“It is crazy to think that within my first year of work, there were products on the shelves that would have been completely different had I not worked on them.”
Tamara Williams, R&D – Products Research, Greater London Innovation Centre (Reading)
My first assignment was working in Research and Development for Fabric Care (Laundry) in the Products Research function, which focuses on consumer understanding and insights related to the product itself. The team works very closely with Marketing and Product Supply to bring new laundry products to market. For my first project, I was the sole Products Researcher focused on a new laundry detergent sold in three European countries. Within my first month I lead a 30-person consumer test to define the new perfume for this detergent and, using the results of this test, I influenced a 20+ person multi-functional team to implement the consumer-preferred perfume change for this detergent.
Within my first 6 months, I was responsible for defining the future strategy of a laundry detergent and leading the product’s upgrade. Within 12 months, I was able to go to the shops and purchase the product that I had designed and qualified for launch!
It is crazy to think that within my first year of work, there were products on the shelves that would have been completely different had I not worked on them. Having this level of impact from the start can be a challenge but you are surrounded by people who support and guide you. I have now been in P&G for 3 years and as I look back I can’t quite believe how much I really have made a difference, even from Day 1.