What new product market research tools are most useful for for new product development?

High payback new product development market research methods are available for all stages of the product development cycle. Choosing the right tool at the right stage in the product development cycle is critical.

For new product development market research, the question becomes one of matching the stage of development with the right creative or product research method. Different product development information is needed at different stages. This table summarizes the thinking required at each stage of the new product cycle. The actual methods and tools used may vary according to the product type, the extent of incremental change from other products, the investment and risk factors, and the costs of seeding the new product in the marketplace.

New Product Development Stage	Need	Methods & Tools
1. Concept Generation	Identify target segment   Generate rough concepts   Find opportunities	Customer satisfaction  Idea generation    Qualitative Research Projective Techniques Motivational Research Ethnography Focus Groups Market segmentation research
2. Screen Rough Concepts	Concept appeal Generate more ideas Perceived value Market size estimates	Rough concept screening  Idea generation    Perceived value measures Attitude & preference surveys
3. Concept  Refinement	Capture spin off ideas  Refine product ideas	Quant survey concept testing
4. Product Design & Targeting	Detailed concept strength Specific product features  Establish price targets Market size estimates	Simulated store tests Pricing research Quant market surveys Preference Survey
5. Proto-type Development	Design real product Match concepts  Refine live product	Product testing lab  Live product use tests (HUT)
6. Live Market Test	Test real product    Confirm price/value Refine demand estimates	Beta market tests Distribution tests

Product development is a sequential decision process. It's a series of decisions, not one. It is key, therefore, to concentrate attention on the precise new product decision at hand, and think through the market research and creative tools needed for that stage.

For more details on specific techniques see our Tools section or contact Power Decisions Group. We'll discuss your questions about methods and give you our views.