Atar Evaluation and the Atar Model Two

ATAR Evaluation and the ATAR Model Two major perspectives on new product evaluation have been proffered, and in order to make a decision of which one is right -- or what level of compromise should be established -- it is necessary to more closely examine the issue.

On the one hand, it has been suggested that early evaluation can determine whether or not resources are wisely spent in further development, meaning the firm will spend less on products that are less promising, while on the other hand developing everything faster and evaluating at a later stage yields more meaningful data and more realistic assessments of potential success, while also leading to the creation of more potentially viable products.

While there is some merit to both arguments, a general application of the ATAR model can be used of demonstrate the higher efficacy of earlier evaluation in terms of increasing overall profitability. The acronym ATAR stands for Awareness, Trial, Availability, Repeat, but the process actually tends to occur in slightly different chronological order (Leeds 2011; Cartier 2011). First there must be product awareness, which means that a potential customer has heard of the product and some specific feature that differentiates it from competitors and potentially adds value to the consumer (Leeds 2011).

Early evaluation in this regard will help to determine if the fundamental idea of a product is actually worth pursuing in further development, and though later evaluation might provide more detailed information such details are not generally the core functions for which new products are purchased (Cartier 2011). Awareness must be driven by a fundamental difference or feature. The next step that occurs in the model is Availability, which must be established before a Trial can occur (Cartier 2011; Leeds 2011).

Neither method of evaluation has a major impact on product availability, though products that are evaluated earlier are less likely to generate awareness and then be unavailable -- as fewer products will make it down the pike in the first place, those that do come far enough along the road to generate awareness are far more likely to become available. This eases marketing for the company, as well.

When the actual Trial arrives, which is the period following purchase when a customer actually uses and personally evaluates the product, both evaluation methods should hopefully have done their jobs and the user experience should not be affected by when the evaluation takes place.

The Repeat phase of the ATAR model is highly affected by the timing of the evaluation, however; whether or not the customer repurchases or recommends the product to others could lead to new product development and the starting of the process all over again, or to ongoing developments and alterations to the existing product (Leeds 2011; Cartier 2011); Either way, early evaluation will again save resources and limit the creation of awareness before availability is more assured, with the same effects as described above.

The ATAR model is typicallyused in more quantitative applications, but even in a general assessment it can be used to assist decision making. Having many ideas in development can be good. For most companies in the current time having only a few really good ideas in development is better.