INSIGHT on INSIGHT: Utilizing Decision Maps or Decision Trees
WHAT AND WHEN: Proper usage
In the most simplified form, decision mapping involves five steps:
- Identify what factors directly or indirectly influence the decision being made
- Determine the order in which factors are considered or decided
- Determine how selection or de-selection of different factors cause unique branching
- Approximate the relative weight, importance or predictive value each factor has on the final decision
- Identify the preference for specific variants within each factor
Understanding the decision-making process helps companies create message and in-market stimulus that presents the right information in the right order to help more shoppers arrive at the decision to buy their product because it is believed to best meet their particular needs.
The branches of a decision map are often closely related to what unique shopper or product segments exist for a category. Understanding both becomes a very powerful platform to guide product development and brand portfolios that ensure shoppers consistently arrive at the decision to buy one of their products (and not the competition).
WHY: The benefit and value
It is through the understanding of a decision map that a company can focus on influencing the causes (the factors) to alter the outcome (the decision). This influence can come in a variety of forms:
- Deciding what factors drive the differentiation between variants: Should an assortment of sizes be offered? Or colors? Or forms?
- Deciding what information to communicate on the front of packaging versus on the back or sides: What features, benefits or claims (and how many) deserve prominent placement on the front panel?
- Deciding where investing in a particular product attribute (like quality or durability) will influence purchase decisions and (if needed) be supported at a higher price: Is there a market for a high-end product based on offering superior durability? Or prestige? Or added features?
- Deciding how many unique variants are needed to satisfy shopper demand: Is the category fragmented into a dozen or more unique needs or can fewer products, positioned appropriately, capture the majority of purchase decisions?
HOW: Tips to guide a basic approach
Decision maps are only as accurate as the factors included in their design. To increase accuracy, make sure the following details are right:
- No meaningful factors or attributes are overlooked or excluded.
- Careful randomization is used to ensure no order bias is introduced.
- Careful skip patterns are used to make sure respondents are providing data relevant to their personal decision.
- Probing questions are included to clarify the meaning of decision points or the role of different factors.
- The summarization of results shows how particular profiles have dominant paths through the decision process. It cannot produce a single, linear path.
APPLICATION: What to do with the results
Decision maps provide both a theoretical model through which to view a category and a very practical flowchart to guide product and package design decisions. Some possible applications can include:
- Using with retailers to design the modular structure and organize adjacencies.
- Using internally to guide label architecture and content.
- Using with product development to determine where to focus new designs, where to make improvements, and where costs can be stripped out of products.
- Using to develop disruptive, magnetic packaging that capitalizes on attracting attention from the biggest or earliest decisions in the process.