• Using expert panels to detect and describe sensory differences.
• A Sensory panel of testers consists of individuals who have exceptional sensory faculties and can describe products on the basis of taste, smell or feel.
• The panelists are trained to describe their sensory experiences using words they generated in previous training sessions. These words are more detailed than those used by consumers, and more useful for R & D departments.

WHAT PARAMETERS CAN THEY MEASURE

1. Smell (perfumes, and aromas)
2. Taste (flavour, texture etc.)
3. Touch (e.g, viscosity for cosmetics, roughness/ smoothness for leather steering wheels)
4. Other sensations (e.g. smoothness of a car ride, vibration of a drill)

Go back to the top

Linking data from a Sensory Panel and Consumer Tests for a common set of products is a very powerful development tool. By statistically linking, i.e. mapping, the expert descriptions and consumer liking, the key elements that actually drive preference can be optimised meet consumer needs. This technique can be used to great effect by identifying "taste segmentation groups"

Go back to the top

AS PART OF MARKET UNDERSTANDING

• Describing current products in the market (mapping a market)
• Tracking competitive product changes over time.

AS PART OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

• Developing a new product from gaps in existing market maps
• Determine if it is possible for consumers to notice changes .
• To understand the magnitude of changes that will get a particular consumer reaction.
• Determine which products and concepts in a range of new ones are the most promising.
• Could help to substantiate advertising propositions and label claims.

• Determining product changes over time for shelf life evaluation
• Determining the effect of in-house ingredients and process changes (Quality Improvement and Cost Reduction)
• Understanding tolerances for a QA programme

Go back to the top

Further Information: sdmr2007[at]SDResearch.com