KariPeltola
Success or Failure, Fast
Product development is a game of odds, much like sales. You have a funnel of ideas in different stages of development – some of them will become winners in the marketplace, some of them will not. So, how do you improve your odds of success?
The answer: prototype to validate the idea as early as possible.
Even a harsh, simple, ugly and defective prototype is better than no prototype at all. It clarifies the concept in three important aspects:
1) Do the product champion and the implementors share a common vision?
2) Does the product address a real customer need?
3) Can the concept be realized using current technology?
Expensive – and unfortunately common – mishaps occur if these concerns are not addressed properly.
First of all, if the product champion is not able to clearly communicate his/her vision to the implementing party, the direction of the development might be wrong from the start. The earlier this is noticed, the cheaper it is to fix.
Secondly, even the best visionaries get it wrong most times.
It is important to get feedback from the potential customers/users as early as possible. A good prototype is something you can show to the customer and ask “would this solve your problem?”
And thirdly, as the implementors get to inspect, evaluate and execute the concept, they form a better understanding of its technical requirements. For example, they may find out that implementing the project would be extremely expensive. ROI on this kind of insight will naturally be substantial.
So, when you’re pondering upon the Next Big Thing, actualize it as fast as possible. You will be greatly enhancing the time you can use on the right ideas.
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