Comments on: Product Vision and Corporate Culture http://effectivus.com/2009/03/product-vision-and-corporate-culture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss Technology product development, management & marketing Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:05:13 +0000 hourly 1 By: Chris http://effectivus.com/2009/03/product-vision-and-corporate-culture/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Chris Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:22:06 +0000 http://effectivus.com/?p=386#comment-18 Thanks Andy, it makes a lot of sense to me. I think the major problem about creating a truly <em>new</em> product is that you can't know what it is until you've built it, or even later. That is why so often it is second or third generation products which really hit the spot whilst first generation ones end up in museums, see: <a href="http://effectivus.com/2009/02/first-mover-advantage-or-winner’s-curse/" rel="nofollow">First-Mover Advantage or Winner’s Curse?</a> I think of the process as a design one; creative, iterative, exploring and learning. More on that another time. Chris Thanks Andy, it makes a lot of sense to me.
I think the major problem about creating a truly new product is that you can’t know what it is until you’ve built it, or even later. That is why so often it is second or third generation products which really hit the spot whilst first generation ones end up in museums, see: First-Mover Advantage or Winner’s Curse?
I think of the process as a design one; creative, iterative, exploring and learning. More on that another time.
Chris

]]> By: Andy Ballingall http://effectivus.com/2009/03/product-vision-and-corporate-culture/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Andy Ballingall Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:44:55 +0000 http://effectivus.com/?p=386#comment-17 Though running the risk of making a point which itself contains a list (!), two things which have helped efforts I've been associated with deliver great products are: a) Starting by imagining people using your product on a daily basis . b) Having the creative flexibility and freedom to put together a prototype which works towards that vision, even though the primary benefit of this prototype may in the end only be to understand more fully the challenge ahead. The first of these requires imagination, and the second of these requires faith in the right solution being found even though you don't yet know what it'll be. These two elements are often lacking in corporate culture. One of the problems with well specified long lists of requirements being set at the start and adhered to religiously is that very often, you simply aren't in a position to be an expert on what the right requirements are in all but a vague form. The world is littered with solutions whose development was rigorously executed with little regard to lessons learned on the journey, and which as a consqequence faithfully reflect the partial ignorance about the challenge held by he team at the outset. None of this helps when you need things done by a specific time, but reality often kicks in anyway when an unrealistic schedule yields an unsellable product. (Does any of this make sense?) Cheers! Andy Though running the risk of making a point which itself contains a list (!), two things which have helped efforts I’ve been associated with deliver great products are:

a) Starting by imagining people using your product on a daily basis .

b) Having the creative flexibility and freedom to put together a prototype which works towards that vision, even though the primary benefit of this prototype may in the end only be to understand more fully the challenge ahead.

The first of these requires imagination, and the second of these requires faith in the right solution being found even though you don’t yet know what it’ll be. These two elements are often lacking in corporate culture.

One of the problems with well specified long lists of requirements being set at the start and adhered to religiously is that very often, you simply aren’t in a position to be an expert on what the right requirements are in all but a vague form.

The world is littered with solutions whose development was rigorously executed with little regard to lessons learned on the journey, and which as a consqequence faithfully reflect the partial ignorance about the challenge held by he team at the outset.

None of this helps when you need things done by a specific time, but reality often kicks in anyway when an unrealistic schedule yields an unsellable product.

(Does any of this make sense?)

Cheers!
Andy

]]> By: Chris http://effectivus.com/2009/03/product-vision-and-corporate-culture/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Chris Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:51:16 +0000 http://effectivus.com/?p=386#comment-5 Thanks Carl. Yes, hiring the right people... that is so important. I mused on some different approaches here: http://effectivus.com/2009/02/shine-your-shoes-go-barefoot/ enjoy! Thanks Carl. Yes, hiring the right people… that is so important. I mused on some different approaches here: http://effectivus.com/2009/02/shine-your-shoes-go-barefoot/ enjoy!

]]> By: Carl http://effectivus.com/2009/03/product-vision-and-corporate-culture/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Carl Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:42:22 +0000 http://effectivus.com/?p=386#comment-4 Interesting post Chris. I particularly like "we should not have to define every requirement in immense detail because the overall objectives are clear and smart employees will figure out how best to fulfill them. Maybe they’ll do so better than we would." I think this is the crux of it. If you go to the trouble and financial commitment of hiring the right people, you need to trust and empower them to work out this stuff out for you. Interesting post Chris. I particularly like “we should not have to define every requirement in immense detail because the overall objectives are clear and smart employees will figure out how best to fulfill them. Maybe they’ll do so better than we would.”

I think this is the crux of it. If you go to the trouble and financial commitment of hiring the right people, you need to trust and empower them to work out this stuff out for you.

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