Have you ever bought a product and wondered why it had so many features or ones that seemed unnecessary? Many products hit the market every year, but only a selection of those are successful. The ones that succeed do so because they meet the needs and wants of the target customer, which, in most cases, is the result of regular testing, iterations, and practical product critique sessions.
It takes many people to design and develop an amazing product. Many companies with large complex hardware, software, or cyber physical products can have numerous teams working simultaneously and in tandem with each other to ensure the best model makes it to the market. Successful products happen when great minds and teams work together. While it’s easy to imagine that this collaboration happens organically, the reality is that teamwork needs to be fostered.
Your company has created a product your customers love, and your sales team and distributors can hardly keep up with the demand. While your team is basking in the launch's success, you also know that it's only a matter of time before the competition launches something new. Unless you also introduce a new feature, you may lose some of your customers. Your team needs to focus on idea generation and prioritization to stay competitive.
Choosing between two great options is a struggle for anyone. When faced with the decision, there can be a feeling of loss for the choices not selected. When it comes to ideas and group discussion, it can even feel personal. The more options thrown into the mix, the more challenging the decisions become.
Product development teams are always eager to improve their products. This passion for the product and quest to make improvements leads to a flood of ideas pouring in on a regular basis. Naturally, everyone who submits an idea believes their suggestion is great and should be implemented. While their idea may be good, that doesn’t guarantee it’s the right idea to focus on next. Product development decisions need support from data and research.
One of the most novel product development trends is the integration of AI technologies in the development process; product managers are among the top ten user groups of artificial intelligence systems in organizations today, with a recent study by IBM highlighting that 21% of product managers use this technology on a daily basis. The benefits of AI and machine learning are that product managers and development teams can use them to fuel growth and gain a competitive advantage.
In 2019, the movie Ford vs. Ferarri (starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Catriona Balfe) relaunched the tale of the iconic win by Ford over Ferrari on the Le Man racetrack in 1966 back into the minds of racing fans. The equally impressive feat is how Ford came back to defeat Ferrari yet again in 2016, fifty years after the original win. How did they do it, and why does it matter? Here's a rundown of the significance of the Le Mans race to the automotive industry and the tenacity of the Ford development teams to pull off stunning wins against the odds.
What comes first, the product or the platform? Asking the question of what should come first, the product or the platform, is similar to asking whether the egg came before the chicken. There is no cut-and-dry answer as to which order is better; companies have tried both to varying results. While the answer to the chicken and egg question is more philosophical, the question about products and platforms is best answered based on a company's structure, goals, and resources.
Delivering products to your market is exciting as it helps your company build your customer base, drives your revenue, and improves the lives of your customers. But markets don’t have unlimited room for growth. There is a saturation point in every market for every product or service. How do you reach this point, and what can you do about it? We’ll explore some options in this post.
It’s rare for a company to grow with a product that doesn’t change or innovate. There may be success and significant market share following a release date, but over time, that share and popularity will decrease as the competition continues to introduce new features, software upgrades, or improvements in design. The reality is that companies must continuously improve their products to keep and grow their market share.
