Product & Innovation Research
De-Risk Innovation. Maximise Success.
Validate product concepts, test prototypes, and optimise your innovation pipeline with customer-driven research that reduces risk and accelerates time-to-market.
Innovation is essential for growth, but it is also inherently risky. Studies show that up to 90% of new products fail to meet their commercial targets. The difference between success and failure often comes down to one factor: how well the innovation is grounded in genuine customer needs and validated before significant investment is committed.
At Mansfield, we help organisations de-risk innovation by embedding customer research at every stage of the product development process—from initial concept exploration through prototype testing, pricing optimisation, and launch planning. Our integrated approach ensures that your innovation pipeline is fuelled by real customer insights, not internal assumptions.
What We Deliver
Our product and innovation research covers the full development lifecycle:
Concept Testing
Prototype & Product Testing
Pricing Research
Go-to-Market Planning
Post-Launch Evaluation
Our Innovation Research Process
Opportunity Identification
We identify unmet customer needs and market gaps through qualitative and quantitative research.
Concept Development & Testing
We develop and test multiple concepts with target customers to identify the most promising direction.
Prototype Validation
We gather detailed feedback on prototypes through hands-on testing and iterative refinement.
Pricing & Positioning Optimisation
We determine optimal pricing and positioning through conjoint analysis and competitive benchmarking.
Launch Readiness Assessment
We validate go-to-market strategy and identify potential risks before launch.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what stage of product development should we conduct research?
Research is valuable at every stage — from early ideation and concept screening to prototype testing and pre-launch validation. The earlier you engage consumers, the more cost-effective your development process. We recommend starting with exploratory research to identify unmet needs, then validating concepts before significant investment.
How do you test product concepts with consumers?
We use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods: focus groups and in-depth interviews for exploratory feedback, and monadic or sequential monadic concept tests for comparative evaluation. We assess appeal, relevance, uniqueness, believability, and purchase intent to identify winning concepts.
Can you help us identify white-space opportunities?
Absolutely. Our innovation research explicitly identifies gaps in the market — unmet needs, underserved segments, and emerging trends that your competitors have overlooked. We combine consumer insight with competitive analysis to highlight the most promising innovation territories.
How do you measure purchase intent for new products?
We use validated scales and behavioural proxies rather than simple 'would you buy' questions. Our approaches include choice-based conjoint analysis, simulated purchase decisions, and volumetric forecasting — all designed to predict real-world adoption more accurately than traditional intent measures.
Ready to Turn Insights into Action?
Contact us to get a customized research or training solution that drives your business and team growth.