Development

Question 1

Define product platform

Answer 1

” The set of features, components or subsystems that remain constant from product to product, with a given product family”

Question 2

Distinguish between the two types of product families? (2)

Answer 2

Module-based product family: Addition, removal or substitution of one or more modules/chunks.

Scale-based product family: Scaling or “stretching” the platform in one or more dimensions.

Question 3

What is a platform leveraging strategy? (2)

Answer 3

1. Market segmentation grid can be used to identify and map platform leveraging strategies
2. Find a middle ground where you can serve as many customers as possible with derivative products for different segments.

Question 4

What is product use testing and what are the different phases of testing? (2 & 3)

Answer 4

1. Means testing the prototype under normal operating conditions.
2. Testing should continue until the team is satisfied that the new product does indeed solve the problem or fill the need that was expected in the original protocol.
3. Alpha testing: Done in house, early on.
4. Beta testing: Fine tuning activities, done at the customer site. main purpose is to determine if the product works and is free of bugs.
5. Gamma: Full testing through evaluation by the end user.

Question 5

What are arguments against product use testing? (6)

Answer 5

1. A fortune has already been spent on the product
2. Market research says the product is a winner
3. Competitors is working on a similar product
4. May suggest lack of faith in product
5. Customers have to learn how to use the product
6. Competitors may steal our idea and beat us to the market.

Question 6

What are arguments for Product use testing?(3)

Answer 6

1. Assessing competitive reaction: better to build off a technology base that provides some insulation from competitive copying than to worry about such copying.
2. Customer needs are complex sets: use testing would have identified problems
3. Delivering a total quality product: avoiding “Horror stories” of poor product quality before product is marketed.

Question 7

What are common pitfalls of beta testing? (5)

Answer 7

1. 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.
2. Developer puts in a wishy-washy performance requirement like “user friendly” which is meaningless without a measurable specification.
3. Testing is done too late in the new product 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.
4. Developers attempt to beta-test their own products. By definition they are too close to the product to critically test it and find problems.
5. Developers ignore early negative results, hoping that the product will improve by itself during the new product process. All beta test results whether positive or negative, need to be honestly evaluated.

Question 8

Why is Gamma testing carried out and what does it involve? (3)

Answer 8

1. Beta testing may not meet all the product developers requirements. (customers needs, cost effective for them?).
2. Gamma testing involves thorough use and evaluation of the new product by the end user.
3. its an ideal product use testing: but in many cases firms go with beta testing due to cost and time considerations and keeping ahead of competitors.

Question 9

What are the dimensions in product use testing? (12)

Answer 9

1. WHO: User groups to contact (lab personnel, experts, employees, stakeholders)
2. HOW: Mode of contact (mail, personal, individual versus group, point of use vs central location)
3. Identity disclosure (avoids halo image effects): Perceptions of firms and brands may distort user reaction. Blind test followed by a branded test.
4. Degree of use explanation (no comment, some, full explanation)
5. Degree of control over use (supervised versus unsupervised)
6. How should the test be conducted? (monadic=product alone, usually less sensitive than paired=comparison or triangular comparison)
7. Duration of use (single use vs, extended periods)
8. Sources of product (batch, pilot, plant, final production)
9. Product form (single product vs. variants)
10. Mode of recording reaction (like/dislike, preferences descriptive info)
11. How should we interpret the figures we get? (past experience, market research firms)
12. Who should do the product use test (internal vs outside personnel)