Implementing the Learning launch tool in a corporate FMCG company 

 This is a description of a research I ’d like to conduct as soon as the corona crisis is less of a barrier or turn it into   a digital process if need be . Hence , the description below is a scenario of our challenge and selection combined   with an expectation of how the research will be . 

 Challenge 

 As a brand manager at a large FMCG corporation it is important to gain consumer insights first hand as   described throughout the course . We are a highly data driven company and use large consumer studies   combined with little primary research we do ourselves . This means that the data we use to innovate often   leads to incremental improvements to what we have been doing in the past . In addition , the information   that we do use is probably the same as the competition which does n’t give us the competitive edge that   we need to truly innovate . However , we do have a culture in which innovation is highly stimulated so   there is a lack of balance in the methods we use and the innovative mind - set within the corporation .   Hence , we are lacking a method to learn quick and fast with relevant consumer data that is unique to our   target group . 

 Selection 

 I ’ve selected the tool learning launch as it as a way to test a hypothesis quick and fast while   mitigation confirmation bias as Hesse states in the learning launch tool video . Through the learning   launch process we are able to integrated a new validation method in our way of working and seek for   confirmations or disconfirmations of our assumptions instead of building plans on ( relatively old )   quantitative consumer studies and assumptions . Be engaging in the learning launch process 

 I ’d like to use the learning launch tool in a design thinking process in order to test and learn quick & fast to   test findings that we think might be beneficial to our consumer group during ethnographic studies : home   visits with our consumer base . We did start implementing a more agile way of working through scrum in   the last 1,5 years so this should fit in with the agile way of working perfectly and improve it to add a new   method to validate deliverables . 

 In short our key challenge is to develop a learning launch for a marketing campaign to introduce a new   fmcg product in collaboration with our key retail partner while using our ethnographic home research as   the key source of data . 

 Application 

 The submission provides a detailed description of applying the selected tool including all relevant   information ( e.g. , what the author did and how the tool was applied effectively / ineffectively ) 

 Our scrum team consists of several different team members with various specialities which made   them the perfect group to implement the learning launch with . We had an online specialist , a   category specialist , a retail specialist , a gen z intern and a media specialist in order to have various   cognitive blind spots . Within the team I acted as the sceptic in order to make sure we mitigate   confirmation bias the best way we can . 

 Before starting with the tool I explained the tool to my team with a short workshop to introduce the   concept to the team and to fill in the learning launch design step - by - step given by professor Hesse . In   this way we all had the same understanding of the tool . In order to gain data for the home visit in   addition to our quantitative consumer study we performed around 15 home visit ethnographic   studies in the homes of our consumers . This gave us several key assumptions related to the launch of   our new products and how to best go forward with it . After this we tested 5 assumptions that came   from the interview in 5 stores throughout the country . We observed how consumers interacted with 

 the communication of the new product and afterwards , interviewed them to gain a better   understanding of their actions and how we could tweak the product launch in store . 

 Insight 

 What I think would be the most interesting timing for these kind of studies is to time it when we have   to decide when we want to launch an internationally designed product nationally . So we should   locally engage in this type of study earlier as the test and learn later on could tell us that consumers   do n’t really have a need for this product and that we have to create a need . We often have   incremental innovations that we need to teach consumers about as their knowledge is limited . Take   a new mascara for instance . Consumers would like to accentuate their eyes either true volume or   length in case of short eyelashes so that need does n’t change as much as our mascaras . So a mascara   based on a lash lift trend might be too complex and wo n’t reach our mass target consumer that well   as it is not their desire to have a lash lift at home as most consumers do n’t know what it is or have no   need for it . This dynamic between international product development and local market insights is a   big challenge in this process . 

 Currently , we mostly estimate the success of the product based on the brand perspective , our   product portfolio and our quantitative research . When we locally test the launch success with the   learning launch and the communication of the product the success will be way higher . This is   currently little done as the global head office does these tests and it saves us money not to do so .   Therefore , creating a cheaper and quicker way to test and learn we can make use of best of both   worlds : international tests completed by local consumer insights to discover the real consumer needs   we have in the market . If we can crack this and hence , change the way of working of our national   markets I expect that we will create a much higher success rate of our products and launches as they   will be highly relevant . 

 Approach 

 This study was the first time our organisation learned through learning launches via design thinking .   Hence , everyone who participated in the study as a researcher was using the methods for the first   time . Some practical challenges were to remain open during the ethnographic study and to make   sure our researchers were n’t directing consumers into a certain thought . 

 Also , to collaborate with the retailer and to set up the learning launches in store took quite some   time as this was also the first time . So yes , the process in the end could have been way quicker than a   classic consumer study , however due to the newness of it all it took longer . Repeating the process   will make sure we become quicker and better . 

 In the end , I expect that the learning launch was the best way to test and learn when it comes to our   assumptions as it helps to generate innovative ideas instead of small incremental improvements to   existing processes and products . 


