DELI: an interactive new product development tool for the analysis and evaluation of market research data

Abstract

This paper presents DELI, a new interactive tool for supporting new product development decisions. DELI addresses the `chicken and egg` problem in new product development: a product's features shape the way that the market is segmented and targeted, but that very segmentation/targeting itself determines which features the product needs to incorporate. It is very useful, therefore, to be able to look at attributes, product positions and segments in a `single hit' to measure the key trade-offs available. DELI integrates segmentation, visualisation of competitive structures and the segment-specific identification of new product functionality. Several interactive features support the search for new products. Furthermore, the authors introduce a novel conditional segmentation, mapping and positioning approach for an improved representation of products and customers within one map, supporting interpretation and segment-specific new product development.