Wednesday 3 February 2016

How Qualitative Research Agencies Can Improve Product Usability

Qualitative Research Agencies
Qualitative research agencies use various methods to evaluate the consumer’s attitude towards the product and its usability. Their findings are a critical factor in later product development.

As our markets get more and more competitive, product usability and development becomes a prime concern. Being too complacent invites the risk of being run over by the competition. Remember, your rival business is probably working on the next big idea, ready to take over your share. 

But how do we know if our product will work? Where does it stand vis-a-vis your competition? This is where the work of qualitative research agencies come in. By understanding the consumer, you can better estimate what will work and what needs to be done further.


Prototype development and evaluation: Product developers often get caught up in their own design. They fail to perceive little flaws that can work against consumer acceptance. These could be minor design flaws or omissions, but can have a critical effect on sales. 

For instance, research of a toaster prototype shows that there is no provision for a pop-up function. Consequently, almost none of the consumers in the research sample showed any interest in it. The final product development now included the pop-up function. 

Better communication: The next hurdle is your communication with the consumer. If you are developing a completely new product, then you have to check if the user understands your instructions. Is the language easily understood? Does it adequately explain the function or usage? Even small errors can cause unnecessary loss in sales. 

Studying consumer trends: It is critical to stay on top of consumer trends. Research agencies take out these tests from time to time to determine current trends, changing preferences and attitudes. These are then incorporated during product development. 

Product performance: The final step is the evaluation. Even after a product has done well, it is important to check how it is still performing in the market. Here, qualitative research agencies use different methods to gauge consumer attitude towards to product, the competitor’s position and how it is performing overall. 
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1 comment:

  1. Thanks. Yes, it took me several hours to find and organize all these topics. The list even includes topics from the first forum so you might want to take a look.Competitive Intelligence | Market Research Services

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