Evolutionary Optimization with IDDEA® (Interactive Discovery & Design by Evolutionary Algorithm)

Affinnova is a pioneer in consumer-driven innovation. Our advanced technology allows consumers to develop optimal product concepts
and marketing executions to produce Top Concepts every time. We are a proven success with leading global companies.

Universal Innovation Need

Most innovation (whether concept, product, communication or design) is managed within a common framework:

Opportunity Exploration Ideation Development Selection Go/No Go Launch

Content Creation Content Optimization

In the Content Creation phases, the goal is to think broadly and explore a full range of possibilities. By contrast, the Content
Optimization phases require a decisive narrowing of focus to a single direction. The natural conflict between these phases is where
breakdown occurs – either by limiting upfront exploration or by subjective mass elimination of alternatives before consumer testing.
IDDEA technology was developed to solve this universal need by enabling truly expansive content creation and then quickly and
robustly identifying the best potential approach based on target consumer preferences.

Patented Technology IDDEA Methodology

IDDEA (Interactive Discovery & Design by Evolutionary Algorithm)
evolves product and marketing concepts in real time based on
collective consumer choices.
Best-in-Class Team
Affinnova brings together top talent from classical marketing,
statistical research, and evolutionary computation, to uniquely
leverage the IDDEA technology for better innovation outcomes.
Client Adoption
Our client list includes some of the world’s premier brands and
businesses. Our technology has been employed across the
spectrum of innovation stages, industries, and geography.
IDDEA uses an online application to engage target consumers in
an evolutionary exercise that identifies Top Concepts from robust
innovation spaces of concept alternatives. Once identified, Top
Concepts are measured with a fresh panel along with known
benchmark concepts to evaluate their strength and determine
which new concept has the greatest potential.
Better Innovation Outcomes
By breaking the universal conflict between content creation and
optimization, clients dramatically improve their innovation process
with stronger ideas, more decisive action, and higher returns on
their innovation investments.
Industry Recognition
Affinnova has been recognized by both clients and industry
groups. Affinnova’s technology has been featured throughout the
business press.

2009 Best
Marketing
2008 Custom Research Technology
Supplier of the Year Award
The IDDEA Process

A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The Starting Point Content Matrix Innovation Space

The IDDEA optimization process typically IDDEA enables you to explore a full The combinatorial possibilities from this
begins with a starting point concept that range of alternatives by creating content matrix create a robust
needs to be as strong as possible. thoughtful variations of the starting point “innovation space” of alternatives
concept’s key elements. surrounding the starting point concept.

Preferred New Random jump

Set # 9,849 concepts concept variants
Set # 9,850

Top
TBD Concepts

Optimization Evolutionary Algorithm Measurement

Hundreds of target consumers make
simple choices that drive the evolution.
Respondents are typically shown 16-20
choice sets containing three or four
concepts each. Over the thousands of
choice sets, the contents of which are
determined in real time, an advanced
Evolutionary Algorithm continuously
optimizes in response to both individual
and collective consumer preferences.
The evolution begins with a starting
population which equally represents all
variants. The selection process evolves
new concepts by crossbreeding preferred
concepts and occasionally introducing
fresh variations using random jumps –
enabling multiple survival opportunities
for all variants in new concept
combinations. By exercise end, the
surviving population converges to the
fittest Top Concepts in the space.
Top Concepts along with known
benchmarks and the starting point
concept are passed to a fresh panel for
measurement. Both monadic and choice-
based methodologies are employed to
identify the Top Concept with the
greatest potential and to evaluate their
strength relative to client-selected
benchmark concepts. If the starting point
concept can be improved upon, the
leading Top Concept will show the way.

Affinnova Solutions
IDDEA II and IDDEA I
Both versions of IDDEA use the same
evolutionary optimization engine to find
the Top Concepts from your innovation
space. IDDEA I omits the integrated fresh
panel measurement stage with
benchmark concepts. Both IDDEA
solutions are available in three variations
based on whether you are optimizing
product concepts, messaging, or design:
Product Optimizer Ideal for new
product development, line extensions,
and brand refreshes or relaunches
Message Optimizer Ideal for optimizing
ad strategy, positioning, claims, or
promotional messages
Design Optimizer Ideal for optimizing
the design of product, packaging,
advertising, or media product covers
Specialized Tools
Line SuperSet™ Forward-looking line
optimization – ideal for line rationalization
of product lines with new products
Price Advantage™ Forward-looking
price sensitivity – ideal for optimizing
price in a shifting consumer marketplace
Advanced Conjoint Best-in-class
conjoint with advanced graphics
capabilities