Multi-concept portfolio evaluation is a research approach used to test several product or concept ideas at once. Rather than developing and testing each concept in isolation, this method allows teams to evaluate a range of ideas side by side. The goal? To identify overlaps, highlight differentiation, and prioritize the concepts with the highest potential.

By testing multiple ideas together, brands can see how each stacks up not just individually, but in context – which is often how consumers actually experience choices in the real world. This kind of comparative insight is especially helpful when managing a packed innovation pipeline or building out a new product line.

Why It Matters

Without portfolio evaluation, companies often risk:

• Launching similar product ideas that compete with one another
• Spending time and budget on concepts with unclear differentiation
• Missing opportunities to double down on ideas that truly stand out

Multi-concept testing provides a clear picture of strengths, weaknesses, and strategic fit, all in one study.

A Simplified Example

Imagine a snack brand developing five new flavor ideas for a chip line. Individually, each might sound appealing. But tested together, two of the flavors may be seen as too similar, while another may outperform expectations. Multi-concept testing reveals not only what consumers like – but also what’s redundant or risky to launch together.

How It Supports Innovation

This approach allows insights teams to:

• Assess concept performance using consistent, measurable criteria
• Identify emotional, functional, and experiential white space
• Map out which territories are clear wins, need refinement, or should be dropped

It’s especially useful in early-stage product concept testing, brand extension planning, and optimizing idea pipelines for growth. For brands juggling multiple internal stakeholders and layers of innovation, portfolio evaluation brings much-needed clarity.

While the process can be done through traditional market research studies, digital platforms like Zappi make multi-concept evaluation faster and more scalable. Let’s explore how.

Zappi is an automated insights platform designed to help teams run research faster, smarter, and at scale. When it comes to multi-concept testing, Zappi offers a streamlined way to evaluate several ideas quickly using built-in methodologies and data-driven dashboards. But its true value lies in how it empowers teams to learn in real time – even with limited resources.

Key Benefits of Using Zappi for Portfolio Evaluation

Here’s how Zappi stands out as one of the best market research tools for concept testing:

• Speed and Efficiency: Zappi automates the research process, removing long manual steps. Teams can go from setting up a study to getting results in days – critical when trying to keep pace with evolving markets.
• Consistency: With standardized research frameworks, Zappi ensures every concept in your portfolio is evaluated using the same metrics. This makes comparisons fair and reliable.
• Insight-Rich Outputs: Zappi’s dashboards provide easy-to-read visualizations and benchmarks, helping stakeholders understand what stands out and why.
• Scalability: Need to test 10, 20, or more concepts? Zappi can scale up effortlessly without inflating costs or timelines.

When to Use Zappi

Zappi is ideal for:

• Early-stage product concept testing
• Comparing campaigns or innovation platforms
• Portfolio decision-making across categories or segments
• Companies adopting DIY research but needing guidance

That said, while platforms like Zappi make automated research more accessible, interpreting outputs and making strategic decisions still requires human insight. This is where many teams hit a wall.

Getting the Most Out of Zappi – With Expert Help

Automated tools can only take you so far on their own. That’s why many companies are pairing Zappi with experienced On Demand Talent – skilled consumer insights professionals who know how to turn platform data into actionable direction.

Any team can run a Zappi test. But knowing how to analyze the results, identify overlapping territories, prioritize winning ideas, and communicate findings with clarity – that’s where expert guidance makes a difference. On Demand professionals can step in to:

• Set up the right testing strategy for your portfolio needs
• Interpret nuances in the data that automated reports can’t capture
• Bring strategic thinking that aligns with your business goals
• Support teams learning to use platforms like Zappi internally

Especially for businesses shifting toward DIY research, this flexible expert support helps close skill gaps and ensures quality doesn’t suffer in the move toward speed and scale.

In summary, Zappi’s platform is a powerful engine for innovation testing – but having the right co-pilot in the form of On Demand Talent can ensure your journey stays on course.

How to Identify Overlaps and Prioritize Strong Concepts

When evaluating several product or concept ideas at once, one of the most common challenges is redundancy. Multiple concepts might compete within the same need state or emotional territory, potentially cannibalizing each other's success. Using a research platform like Zappi for multi-concept testing helps uncover these overlaps and reveal which ideas offer truly distinct value.

Zappi’s automated research tools allow you to test many ideas simultaneously while applying consistent metrics across the board. But the real value comes from understanding what the data means and taking action based on it.

Spotting Redundancy in Product Concepts

When multiple innovations try to solve the same consumer problem, it can dilute overall impact. For instance, if three snack concepts all emphasize “low sugar” but perform similarly, you don’t need to launch all of them. Zappi makes it easier to see these patterns by:

• Visualizing respondent preferences across concept types
• Highlighting similar emotional drivers or barriers
• Showing grouped responses by consumer segments

Identifying this kind of overlap helps you avoid sending mixed messages to the market and lets your product pipeline run more efficiently.

