how we work
The Three Legged Stool
Commerce, Technology, Market
Product Development without a sound commercial footing is just play. Play can be good and at times is vital, but the ultimate test of how great a product you have is how much people are prepared to pay for it.
Only with a really thorough understanding of the technology can you hope to understand what it could do and grasp the reasons why your customers might want them to use it.
Why would customers pay for products? Because they satisfy some need. That need may be explicit (in which case your competitors can see it) or maybe it is implicit and ready for you to uncover it by really understanding your customers.
Innovation links the two; no long baths, no retreats, no drugs, no Budhist chants, just energetic, creative thinking and problem solving informed by a deep understanding of the technology, the market and commercial reality.
Shine Your Shoes? Go Barefoot!
Picking new staff can be difficult, especially if you rely on the irrelevant details to sift and sort.
I came across an article recently where important people were asked for their tips for selecting executives. In it I spotted a quote from someone I know and respect: “shiny shoes; shows attention to detail”. Yes I thought, but is it the right detail?
Early in my career in the software industry I had to hire a lot of new staff. I posted advertisements, let the agencies know about the positions, and the cvs flooded in. As I worked through them, hiring what I considered the best people I could find, I developed three simple criteria to help me quickly sift them.
What to expect when working with effectivus
Some people like their ‘wherefores’ and ‘of the first party’, we like to make things plain.
Understanding what you need
We always start any relationship with a client by sitting down and talking to them about their business and their needs. We will draw up a short description of those needs and a plan of things that we could do to help you. This is a discussion document. We will not charge you for this work. (more…)
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