Fuzzy Front End

The Fuzzy Front End refers to activities prior to product development used to understand consumer needs to increase the value, profitability or success of a product. Various qualitative techniques may be used to uncover these unspoken consumer needs, wants, likes and dislikes. These may include in-home observations (ethnography), Focus Groups, One-on-One Interviews, community narratives (storytelling) or imagery activities such as collaging, comparing/contrasting or mind-mapping¹. These more unconventional approaches have the luxury to verbalize the subconscious thoughts and opinions of the target consumer to aid in developing the optimal product.

¹ Meilgaard, M. C., Civille, G. V. and Carr, B. T. 2007. Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 4th edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.