Trends Report

Mapping Product Features To Consumer Needs

How To Conduct A Needs-Based Product Feature Assessment

May 14th, 2010
James McQuivey, PhD, VP, Research Director
James McQuivey, PhD VP, Research Director
With contributors:
Mark Mulligan , Annie E. Corbett

Summary

Advances in technology combined with market efficiencies are making it possible — even necessary — for products to include feature upon feature to stand out from the pack or attract savvy consumers. Yet feature bloat was already a problem for many of these products, such as DVRs and mobile phones, and products will only suffer if they descend further into a syndrome that Forrester calls "featuritis." We recommend that companies evaluate their features with a needs-based feature assessment map that builds on Forrester's Convenience Imperative research and its fundamental human needs model. This map will help consumer product strategists identify the features to prioritize in development and marketing.

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