How can you use market research to identify the most popular features for commercial vans?

1 Define your market segment

Before you start your market research, you need to define your market segment clearly. Who are your potential customers and what are their characteristics, preferences, and pain points? For example, if you are designing a commercial van for delivery services, you need to consider factors such as fuel efficiency, cargo capacity, safety, and reliability. If you are designing a commercial van for camping enthusiasts, you need to consider factors such as comfort, functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability. You can use tools such as market segmentation, customer personas, and value proposition to define your market segment.

2 Choose your research methods

Once you have defined your market segment, you need to choose your research methods. There are two main types of market research: primary and secondary. Primary research involves collecting data directly from your target market, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observations. Secondary research involves using existing data from sources such as reports, publications, websites, or databases. You can use both types of research to complement each other and gain a deeper understanding of your market. For example, you can use secondary research to identify the trends and opportunities in the commercial van market, and then use primary research to test your assumptions and validate your ideas.

3 Analyze your data

After you have collected your data, you need to analyze it and draw insights from it. You can use various tools and techniques to analyze your data, such as data visualization, statistical analysis, or thematic analysis. You need to look for patterns, correlations, gaps, and anomalies in your data and interpret them in relation to your market segment and your design goals. For example, you can use data visualization to compare the features and preferences of different customer segments, statistical analysis to measure the demand and satisfaction of different features, or thematic analysis to identify the common themes and issues that emerge from your data.

4 Prioritize your features

Based on your data analysis, you need to prioritize your features and decide which ones are the most important and valuable for your market segment and your design objectives. You can use tools such as feature prioritization matrix, Kano model, or MoSCoW method to prioritize your features. You need to consider factors such as customer needs, expectations, and satisfaction, as well as feasibility, viability, and desirability of your features. For example, you can use feature prioritization matrix to rank your features according to their impact and effort, Kano model to classify your features according to their basic, performance, or delight attributes, or MoSCoW method to categorize your features according to their must-have, should-have, could-have, or won't-have status.

5 Design your prototype

Once you have prioritized your features, you need to design your prototype and test it with your target market. You can use tools such as sketches, wireframes, mockups, or 3D models to design your prototype and show how your features work and look. You need to make sure that your prototype is realistic, functional, and user-friendly, and that it reflects your market research findings and your design vision. For example, you can use sketches to illustrate your initial concepts, wireframes to define your layout and structure, mockups to add your colors and details, or 3D models to simulate your final product.

6 Get feedback and iterate

After you have designed your prototype, you need to get feedback and iterate your design until you achieve the best possible solution for your market segment and your design goals. You can use tools such as usability testing, customer feedback, or A/B testing to get feedback and iterate your design. You need to collect and analyze the feedback from your target market and evaluate how well your prototype meets their needs, expectations, and satisfaction. You also need to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your design and make improvements accordingly. For example, you can use usability testing to observe how your customers use your prototype and measure their performance and satisfaction, customer feedback to ask your customers for their opinions and suggestions, or A/B testing to compare two versions of your prototype and see which one performs better.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?