JOURNAL 2
twinkle22
352DP-Ch-15.pptChapter 15
Product Use Testing
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What is Product Use Testing?
Research on product usage under normal conditions.
Testing:
- Alpha testing: done in-house.
- Beta testing: done at the customer site.
- Typical goals: determine if product works and is free of “bugs.”
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The Role of Marketing During Development
- Marketing is involved from the beginning of the new products process.
- Advises the new product team on how product development fits with firm’s marketing capabilities and market needs.
- Early involvement of marketing increases product’s chances for success.
- Think of marketing’s task as more information coordination than information gathering.
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Arguments Against Product Use Testing
- A fortune has already been spent on the product.
- Market research says the product is a winner.
- Competitor is working on a similar product.
- May suggest lack of faith in product.
- Customers have to learn how to use the product.
- Competitor may steal our idea and beat us to the market.
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Successful Product Use Testing:
Gillette Dry Idea Deodorant
- Process was anything but linear.
- Gillette discovered flaws in product design through in-house “alpha testing” and beta testing with users.
- Gillette found surprises in terms of benefits sought — “back to the drawing board” near end of process! (Luckily, quick fix was available.)
Figure 15.1
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Two More Reasons to Do Product Use Testing
- 3M Scotch Brite Never Rust steel wool pads and Never Scratch non-scratching pads.
- Hot Scoop frozen microwaveable chocolate sundaes.
Figure 15.3
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Arguments For Product Use Testing
- Build off a technology base that provides insulation from competitive copying vs. worrying about them copying.
- Understand customer needs are complex — product use testing would have identified problems with GTE Airfone, Apple Newton, P&G Olestra.
- Deliver a total quality product — avoid "horror stories” before product is marketed.
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Knowledge Gained From Product Use Testing
- Pre-use sense reactions.
- Early use experiences ("Does it work?").
- Major benefits results (beta tests).
- Diagnostic information.
Figure 15.4
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Common Pitfalls of
Beta Testing
Figure 15.5
- Beta test site firm has no internal capacity to test the performance of the product at the required level and lacks the funding to hire an outside firm to do the test.
- Developer puts in a wishy-washy performance requirement like "user-friendly" which is meaningless without a measurable specification.
- Testing is done too late in the new products process, which almost ensures that development time will be extended and production delays will occur. Doing testing in increments throughout the process can avoid this pitfall.
- Developers attempt to beta-test their own products. By definition they are too close to the product to critically test it and find problems.
- Developers ignore early negative results, hoping that the product will improve by itself during the new products process. All beta test results, whether positive or negative, need to be honestly evaluated.
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Gamma Testing
- Ideal thorough use test with end user
- Beta testing may not meet all the product developer’s requirements.
- in many cases firms go with beta testing anyway:
- Cost and time considerations
- Keeping ahead of competitors
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Some Key Testing Dimensions
- User groups to contact (lab personnel, experts, employees, stakeholders).
- Mode of contact (mail vs. personal, individual vs. group, point of use vs. central location).
- Identity disclosure (avoid halo-image effects).
- Degree of use explanation (no comment, some, full explanation).
- Degree of control over use (supervised vs. unsupervised)
- Singularity (monadic usually less sensitive than paired or triangular comparison).
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More Key Testing Dimensions
- Duration of use (single use vs. extended periods).
- Source of product (batch, pilot plant, final production).
- Product form (single product vs. variants).
- Mode of recording reaction (like/dislike, preference, descriptive information).
- Source of norms (past experience, market research firms).
- Research service (internal vs. outside personnel).
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Types of Product Use Tests
Figure 15.6
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Type
Products
Instructions
Monadic
The new product alone.
"Try this new toothbrush, and tell me how you like it."
Paired comparison
The new product and another one: the market leader, the leader in a key segment, the "best."
"Try these, and tell me how you like them and which you prefer."
Triangular
The new product and two others, or two variants of the new product and one other.
Same as above.
Multiple-product techniques can use side-by-side or staggered (sequential monadic) product-use approaches.
Data Formats: Like/Dislike
Figure 15.7
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Data Formats:
Preference and Descriptive
Figure 15.7 (cont.)
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Type
Products
Instructions
Monadic
The new product alone.
"Try this new toothbrush, and tell
me how you like it."
Paired comparison
The new product and another
one: the market leader, the leader
in a key segment, the "best."
"Try these, and tell me how you
like them and which you prefer."
Triangular
The new product and two others,
or two variants of the new
product and one other.
Same as above.
Multiple-product techniques can use side-by-side or staggered (sequential monadic) product-use
approaches.
