Designing a Taste Test Survey for Howlin' Coyote Chili

Learning Objectives. To have students (1) design three questions for a taste test questionnaire of a possible new Howlin' Coyote chili marketed by Paradise Kitchensthe firm described in Appendix Aand (2) compare their questions with those used in the taste test.

Nature of the Activity. To help students appreciate the precision needed in developing meaningful questions that assess consumer attitudes, opinions, and behaviors when designing a survey.

Materials Needed. Copies for each student, either in hard copy or electronically, of the following:

Background mini-lecture:

"Consumer packaged goods marketers (like Paradise Kitchenssee Appendix A) often conduct taste tests to evaluate a new product (such as chili) that might be added to their product line (such as the Howlin' Coyote line). As a part of the taste test, participants are asked to complete a short questionnaire summarizing their feelings about the product's attributes, such as taste. This questionnaire must be simple and carefully worded to obtain the information needed."

6. Spend a few minutes to design each of the three scales or questions shown on the Try, Your Hand at Designing a Chili Taste-Test Questionnaire Handout.

Marketing Lesson.It is critically vital that marketing research questionnaires (1) be simple, (2) be precisely worded, (3) be visually appealing, and (4), most importantly, lead to tangible marketing actions.

TRY YOUR HAND AT DESIGNING A CHILI TASTE-TEST QUESTIONNAIRE HANDOUT

1. You have a respondent taste a new Howlin' Coyote chili being considered for manufacture. Suggest names for the six scale points seeking the respondent's reaction, where one of the scale points is "neutral."

________ ________ ________ ________ ________ __

2. Suggest three names on a "spiciness scale" to evaluate the new chili.

___________________ ___________________ _____________

3. You are especially interested in reactions to consumers who frequently eat chili. Compose a question to measure a respondent's frequency of consuming chili.