Consumer Tests

Let our professional staff assist you in all aspects of consumer testing, including: consumer screening/recruiting/scheduling, test design, questionnaire development, experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing. We recruit consumers through our online database of over 5,000 Corvallis residents. The tests we conduct include, but are not limited to:

  • Central location tests
  • Home use tests
  • Preference tests
  • Acceptance tests
  • Product comparison tests

Typical project steps:

  • Initial Consultation: Based on your project objective, we determine the appropriate sensory test method and provide you with a proposed test summary.
  • Project Design: We work with you to establish the number of consumers, recruitment criteria, budget, schedule, and final report deadline. Once the project design is agreed upon, we complete and sign the service contract.
  • Project Preparation: Our staff, with your guidance, will design a test ballot and consumer recruitment screener and also perform pilot tests of your products. Once agreed, we recruit, screen and schedule consumers, prepare the computerized ballots, random sample presentation, and code serving materials. Common scales/methods used in testing include:
    • Hedonic, intensity, purchase intent, and “just right” scales
    • CATA (check-all-that-apply)
    • Acceptance/preference questions
    • Discrimination tests (n-AFC, Triangle, Duo-Trio, Tetrad)
  • Sensory Testing: We assure the test is conducted in a timely, quality manner.
  • Statistical Analysis: We provide the appropriate statistical analyses based on the sensory test objectives. Our staff is highly trained in an array of statistical analyses, such as:
    • ANOVA, Chi Square, Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman’s Rank Sum, and Overall Preference
    • Multivariate techniques, including Principal Component Analysis, Partial Least Squares, Internal and External Preference Mapping, Kano Analysis, Factor Analysis, k-means clustering, and Agglomerative Hierarchical clustering
  • Report Generation: We collect and organize all aspects of the study into one concise, yet detailed, report. In this report, we interpret your results and relate them to the answers you seek. We also provide a detailed top line report within 24 hours of test completion.

Contact Us About Your Testing Needs!

sue.queisser@oregonstate.edu

541-737-6506