Some more Project Guidance

Class,

Am better off setting expectations straight and streamlined so that everybody is well served.

Am told there are groups that are quite lost because they haven't figured out how to start also and are wasting time cleaning data.

Here is how I look at the project (and you DON"T have to agree with me. But if you have zero clue as to what to do, this may help):

The project says "client wants to know car attribute preferences in the Indian mkt".

So as part of Q2, find at least (i) if there are some underlying dimensions (factors?) beneath the attribute preference ratings that are generating the data we see.

(ii) see if these attribute preferences alongside other relevant variables can be used to segment the prospective (in the next 12 months) car buying population.

(iii) Estimate segment sizes for the estimated segments - project sample share onto target population size. For this you will have to come up with some rationale and a string of secondary sources for what the target population size would be - so many middle class households times how many intend to buy times etc. This is how, BTW, the McKinseys, BCGs, Gartners and forresters do their estimates from secondary sources, assumptions and extrapolations.

The above points (i)-(iii) should be done, at a minimum, if you are at a loss as to what is being asked of you.

(iv) Do a simple demand estimation exercise from secondary data for Q1 (at a minimum). Integrating primary data into the analysis can be tricky. You are welcome to try, if you want to. But just that you don't *have* to do it.

As for time, there's 6 of you in each group. Q1 and Q2 can proceed in parallel. Divide the workload among yourself and am sure a few hours contribution from each member should see a reasonably sound output emerging.

Hope that helps.

Sudhir

Added later:

Now before somebody emails saying "if you detail everything that is required, then there will be no variation in deliverables across groups" etc, let me preempt that and say that there is little if any chance that situation will come to pass.

There is *plenty* of flexibility and leeway within the guidelines set. What interpretation is given the factors? How are the clusters characterized? What is the rationale for arriving at target population size? What recommendations emerge about which segment to target, what communication to stress, what attributes to have in the car and why to each of these questions is quite broad in scope and will produce sufficient variation, IMHO.

The quality of analysis, of interpretation, of thinking and logic used will vary across groups, IMHO.

Sudhir