Concept Development

Definition

Concept development is the process of generating, evaluating, and refining ideas for new products or services. It involves transforming an initial idea into a more detailed and tangible concept that can be further developed and tested. This stage is crucial in the new product development process as it helps determine the feasibility and potential success of a proposed product or service.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Concept development typically follows the ideation stage, where a wide range of ideas are generated, and precedes the more detailed product design and development stages.
2. The goal of concept development is to create a clear and compelling product concept that can be effectively communicated to potential customers and stakeholders.
3. Effective concept development often involves a combination of creativity, market research, and analytical thinking to identify the most promising product ideas.
4. Concept screening is a critical step in the concept development process, where product concepts are evaluated and the most promising ones are selected for further development.
5. Concept testing allows companies to gather valuable feedback from target consumers, which can be used to refine the product concept and increase the likelihood of market success.

Review Questions

• Explain the purpose of the concept development stage in the new product development process.
  • The concept development stage is crucial in the new product development process as it helps transform an initial idea into a more detailed and tangible concept that can be further evaluated and refined. The primary purpose of this stage is to assess the feasibility and potential success of a proposed product or service by generating, evaluating, and refining the product concept. This involves conducting market research, analyzing consumer feedback, and making strategic decisions about the product's features, benefits, and positioning in the market.
• Describe the relationship between ideation and concept development, and how they contribute to the overall new product development process.
  • Ideation and concept development are closely related but distinct stages in the new product development process. Ideation is the creative process of generating new and innovative ideas for products, services, or solutions. Concept development then takes these initial ideas and transforms them into more detailed and tangible product concepts that can be further evaluated and refined. The concept development stage builds upon the ideation stage by applying market research, analytical thinking, and strategic decision-making to determine the most promising product concepts that should be developed further. Together, ideation and concept development lay the foundation for the subsequent stages of the new product development process, such as product design, testing, and commercialization.
• Analyze the role of concept screening and concept testing in the concept development stage, and explain how they contribute to the success of a new product.
  • Concept screening and concept testing are critical components of the concept development stage. Concept screening involves evaluating and selecting the most promising product concepts based on predefined criteria, such as market potential, technical feasibility, and alignment with the company's strategic objectives. This process helps organizations focus their resources on the most viable product ideas. Concept testing, on the other hand, involves gathering consumer feedback on the product concepts to assess their potential appeal, identify areas for improvement, and gauge the likelihood of success in the market. By incorporating both concept screening and concept testing, companies can make more informed decisions about which product concepts to pursue, refine the concepts based on customer insights, and increase the chances of developing a successful new product that meets the needs and desires of the target market.

Related terms

Ideation: The creative process of generating new and innovative ideas for products, services, or solutions.

Concept Screening: The evaluation and selection of the most promising product concepts based on predefined criteria to determine which concepts should be developed further.

Concept Testing:

The process of gathering consumer feedback on product concepts to assess their potential appeal, identify areas for improvement, and gauge the likelihood of success in the market.