Posted by Dave Lundahl on June 30, 2010
The word holism is from the Greek meaning all, entire, total of all the properties of a given system (biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc.). Rarely can any system be understood by understanding all of its component parts. However, this is exactly what we do in consumer product research.
ESOMAR defines a holistic test as a test that aims to assess participants’ reaction to a product or concept as a whole (in contrast to an atomistic test that examines reactions to the individual elements)*. An atomistic test is defined as one that aims to assess participants’ reactions to individual elements of a product or concept (in contrast to a holistic test that looks at a product or concept as a whole).
Most methods are very atomistic. Consider the most classic product optimization method. When you are dealing with one measure such as liking, you can develop contour plots to find the best product for a development cycle. With a holistic approach, you need to integrate a more complex set of measures. This complexity might include integrating emotions into your sensory profile. The classic contour plot no longer applies to help you understand where is the “optimal” product. Further complexity must be evaluated by asking about the indirect sensory impact on emotions. Questions such as: What sensory cues signal sensory job fulfillment? What sensory cues signal physical job fulfillment? What sensory cues signal social job fulfillment? What sensory profile achieves an acceptable degree of sensory pleasure, i.e. fulfills a sensory pleasure job? For instance in looking at what sensory cues signal jobs fulfillment, think of product colors and how they can elicit expectations. A pea green color may drive disgust or a blue colored food may be unpalatable given that the expectations change with the visual cue. On the other hand, an appetizing aroma might elicit a new expectation that lead to anticipation or intrigue to try the food.
Sensory Cues
What sensory cues signal physical jobs fulfillment? A peach with no blemishes does not look quite right and generates different expectations. We may believe that it doesn’t look healthy. An aroma that is too strong may be found as socially unacceptable.
However, increasing the diversity of measures is not the only key to holism in research. You must be able to assess how different aspects of the consumer product experience interact with each other. This includes interactions within and between the product, the consumer and the context of the experience. For example, if you change one sensory quality of the product – say the aroma – it may elicit unintended emotions which could impact negatively the perception of the product. If you expose the consumer to the product in a different way – i.e. advertisement, peer recommendation, exposure to the brand, and package communication – it may lead to different expectations. If consumers experience the product under different contexts – at home, work or at a party – the experience outcome changes.
If you are going to become more holistic in your research, you are going to need to change how you design research. Holistic research design integrates different types of research information to get at these interactions. Consider the example of three successive encounters (see Figure 1) with a food meal entrée by a family. The first encounter may be in the grocery store where a woman, as primary shopper, first encounters the entrée product. The situational context of the shopping experience affects her expectations and concerns. Is she seeking specific product features and functionality? Is she depleted of time and energy? These expectations and concerns contribute to the formation of her initial emotions during the shopping experience. These emotions impact her decision to purchase and try. Is she intrigued about a specific promise that manufacturer of the food entrée makes to her? Her expectations and concerns from the shopping experience also may impact the psychology of how she will experience the product during food preparation and consumption. As the product is prepared and eventually consumed members of her family, she will encounter the product under different situational contexts. Each encounter will contribute to an evolving cascade of interrelated expectations and concerns. How a product performs under these situational context in contrast to formed expectations and concerns will impact the types of and intensity of emotions that she (as well as her family) experiences. Did she enjoy the experience? Was she satisfied that the manufacturer’s promise was met? Does the product elicit pride that she is a good provider? These and other emotions form her motivation for a wide range of behaviors that impact not only initial trial, but more importantly her design for repeat purchase.
The psychology of the encounters by this woman with this product can be illustrated within the above schematic. This schematic characterizes the interrelationships between concerns, expectations and emotions experienced under different situational contexts and how they ultimately affect trial and repeat behavior. Without a holistic approach to research, we are left with static snapshots in time of a consumer’s reaction to a product or service. We miss an opportunity to understand why she behaves and how to influence that behavior through product development and/or marketing decisions.
Consider the results from a research study designed holistically. At a central location, respondents first prepared the ingredients for a microwave entrée according to one of twelve sets of instructions. The prepared product was then taken away for cooking in a kitchen and brought out for consumption and taste evaluation. The respondents did not know they were all assessing a standard product, irrespective of individual preparation. The above figure shows the psychological affect of the preparation experience alone on purchase intent after consumption. Product developers and marketers were given valuable direction for formulating and positioning a new product on the basis of what combination of ingredients and preparation instructions elicited the highest expectations and best met their concerns during preparation and consumption.
This example stresses the importance of taking a more holistic approach. If we are to improve the value of research information, we must move away from an atomistic research paradigm that measures consumer responses to individual elements of a product. We must in turn embrace a more holistic paradigm that measures response behavior to multiple elements of a product experience. This paradigm shift requires that we utilize a new framework for solving consumer insight problems through research.
Implementing Holistic Research Design
Aim for the stars. How many questions can you answer with one study design? Hybrid research provides the means to answer lots of key questions. It’s better to ask for too much up front, as it can be trimmed back during design. Quality is king. Do not sacrifice quality for speed. “Faster is better” holds true only so long as the quality of findings remains high. Hybrid research is about gaining both speed and quality. It should never be about choosing speed over quality. Begin with the end in mind. Before starting, list out all objectives for the research. What decisions will be made both during and after the multistage research? What actions should be taken as a result? Prioritize research needs (“must have”) from wants (“nice to know”). Go beyond product.Incorporate as much of the full consumer experience into the multistage research design as possible. Think holistically, don’t stop at the product. Include all elements of the marketing mix.
Test packaging.If the packaging is being developed in parallel to the product, test the packaging. You can learn so much regarding product-package fit and the preferences and idiosyncrasies of “your” consumers in regards to package formats. Learn and apply.Leverage the results and learnings from prior stages and apply them to subsequent stages. For example, screen down from a larger set of prototypes in a central location test so that “winners” can be tested in more realistic usage conditions during an immediate follow-up HUT. Pulling the plug.Sometimes results aren’t rosy. Be sure you have the built-in flexibility to cancel remaining stages. Expect the unexpected.Surprises happen. Don’t be afraid to run with them, and whenever possible, design hybrid research to be adaptable enough to support swift changes. Be aware.Multistage hybrid research can yield incredible rewards, but you must be certain that the research design addresses critical business issues and, when implemented, delivers on expectations. Given the complexity inherent to multistage hybrid research, you cannot underestimate the value.
*ESOMAR Marketing Research Glossary