Testing products where they matter most : Investigating the method of home testing in the product development process

Home furnishing products must fulfil a complex set of functional, aesthetic, ergonomic, and increasingly, sustainability requirements before entering the consumer market. As sustainability becomes central to both consumer expectations and regulatory standards, the product development process, where key decisions are made, plays a critical role in shaping a product’s environmental impact and market success. To meet these multifaceted demands, products undergo a series of tests throughout development, evaluating durability, safety, usability, visual appeal, and environmental performance. These assessments support early identification of design flaws, validation of user needs, and alignment with sustainable practices, ultimately reducing the risk of failure and enhancing market readiness. Among various evaluation methods, home testing, where prototypes are placed in actual user households, offers valuable insights into real-world product performance that laboratory settings cannot replicate. This is particularly relevant for home furnishings, whose success depends on seamless integration into users’ everyday lives. The diversity of domestic environments, including variations in space, habits, and cultural contexts, presents both challenges and opportunities for meaningful product evaluation. However, home testing also involves practical limitations, particularly regarding its timing within the development process. Due to safety requirements, products must reach a sufficiently mature and secure state before being tested in uncontrolled environments. As a result, home testing often occurs late in development, leaving limited room for incorporating feedback beyond addressing critical safety concerns. This study examines how these constraints can be addressed, how the method’s potential can be better leveraged, and how earlier user input might be integrated. Alongside a theoretical investigation, the research includes a practical contribution aimed at improving the role of home testing within the product development process.