We were sitting in a conference room for the kickoff of an adult incontinence innovation project. Smart people. Good intentions. Lots of speculation about what was “wrong” with the product and what needed fixing.
So, I gave the team a weekend assignment: go to the store, purchase the product, put one on, and actually use it.
By Monday morning, we weren’t guessing anymore! 😊
We started with individual storytelling, each team member sharing their experience and feelings throughout the entire process. The stories began before anyone even opened the package. One person described standing in the aisle, completely overwhelmed trying to figure out which product would be the right one for them, the sizing guidance was confusing, the absorbency levels weren’t clear, and the fit descriptions meant nothing without context. Another talked about trying to look casual while actually reading the packages, afraid of drawing attention. Then came the checkout anxiety: “I was scared to death they were going to get on the intercom and call for a price check on the brand I was purchasing. I felt like everyone was looking at me.”
Then came the usage experiences. One team member admitted they’d stood in the shower when they used it because they were genuinely afraid of what would happen if the product failed. Another talked about the anxiety of being in public, worried that someone would notice the extra bulkiness under their pants. Someone else described the fidgeting and constant awareness, the inability to just forget you were wearing it.
These weren’t speculations and guesses. These were human truths.
The team came back with a very specific list of things to improve that were not based on assumptions or category expertise, but on lived experience. Fit issues we hadn’t considered. Comfort problems that weren’t obvious from the spec sheet. Packaging communication that needed to be clearer and more empowering for first-time buyers navigating a confusing aisle. Dignity concerns that only became real when you were the one wearing it. And most importantly, the emotional experience, from purchase through use.
That personal benchmark completely reframed our consumer research. When we went into the field to listen to actual users, we could recognize which insights were truly category or brand specific versus which were universal frustrations we’d already felt ourselves. We knew which questions to ask. We knew when to dig deeper.
This isn’t just about incontinence products. It’s about closing the empathy gap that exists in every category.
When your cross-functional team actually uses what you make, something shifts:
- Product development engineers and sensory scientists can engage more effectively in designing for the human experience
- Marketers gain insight into the real problems to be solved, and how the benefits can be better communicated on pack and via brand messaging
- Designers gain insight into how to better communicate what’s important to driving consumer confidence in brand selection on shelf via packaging elements
- Researchers have a better roadmap for where to start probing to find out what actually matters across all consumer touchpoints
Just like understanding your own biases creates a baseline for consumer listening (as I wrote about recently), using your own products creates a visceral understanding that no focus group summary can provide.
So, here’s my challenge: Have you used the product or service you are researching? What is one product or feature on your roadmap right now that you haven’t personally used the way your customer would?
Try it. This week. Buy it and use it the way real people use it. Then tell your story and share the experience, the feelings, the moments of frustration, relief, satisfaction and joy.
I guarantee you’ll stop speculating and start knowing. This team exercise should not take the place of actually engaging with your consumers, but it’s a simple, yet important way to get your innovation teams in touch with the products you develop, design and sell. I realize every product category does not lend itself to this type of exercise easily, but getting your team personally connected to the actual consumer experience will help build a better research plan and drive meaningful innovation outcomes.
What’s been your experience with innovation teams and firsthand product experience? Has it ever fundamentally changed your team’s perspective?