more sophisticated designs involving choice modeling in order to assess price or feature trade-offs and determine optimal product configurations.
Ultimately, ConStat's research approach to new product development and testing is determined by our clients' specific needs and their position in the product development process.