Patient and pharmacist insights on medical products
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Patient and pharmacist insights on medical products
3M
3M partnered with Experientia to test a prototype neck warmer used to alleviate chronic neck pain.
We conducted focus groups with patients and pharmacists to understand their individual product needs and the best way for 3M to communicate their solution.
3 things to know
3M partnered with Experientia to test a prototype neck warmer used to alleviate chronic neck pain, exploring product category awareness, packaging and user experience.
In focus groups with patients and pharmacists we explored their individual product needs and identified how 3M could differentiate and communicate their solution.
For the final deliverable, we produced two focus group reports with research findings, product recommendations and brand communication guidelines.
In focus groups, we asked people which product category features they preferred.
Both patients and pharmacists explained their understanding of the product category, helping us to identify knowledge gaps.
Patients identified the kinds of features that attracted them to one brand or another.
We identified packaging preferences and communication strategies for the product.
In-depth
Our research engaged two separate patient and pharmacist focus groups dealing with chronic neck pain.
In the first group, patients were interviewed about the product’s ergonomics and pricing, while the pharmacists were asked about the product’s marketing communication and in-store placement.
In the second focus group, a different set of patients and pharmacists were asked to try on the prototype neck warmer and evaluate its characteristics. Patients were asked about the ergonomics of the prototype while pharmacists were asked about pricing, stock and product displays.
For the final deliverable, we produced two focus group reports with research findings, product recommendations and brand communication guidelines.
Research impact
Insights led to significant recommendations for alterations to the new product, due to an ambivalent response to key features of the concept.
We uncovered a gap in product knowledge on the part of decision influencers and users, leading to recommendations for greater point-of-sale support and focus on purchase experience.
After indentifying packaging preferences, which influence the probability of purchase, we specified product and packaging directions and recommended further testing.
