Software Reviews : ADAPTIVE PERCEPTUAL MAPPING SYSTEM,Version 1.0 Reviewed by Joan Baumer,North Carolina State University Publisher: Sawtooth Software,Inc.,PO Box 3429,208 Spruce North,Ketchum,ID 83340 (telephone: [phone]) Year of Publication: 1987 Materials: Three disks (not copy-protected),200-page manual in three-ring binder Price: $2,500 for single-user license,$5,000 for multi-user license,$10,000 for corporate-wide license,$200 for laboratory teaching version Machine Specificity: IBM PC,XT,AT,and compatibles System Requirements: 256K of memory,hard disk drive,monochrome monitor,printer capable of 132-column operation Effectiveness: Excellent User-Friendliness: Excellent Documentation: Good

Abstract

The APM SYSTEM is a computer interviewing software package that helps political scientists and marketing researchers determine how certain products and their images compare to those of the competition, as perceived by the market. The products could be consumer products, industrial products, people (political candidates, entertainers), activities, or institutions. These "image studies" are useful in planning how to strengthen an existing product or strategically position a new one. Although perceptual mapping as a technique is not new, computer-interactive software designed specifically for this purpose is very new. The APM SYSTEM is a costly but excellent package.