Market and Desk Research

In product development it is crucially important to understand the commercial environment in which the new product must compete. There are many aspects to this:

• Competitive products and alternative solutions
• Changes in the market driven by legislation, new technology, demographics etc.
• Unfulfilled need
• Intellectual property

Normally, companies are operating in a familiar market and with familiar technology so the development team should have first-hand knowledge in these areas. It is important, however, for them to be objective about the limits of this and to be alert to unexpected changes.

For example, new legislation can make current products obsolete and if this is not forseen in time it may leave the company very vulnerable. Alternatively, if useful new technology is not exploited, it can leave a wide opportunity for a new competitor to enter the market

Because these factors (competition, technology, legislation, etc.) interact, it is unrewarding to pursue them individually. What is needed is an integrated view looking for and quantifying opportunities and threats

Over many years of product development, Ryan Research Ltd. has acquired the skills to do this using desk research and in-depth interview