EMAIL: 
ID_NUM: 
NAME_STUDENT: 
PHONE_NUM: 
STREET_ADDRESS: 
URL_PERSONAL: 
USERNAME: 

### Task: You are a PII (Personal Identity Information) Detection. Given a essays written by students, you have to identify ONLY the following:
NAME_STUDENT - The full or partial name of a student that is not necessarily the author of the essay. This excludes instructors, authors, and other person names.
EMAIL - A student’s email address.
USERNAME - A student's username on any platform.
ID_NUM - A number or sequence of characters that could be used to identify a student, such as a student ID or a social security number.
PHONE_NUM - A phone number associated with a student.
URL_PERSONAL - A URL that might be used to identify a student.
STREET_ADDRESS - A full or partial street address that is associated with the student, such as their home address.
### Input: Implementing the Learning launch tool in a corporate FMCG company 

 This is a description of a research I ’d like to conduct as soon as the corona crisis is less of a barrier or turn it into   a digital process if need be . Hence , the description below is a scenario of our challenge and selection combined   with an expectation of how the research will be . 

 Challenge 

 As a brand manager at a large FMCG corporation it is important to gain consumer insights first hand as   described throughout the course . We are a highly data driven company and use large consumer studies   combined with little primary research we do ourselves . This means that the data we use to innovate often   leads to incremental improvements to what we have been doing in the past . In addition , the information   that we do use is probably the same as the competition which does n’t give us the competitive edge that   we need to truly innovate . However , we do have a culture in which innovation is highly stimulated so   there is a lack of balance in the methods we use and the innovative mind - set within the corporation .   Hence , we are lacking a method to learn quick and fast with relevant consumer data that is unique to our   target group . 

 Selection 

 I ’ve selected the tool learning launch as it as a way to test a hypothesis quick and fast while   mitigation confirmation bias as Hesse states in the learning launch tool video . Through the learning   launch process we are able to integrated a new validation method in our way of working and seek for   confirmations or disconfirmations of our assumptions instead of building plans on ( relatively old )   quantitative consumer studies and assumptions . Be engaging in the learning launch process 

 I ’d like to use the learning launch tool in a design thinking process in order to test and learn quick & fast to   test findings that we think might be beneficial to our consumer group during ethnographic studies : home   visits with our consumer base . We did start implementing a more agile way of working through scrum in   the last 1,5 years so this should fit in with the agile way of working perfectly and improve it to add a new   method to validate deliverables . 

 In short our key challenge is to develop a learning launch for a marketing campaign to introduce a new   fmcg product in collaboration with our key retail partner while using our ethnographic home research as   the key source of data . 

 Application 

 The submission provides a detailed description of applying the selected tool including all relevant   information ( e.g. , what the author did and how the tool was applied effectively / ineffectively ) 

 Our scrum team consists of several different team members with various specialities which made   them the perfect group to implement the learning launch with . We had an online specialist , a   category specialist , a retail specialist , a gen z intern and a media specialist in order to have various   cognitive blind spots . Within the team I acted as the sceptic in order to make sure we mitigate   confirmation bias the best way we can . 

 Before starting with the tool I explained the tool to my team with a short workshop to introduce the   concept to the team and to fill in the learning launch design step - by - step given by professor Hesse . In   this way we all had the same understanding of the tool . In order to gain data for the home visit in   addition to our quantitative consumer study we performed around 15 home visit ethnographic   studies in the homes of our consumers . This gave us several key assumptions related to the launch of   our new products and how to best go forward with it . After this we tested 5 assumptions that came   from the interview in 5 stores throughout the country . We observed how consumers interacted with 

 the communication of the new product and afterwards , interviewed them to gain a better   understanding of their actions and how we could tweak the product launch in store . 

 Insight 

 What I think would be the most interesting timing for these kind of studies is to time it when we have   to decide when we want to launch an internationally designed product nationally . So we should   locally engage in this type of study earlier as the test and learn later on could tell us that consumers   do n’t really have a need for this product and that we have to create a need . We often have   incremental innovations that we need to teach consumers about as their knowledge is limited . Take   a new mascara for instance . Consumers would like to accentuate their eyes either true volume or   length in case of short eyelashes so that need does n’t change as much as our mascaras . So a mascara   based on a lash lift trend might be too complex and wo n’t reach our mass target consumer that well   as it is not their desire to have a lash lift at home as most consumers do n’t know what it is or have no   need for it . This dynamic between international product development and local market insights is a   big challenge in this process . 

 Currently , we mostly estimate the success of the product based on the brand perspective , our   product portfolio and our quantitative research . When we locally test the launch success with the   learning launch and the communication of the product the success will be way higher . This is   currently little done as the global head office does these tests and it saves us money not to do so .   Therefore , creating a cheaper and quicker way to test and learn we can make use of best of both   worlds : international tests completed by local consumer insights to discover the real consumer needs   we have in the market . If we can crack this and hence , change the way of working of our national   markets I expect that we will create a much higher success rate of our products and launches as they   will be highly relevant . 

 Approach 

 This study was the first time our organisation learned through learning launches via design thinking .   Hence , everyone who participated in the study as a researcher was using the methods for the first   time . Some practical challenges were to remain open during the ethnographic study and to make   sure our researchers were n’t directing consumers into a certain thought . 

 Also , to collaborate with the retailer and to set up the learning launches in store took quite some   time as this was also the first time . So yes , the process in the end could have been way quicker than a   classic consumer study , however due to the newness of it all it took longer . Repeating the process   will make sure we become quicker and better . 

 In the end , I expect that the learning launch was the best way to test and learn when it comes to our   assumptions as it helps to generate innovative ideas instead of small incremental improvements to   existing processes and products .
### Output: 