Market analysis and product design for telecommunications equipment and services

To be successful in the telecommunications equipment and services market, we must satisfy the diverse needs and requirements of customers. One critical challenge is to direct resources (R&D, manufacturing, and marketing) efficiently across product and service lines. This paper describes an approach to market analysis and product design that applies to large-business customers who need a variety of telecommunications products, such as business services, and complex switching and transmission systems. We cannot use traditional statistical methods of market research on business telecommunications products, because there are often only a few customers. The methodology presented in this paper helps us determine which new products and features to develop and is specifically aimed at large, complex industrial products. We have applied it successfully to products in switching, transmission, and installation services. Using this methodology, AT&T can design telecommunications products that best meet customer needs and that realize substantial savings in development costs.