Table Of ContentIDENTIFYING HIDDEN NEEDS
IDENTIFYING HIDDEN NEEDS
Creating Breakthrough Products
KEITH GOFFIN
FRED LEMKE
URSULA KONERS
© Keith Goffin, Fred Lemke & Ursula Koners 2010
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10
Contents
List of Case Studies xiv
Acknowledgements xvii
Preface xix
About the Authors xx
Copyright Material xxiii
PART 1 INTRODUCTION AND TRADITIONAL
METHODS OF MARKET RESEARCH
1 INTRODUCTION TO CUSTOMERS’ HIDDEN NEEDS 3
Introduction 3
Product Failure and Market Research 4
Changing Customers and Customer Needs
Traditional Market Research
Hidden Needs Defined 8
Definition
Types of Customer Need
Insights from the Kano Model
The Philopsophy of Hidden Needs 10
“New” Techniques
Ethnographic Market Research—Systematic Observation
Box Case 1.1 Clarks—These Boots are (Really)
Made for Walking 12
Ethnographic Market Research—Contextual Interviewing
Box Case 1.2 Skyline Products Inc.—Making Child’s
Play of Market Research 13
Repertory Grid Analysis
Box Case 1.3 Equant—Repertory Grids in Practice 14
Involving the User—Lead User Technique
Box Case 1.4 Cobra, Thailand—Leadership and
Windsurf Boards 15
Ethical Issues 16
Using and Combining the Techniques 16
Examples of Successful Usage
Survey Evidence of Usage
Combining the Techniques
Box Case 1.5 The Home of the Future 21
Using the Techniques in New Product Development
The Structure of this Book 23
v
VI CONTENTS
Format of the Chapters
Summary 25
Management Recommendations
Recommended Reading 26
2 SURVEYS AND INTERVIEWS 27
Introduction 27
History of Surveying and Interviewing 27
Applying the Technique 29
Preparation
Clarifying the Research Aims
Selecting the Data Collection Method
Selecting the Categories of Questions
Box Case 2.1 Mexican Medications—Demographics,
Attitudes and Behaviors 33
Formulating Questions
Box Case 2.2 Bentley Motors Limited—Keeping
the Personal Touch 36
Layout
Sampling
Box Case 2.3 Telefónica O2 Czech Republic—Really
Listening to the Customer 40
Administration
Box Case 2.4 Deutsche Telekom AG—Learning to
Listen in Order to Entertain 41
Analyzing the Results 42
Analyzing Responses to Quantitative Questions
Analyzing Responses to Qualitative Questions
Limitations of Surveys and Interviews 44
Variations on Interviews 45
Projection Techniques
Overview
Applying the Technique
Analysis of Projection
Box Case 2.5 Scottish Schoolchildren—How Do
They View the Internet? 46
Advantages and Limitations
ZMET
Overview
Applying the Technique
Analysis of ZMET
Box Case 2.6 Mobile Financial Services—
Barriers to Adoption 49
Advantages and Limitations
Summary 50
CONTENTS VII
Management Recommendations
Recommended Reading 50
3 FOCUS GROUPS (AND VARIATIONS) 52
Introduction 52
History of Focus Groups 53
Applying the Technique 53
Overview
Planning of Focus Groups
Setting Objectives
Box Case 3.1 Weatherchem—The Spice of Life in India 55
Selecting Questions
Box Case 3.2 Ravensburger Spieleverlag—Cultural
Preferences for Board Games 56
Selecting and Recruiting Participants
Grouping of Participants
Determining the Number of Focus Groups
Choosing the Venue
Conducting Focus Groups
Practicalities
Moderators
Managing Interaction
Materials and Techniques
Observers’ Notes
Box Case 3.3 Maxwell House—Understanding
International Coffee Tastes 64
Analyzing the Results 64
Content Analysis
Group Interaction
Reporting Format
Box Case 3.4 Dr. Oetker—Home-made by Mother 67
Variations on Focus Groups 68
Advantages and Limitations 69
Advantages
Box Case 3.5 Coca-Cola—A Simple Matter of Taste? 69
Limitations
Box Case 3.6 Target—Understanding Students’ Dormitory Life 71
Summary 71
Management Recommendations
Recommended Reading 72
PART 2 NEW METHODS OF MARKET RESEARCH
4 ETHNOGRAPHIC MARKET RESEARCH 75
Introduction 75
VIII CONTENTS
History of Ethnographic Market Research 76
Ethnography Emerges
Ethnography Impacts Product Design
Box Case 4.1 Nokia—Going to the Gemba 80
Overview of Ethnographic Market Research 81
Key Assumptions
Box Case 4.2 Astra Zeneca—Studying Noncompliance 82
When Is It Appropriate?
Planning Ethnographic Market Research 83
Understanding the Field—The Grand Tour
Choosing the Type of Observation
Access and Introductions
Sampling Strategy
Box Case 4.3 Panasonic—The Lady Shaver 89
Data Collection—The Ethnographic Record
Field Notes
Contextual Interviews
Box Case 4.4 Lucci Orlandini Design—
Designing for the Disabled 93
Recordings
Documents
Diaries and Other Data Sources
Reflections
Analyzing the Results 96
Data Coding
Generating a Thick Description
Relationships in the Data
Contradictions in the Data
Developing a Cultural Understanding
Box Case 4.5 Sainsbury’s—Doing the
Ethnographic Egyptian 103
Writing the First Thick Description
Generating Hypotheses
Testing Hypotheses
Summarizing the Findings 106
Final Thick Description
Visual Material
Recognizing Implications
Limitations to Consider 107
Summary 107
Management Recommendations
Recommended Reading 108
5 EXAMPLE: WAREHOUSE EQUIPMENT RESEARCH 109
Introduction 109
CONTENTS IX
Planning and Conducting the Research 109
Establishing the Aims
The Grand Tour
Type of Observation and Access
Sampling Strategy
Box Case 5.1 Smith & Nephew Medical Devices 112
Data Collection
Field Notes
Interviews
Video Recordings
Documents
Other Sources
Box Case 5.2 Repertory Grids from Warehouse Employees 116
Analysis of Data 118
Data Coding
Coding of Field Notes
Coding of Interviews
Coding of Video Recordings
Coding of Documents
Reflections
Relationships in the Data
Contradictions in the Data
Summarized Findings 123
Writing the Thick Description
Implications of the Findings
Conclusions 123
Summary 124
Management Recommendations
6 REPERTORY GRID TECHNIQUE 125
Introduction 125
History of Repertory Grid Technique 126
Box Case 6.1 Tourists Images of Travel Destinations 127
Applying the Technique 127
Overview
Design Decisions
The Sample
The Elements
Box Case 6.2 Air Freight Service Quality at Malaysia Airlines 135
Presentation of the Elements
Eliciting Constructs
Box Case 6.3 Fascia Mania—Understanding Home Owners 137
Rating the Elements
Administering the Interview
Box Case 6.4 Beiersdorf Skin Care—Perceptions of Eucerin 139
