Use of physical and virtual composite prototypes to reduce product development cycle time

• US 20070288300A1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Loyd, Adrienne Rae, VanDenBogart, Thomas William, Nelson, Michael Joseph, Gruttadauria, Matthew Karl, Bethea, Cerita Diane, Moore, Steven Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/638,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A method for rapidly producing a prototype includes the steps of conducting an interview of a participant in a product development study; presenting an item for review; providing physical sets of alternatives for components of the item; eliciting preference values for the alternatives from the participant; inputting the preference values into a computer software program; producing a virtual ideal item based on the preference values using the computer software program; and presenting the virtual ideal item to the participant.

Claims

1. A method for rapidly producing a prototype comprising the steps of:

(A) conducting an interview of a participant in a product development study;

(B) presenting an item for review;

(C) providing physical sets of alternatives for components of the item;

(D) eliciting preference values for the alternatives from the participant;

(E) inputting the preference values into a computer software program;

(F) producing a virtual ideal item based on the preference values using the computer software program; and

(G) presenting the virtual ideal item to the participant.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using computer programming to pool respondent choices to determine statistical implications.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining the importance of at least one element of the design process.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of utilizing virtual reality to produce the virtual ideal item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of eliciting emotional feedback from the participant.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the item is modified and displayed to the participant after each decision is made.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of constructing a physical version of the virtual ideal item.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the physical version is produced using a rapid prototyping system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing the virtual ideal item to a usual item.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating a number of mutations to the item.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of proposing alternatives for the item in real-time.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of asking follow-up questions to the participant.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of obtaining non-verbal feedback from the participant.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the non-verbal feedback is obtained by a biomonitor.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of quantitatively correlating the preference values with corresponding predetermined optimum applicability values using a correlation algorithm to calculate an overall or average rating for each alternative.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the algorithm includes scaling factors.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of the participant modifying the item.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the participant is pre-screened.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the participant is placed into a group based on pre-determined criteria to obtain particular information.

20. The method of claim 1 including computerized systems with multiple participants joined by a network and multimedia marketing research systems.