Focus Groups Smokus Groups
ThinkSolveDo
Many companies let their best innovations and new product development
get killed BEFORE IT EVER COMES TO LIFE. Focus groups are only valuable
when used correctly and at the right time in the development process.
Too many companies and designers scrap a product because some people
did not like it. But the funny thing about NPD is that when you have a
truly amazing product, one that is really ahead of the cure, it will
almost always test poorly because it is different; too different.
And managers and designers who do not understand that are relegated to
mediocre designs and mediocre sales. They can't leap the vanilla
product valley. So at the start of many projects I often don't tell
too many people what I am working on. I started this practice a long
time ago because I simply got tired hearing unskilled people say things
like, "just to play Devil's advocate" or "be serious that will
never work". It was a waste of time telling people WHY they were
wrong and believe me they don't want to hear it either. I instead
wait for the right time.
It is far better to show working product to get real feedback than to
show things still in the fuzzy front end of innovation when things are
up in the air.
Right now I am testing my theories to see if the innovation I am
working on is going to perform. I am testing the core concepts to make
sure my "technology" works because I understand it is easier to
make an ugly thing pretty than it is to make a piece of junk perform
well.
So for the next few days I will be beating around these ugly
"prototypes" and seeing if my innovation is worth its weight in
licensing fees and revenues.
Check back I will let you know what is going on.
ThinkSolveDo
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