Prioritizing Winning Concepts with Confidence

Once redundancies are understood, the next step is to prioritize. The best performing concepts should not only score well, but also stand out in their uniqueness and relevance. Consider:

• Overall consumer appeal – Are people gravitating toward this idea across key demographics?
• Strategic fit – Does the concept align with your brand’s vision or long-term portfolio strategy?
• White space opportunities – Is this filling a gap competitors haven’t addressed?

Platforms like Zappi provide benchmarks from similar studies, so you can see if your concept is outperforming industry norms or just tracking average. This helps ensure that you’re not mistaking a “good” idea for a “great” one.

For example, a fictional snack company running multi-concept testing might uncover that two of their top-ranking ideas—one for a protein bar and one for a vitamin-packed smoothie—appeal to the same desire for healthy convenience. With that insight, they can choose to prioritize the concept with broader reach while shelving or repositioning the other. That’s how focused, fact-driven decision-making works with modern market research tools.

In short, using Zappi for concept testing can help move you from a list of ideas to a clear innovation path, backed by real consumer insights.

The Role of Expert Researchers in DIY Tools Like Zappi

DIY research platforms like Zappi have made it easier than ever for brands to execute quick, scalable studies. But as accessibility increases, so does the risk of misusing the tools or misreading the data. That’s where the guidance of skilled consumer insights professionals becomes pivotal.

While Zappi handles the automation, it's up to human expertise to frame the right research questions, interpret results meaningfully, and connect findings to broader business decisions. No matter how sophisticated the platform, using Zappi effectively still requires strategic thinking and a strong research foundation.

Why Experience Matters in DIY Research

Even the best automated research tools can't tell you what to test – or why those learnings matter to your brand. Experienced researchers help bridge this gap by:

• Crafting hypotheses and test designs aligned with business objectives
• Identifying potential bias or blind spots in study design
• Translating raw outputs into clear, strategic recommendations

For example, a junior team member might see a high “purchase intent” score and flag the concept as a success. But an expert researcher will look deeper – comparing across segments, evaluating emotional draw, and considering competitive context to assess true viability.

Making the Most of Automated Research Tools

Tools like Zappi are most powerful when handled by those who know how to ask the right questions and connect results to people – not just percentages. By collaborating with research professionals who understand both the technical and human sides of research, teams can:

• Get higher-quality outputs from every test
• Avoid wasted resources on misaligned concepts
• Extend the value of each study across departments

In other words, it’s not just about running the research – it’s about running it well. Expert oversight keeps DIY research from becoming “check-the-box” exercises and turns it into strategic, decision-ready insight.

Whether you’re early in your journey with Zappi or expanding into more advanced studies, partnering with insight professionals ensures you’re tapping into business-driving consumer insights – not just data points.

How On Demand Talent Helps Teams Maximize Research Quality

As automated research platforms like Zappi become essential in the innovation process, many teams find themselves needing extra help to truly unlock the value of these tools. That’s where SIVO’s On Demand Talent comes in – offering flexible access to seasoned research professionals who know how to get the most from DIY tools without compromising on rigor or strategic clarity.

Unlike freelancers or temporary hires, On Demand Talent are hand-selected experts embedded to support your specific needs. Whether you're new to using Zappi or need senior-level support to guide your portfolio evaluation strategy, our professionals can integrate seamlessly into your workflow.

Closing Skill Gaps and Uplifting Your Team

Modern insights teams are working under tighter budgets and timelines, often without full access to research experts. On Demand Talent fills these gaps by:

• Guiding proper test design to ensure studies align with business goals
• Coaching internal teams on how to interpret data from platforms like Zappi
• Helping turn research findings into compelling stories and business cases

Because our professionals bring both platform fluency and real-world brand experience, they’re able to elevate results and strengthen internal research capabilities at the same time.

Delivering Research Agility Without Sacrificing Quality

Flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of using On Demand Talent. Whether you're facing a product launch deadline, going through team turnover, or navigating a burst of innovation ideas, you can scale your insight team up – fast – with no drop in quality. Our network includes hundreds of experienced researchers able to jump in within days or weeks, rather than the months required for traditional hiring.

And because On Demand Talent are focused on your long-term success – not just completing a task – they help build internal capabilities and strengthen how your team leverages research platforms like Zappi for the long haul.

For example, a mid-sized CPG brand may bring in an On Demand Talent to help run a multi-concept innovation test. That expert not only sets up the research properly, but also coaches the team on data interpretation, helping them use the study to guide their pipeline plan. The business walks away with both insights and up-leveled internal confidence.

If you want to streamline how your team uses market research tools without losing depth and nuance, flexible expert support from SIVO’s On Demand Talent is a smart route to get there.