Budget is the #1 issue impacting research data collection today (Source: GRIT Report). The squeeze will only get more severe as the pace of decision-making continues to outrun growth in budgets. So what are most researchers left to do? In many cases, nothing. And this leaves brands at risk in moving forward on new product, messaging, and advertising without critical insights from their consumers. There is a better way: the Agile Research Methodology. Leveraging on-demand tools, Agile Research is a pragmatic, iterative approach that optimizes insights collected over a few days yielding faster, better decisions. Learn how Agile Research has evolved as a winning alternative, delivering actionable insights that are: High quality (because each iteration informs the next) Quick (in a few days) Affordable (a fraction of the cost of traditional methodologies) Matt Warta, CEO of GutCheck, and Lisa O'Connor, Lead Online Research Strategist of Gutcheck.

1. Agile Market Research: More Insights in Less Time
Matt Warta
CEO & Co-Founder
@GutCheckit
Lisa O’Connor
Lead Online Research Strategist
@GutCheckit

2. Welcome
• This session will be recorded and stored on
GutCheck’s web site (www.gutcheckit.com); a link will
be sent to registrants.
• Presentation time will be kept to ~30 minutes reserving
~15 minutes for Q&A.
• Submit your questions as they pop into your head and
we’ll answer them during and after the webinar.

4. How Research Works Today: Ideation

5. How Research Works Today: Screening

6. How Research Works Today: Refinement

7. How Research Works Today: Validation

8. Where We Rely on Too Much Experience and
Intuition
Screening
Refinement
CONSEQUENCES
•
Truly great concepts are eliminated
•
Good concepts don’t always standout
•
Wasted effort and rework

9. Why? Existing Methodologies are Too Limiting
Specific, BUT
Slow & Expensive
Traditional Methods
Faster, BUT
Blunt & Expensive
Custom Online Communities

10. Agile Market Research
Fastest, Most
Specific, AND Most
Affordable
• A pragmatic, iterative
approach to meeting a
research objective enabled
by on-demand tools
• Enables you to quickly
focus on winners and kill
weaker ideas
• Fast, actionable, and
budget friendly

11. Benefits of Agile in Software Development
• Faster Time to Market – 50% with enabling
technology
• Efficiency – 25% higher productivity with
enabling technology
• Quality – Parity despite significant time
compression
Source: QSM Associates

12. Agile Research: Highly Specific

13. Agile Research: Minimizes Bias Leading to Better
Specificity
Clean
Dirty

14. Agile Research: On-Demand Techniques Enable
More Insights in Less Time
Custom Community Concept Research

15. Agile Research: On-Demand Techniques Enable
More Insights in Less Time
Agile Concept Optimization

16. $350K

18. Goal of Concept Testing: Effectiveness
Look for strengths to emphasize and signs of
weakness that can be fixed pre-launch
Concept Optimization involves
understanding:
• Target Audience
• Accepted Consumer Belief
• Differentiating Benefit
• Reasons to Believe

19. Main Idea: Imagine you wanted
to describe this idea to a friend.
In the space provided, please
type the words that you would
use to describe this idea as
precisely as possible to a friend.
Clarity: What questions come to
mind about the product when you
see this idea? I’m trying to
understand if there is anything that
seems confusing upon first glance.
Uniqueness: Compared to other
products in this category, how
unique would you say this product
is? Please explain the attributes of
this product conveyed in/on the
idea that you believe make it
distinct from other products.
Appeal: Thinking back on the main
idea that you articulated in describing
the product to your friend, how
appealing is this product to you
personally? In your response, I am
looking for some details about what
makes the product appealing to you
personally.

20. Reality Check: What’s Required
Specific Audience
Opportunity to
Iterate
On-Demand Tools

21. Case Study: Hair Care Manufacturer
Business Context:
Client had identified a white space opportunity for
introducing salon-style straightening treatments into the
mainstream.
21

22. Concept Testing Problem
• Existing Community for the base product’s
target audience, BUT new product is intended
for different audience
• Tight deadline, waiting on creative
• Fifteen concepts to screen
• Identify winning concepts to go into BASES
22

23. What to Use?

24. Agile Concept Screen: Iteration 1
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Directional Quant Screen
Purchase Interest
Appeal
Relevant
Unique & Different
Concept 1
86%
96%
92%
98%
Concept 2
74%
86%
78%
86%
Concept 3
72%
88%
80%
90%
Concept 4
68%
84%
82%
94%
Concept 5
66%
86%
80%
76%
Concept 6
66%
80%
80%
76%
Concept 7
66%
80%
78%
80%
Concept 8
66%
76%
76%
90%
Concept 9
66%
74%
68%
76%
Concept 10
64%
78%
68%
70%
Concept 11
64%
76%
76%
92%
Concept 12
64%
76%
76%
80%
Concept 13
64%
74%
70%
90%
Concept 14
64%
72%
68%
92%
Concept 15
62%
72%
74%
94%

25. Agile Concept Refinement: Iteration 2
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Iteration 1: Real-time Quant (n = 200)
Thursday
Friday
Iteration 2: On-Demand Community (n = 60)
Opinion
n = 30
25
Concept 1: Remove
Concept 2: Refine
✓
Concept 3: Refine
✗
Opinion
✗
✓
Opinion
Concept 4: Remove
✓
Concept 5: Combine w/ 6
✗
Concept 6: Remove

26. Agile Concept Optimization
CONCEPT 2
(Before Refinement)
For sleek, straight hair,
Brand is the salon formula
that delivers powerful
Keratin straighteners at
home because only Brand
brings safe use and lasting
results to the comfort of
your home.
26
CONCEPT 2
(After Iterations 1 & 2)
For salon-smooth hair that
lasts, Brand is the at-home
formula that leaves hair
frizz-free but never limp
because only Brand delivers
ultra-light natural
straighteners in a gentle
formula.

27. Thank You!
Join the ‘Agile Market Research’ group on LinkedIn
+
@GutCheckit
Matt@gutcheckit.com
Lisa@gutcheckit.com
(877) 990 - 8111