P&G hands-free real-time data gathering

P&G is looking to increase the number of accurately completed questionnaires from consumers during product and user research and include previously unrecorded data. It is expected that a hands-free or voice solution that enables questionnaire completion whilst doing the task will both increase data accuracy and enable sentiment analysis of consumer response.

At present, one of the ways P&G gain an understanding of consumer habits and behaviours is by providing incentives to groups of individuals (20-50 per pilot) in exchange for responses to quantitative (using a score scale) questionnaires(both paper-based and electronic versions have been used. This provides P&G with insights into consumer’s natural behaviour in the home environment while doing everyday tasks such as laundry, changing nappies, and shaving). It also helps P&G capture in-the-moment feedback on product performance.

The ideal solution will be ‘hands-free’ or a voice solution allowing consumers to accurately complete reviews as they are using products (for example, while carrying out a set task).

Information collected during this process is rarely accurate as individuals tend to fill in the questionnaires/habit diaries after time has elapsed rather than as they are carrying out the tasks, which can result in information and genuine responses being forgotten. The P&G team also seek to understand the qualitative (emotional) responses of consumers as these tasks are completed, rather than just asking them to provide scores for each question. It is assumed that this would enable the team at P&G to do more detailed sentiment analysis on how the consumer feels about the task they are doing and the results they see after using the product.

P&G is keen to understand if a partner can create an easy-to-complete, and potentially hands-free, data gathering solution that:

• Gathers a complete range of information (mixture of quantitative data and open-ended user feedback – to be provided)
• Encourages users to engage at the point of performing the activity.
• Produces data in an analysable form (to be determined)

If the above is achieved P&G would also like to know how technically deliverable and deployable this solution is today and what it would take to make it scale.

Who should apply?

Startups and scaleups with expertise in IoT, voice, real-time data capture and user research. Organisations must have the ability to build a MVP/PoC by September 2019, they must also have the capabilities to scale the solution across P&G if required.

Applicants should be available to attend the pitch day on 17 May at PROTO, Gateshead. Applications must be recieved in full by the application close date on 12 April.

Why you should apply

• P&G has a budget to work with startups and scaleups to solve this challenge, by developing a proof of concept (POC) or minimal viable product (MVP) to test out the assumptions made to date about this process
• P&G would like to find a partner to deliver a suitable solution for this challenge. This is a fully funded commercial opportunity and does not require matched funding, with the intent that P&G plan to support the build of a prototype solution.
• If a solution is developed that eliminates the requirement for staff observation of customers in the home environment, and manual analysis of interviews, then P&G would be interested in applying this across multiple departments where user feedback is required
• This is an opportunity for a startup to work with a global company on a potentially global solution

Additional info

P&G is looking for creative thinking for this challenge, therefore it is open to suggestions that it may not have considered to solve this challenge. Please note the text chatbot solution has already been considered for this challenge and was not fit for purpose.

Things to think about:

• IoT and sensor solutions as well as voice returns would be beneficial to this challenge. It is preferred if responses are captured in the moment to ensure the consumer is in the right mindset
• Considerations should also be made to incentivisation models, for example a sliding scale or increased payment if done at time of load
• This process needs to provide raw data that is easily searchable for future use and analysis. The solution should not be intrusive to the user and needs to be secure by design
• P&G already collect power load and temperature of utilities

Please note this will include collaborative testing with P&G and that P&G would like to have influence on design etc.

Evaluation criteria:

• Value for Money (25%)
• Saves time (10%)
• Provides more accurate information around task behaviour (35%)
• Technically feasible (30%)