The Benefit of Testing Features
	PRODUCT REFINEMENT

A manufacturer of blood glucose level meters, used by people with diabetes, was considering the development of a new meter that would have features currently unavailable in the market space. The company wanted to test the concept of the meter as a whole and also its individual features. The research would help the company decide whether to invest money in the meter’s creation.

The Pert Group utilized a variety of in-person research methods to test participants’ reactions to the overall idea of the meter and the meter’s individual features:

• The concept of the meter was first tested by describing the meter and its features to participants to obtain their purchase interest.
• Next, participants were shown a video that explained the meter and the features in detail. We again measured purchase intent and other diagnostics.
• Finally, participants were asked to try each of the features using a computer simulation. Along with overall reaction, we measured ease of use, ease of understanding, anticipated frequency of use, other attribute ratings and suggested improvements. We also obtained classification and demographic information in order to cut the data and determine which groups of people this meter would appeal to most.

This process allowed us to determine the features most likely to be used and, therefore, which would be best to include in the meter. We were also able to offer suggested improvements.

Given our study’s results and our recommendations, along with internal company information, the company was able to choose which features to include in the creation of a working model. As a next step, further tests are being done on that working model.