However, the gap between a bright idea and its successful and durable realization is often enormous.
The claimed function, the appearance and presentation of the product or service, other existing solutions – even if they are insufficient -, applicable regulations, the commercial channels through which it is distributed, and its price …. are all pitfalls, sometimes decisive, between the starting point and success.
To reduce all the risks associated with the launch of new products, tools and methods abound. Among these, there is a scale that has the advantage of situating the degree of development of a product or service and pointing out the steps that remain to be taken. Inspired by its technological equivalent, the TRL[1], established by NASA, it is called MRL, for Market Readiness Level. Like the TRL, the MRL scale has 9 levels:
1- UNMET NEED IDENTIFIED
2- OPPORTUNITY DEFINITION
3- ANALYSIS OF THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
4- DETAILED MARKET ANALYSIS
5- DETAILED CUSTOMER ANALYSIS
6- SECTORIAL AND COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
7- POSITIONING DEFINITION
8- VALUE PROPOSITION
9- PRODUCT/SERVICE BUSINESS OUTLOOK
Once the product or service concept has been defined (MRL 1 & 2), the 4 phases of analysis (MRL 3 to 6) allow us to inventory its prospects and to evaluate variants, which may prove to be more promising than the original concept.
After gathering environmental and competitive data, the envisaged functionalities are tested with current or potential customers and their use is at the heart of the process. The detailed studies conducted with them make it possible to improve the products or services.
The subtle identification of the customer’s usage approach can be crucial and beneficial, in particular by inventorying the alternative uses, which are sometimes unknown. It is then essential to look for ways and means to modify the offer and to bring complementarities, in order to avoid heading towards a potential failure.
[1] Technical Readiness Level; from fundamental research (TRL 1) to the complete, tested and industrialized system (TRL 9)