design-for-response

Introduction of a new product or innovation to the market with a flexible design that can be quickly modified in response to consumer reaction. Design-for-response may be used in lieu of time-consuming, error-prone and costly market research prior to market introduction of a product. It is especially effective with products that are true innovations and therefore difficult for preintroduction consumer research to evaluate. For example, when "talking pictures" were first developed, the film industry thought they would be a passing fad. Design-for-response requires that the manufacturing process be able to respond quickly and cost-effectively to design changes. Hearst Publications uses design-for-response to develop new magazines that are introduced to the market as one-shots and are then revised according to reader and advertiser response before being launched as regularly published titles.