Module: Consumer Insight Generation

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Consumer Insight Generation
Module Code	MT5159 (ITS) / MAD1030 (Banner)
Faculty	DCU Business School	School	DCU Business School
Module Co-ordinator	Peter Robbins
Module Teachers	Eadaoin McCarthy
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

A market insight is the discovery of a relevant, accurate, actionable and previously unrealized reality about a target market that emerges as the result of deep, subjective data analysis combined with rich ethnographic data about how people behave. The goal of insight in marketing, especially when marketing or developing something new, is to benefit both parties, meeting your target audience’s true needs and wants while simultaneously providing the brand with an anchor in the consumer’s mind. In other words, the best market insights offer value for both the seller and the companies in need of the innovation.Desired attributes of an insight is something that shifts understanding, is novel, is not obvious, is congruent, is explanatory and has endurance. Gary Klein(2015) refers to insight as ‘shifting to a better story’. In this module, we will discuss the components of insights; we will show how they can be leveraged not simply for tactical advertising but for sustainable innovation and we will review some world class examples.

Learning Outcomes

1. Initiate and lead insight development initiatives and workshops
2. Understand the role of insights in innovation
3. Interpret or interrogate raw market research data in search of insights
4. Champion the use of insights in their organization and their innovation programme
5. Understand the sources of insights - and know how to test for actionable insights
6. Be conscious of ethical issues that may emerge in mining for insights and have a strategy to manage them.
7. Be able to translate fundamental consumer or customer insights to an international audience.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Workshop	24	Workshops with an interactive exploration of prescribed reading, case studies, and ongoing assignments reviews and lectures.
Group work	50	Group project work
Independent Study	75	Independent Study
Total Workload: 149

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Content & Learning Activities
● Types of Insight

Indicative Content & Learning Activities
● Sources of Insight

Indicative Content & Learning Activities
● Leveraging Insights

Indicative Content & Learning Activities
● Tests of Insight

Indicative Content & Learning Activities
● Ethnographic Research

Indicative Content & Learning Activities
● Participant Observation

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Group assignment	Group Assignment - Presentation and 2000 Word Report For the group element, students will be asked to investigate, research and identify critical factors in certain successful case histories where the consumer insight has been an acknowledged driver for success , generally in the food, beverage and horticulture area. Students will be required to analyse the strategy and write a detailed critique of how the firm leveraged the insight to derive competitive advantage.	50%	As required
Assignment	Individual Assignment - 4000 Words Develop a new product idea based on a penetrating insight aimed at unlocking business growth: ● Collect and formulate your assumptions into hypotheses that can be tested to unlock meaningful insights ● Conduct experiments to create a continual flow of learning about the category and the consumer ● Derive patterns and meaning from the feedback you’ve collected from customers ● Improve your confidence when making strategic business and product decisions ● Track the progression of your assumptions, hypotheses, early ideas, concepts, and product features with step-by-step playbooks ● Improve customer satisfaction by creating a consistent feedback loop	50%	As required

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Lowdermilk and Rich: 2017, The Customer-Driven Playbook - Converting Customer Insights into Successful Products, O’Reilly Publishing,

Other Resources

None