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
www.ThinkSolveDo.com R&D You can afford
www.BIZnuts.com The NEW way to do business
www.Fpoetry.com Poems to help you Decompress
www.ColorCutter.com (Free Product Promotion running there now)
Tim Bukoski
interesting article. As an independent inventor I
rely on my proffesional experience as a designer to
make the success determination early on in the
design/developement process.
At work though, sometimes 'my gut' isn't empirical
enough to convince others. Any advise on how to get a
revolutionary or highly evolutionary idea through this
'bozosity'?
-Tim B
ThinkSolveDo
I once brought a revolutionary product to a meeting. At the meeting I
new before hand, there would be 1 "Money Minder" (the person who
only cares If it makes money), 1 "No Sayer" (they say NO to
everything), 1 "DHP" (Decent Honest Person), 1 "BNYM" (Brown
Nosing Yes Man). The key to success at this meeting was as follows...
1. Planned presentation using Power Point. This gives you the time to
get all your facts out before people start killing your idea for no
reason. The presentation went something like this...
Page 1: Welcome
Page 2: Here is state of industry
Page 3: Here are your goals
Page 4: Here are problems reaching your goals
Page 5: Here is solution
At this point in the meeting I handed out MORE THAN ONE prototype.
One to the "Money Minder", one to the "DHP" and one to the
"No Sayer". The DHP got the innovation and began to glow. The Money
Minder began to see dollar signs and the "No Sayer" began to
complain. I simply told him to give everyone a change to think about it
for a moment. Then I preceded to tell everyone the positives, the
negatives and why it was good. By covering the negatives you can often
take the wind out of the No Sayer because you already covered the
no's.
By the end of the meeting everyone was on board including the "No
Sayer". Too many people say too many facts to let the innovation get
killed.
Many people who have problems bringing out Radical Designs have the
problem because there is too much talk and not enough demonstration.
Just imagine if you were Wilber and Orville TELLING SOMEONE about your
air plane. Now imagine if you are Wilber and Orville SHOWING SOMEONE
how your craft CAN FLY! Most people tell when they should be showing.
If your project is TOO BIG to make a real prototype then make a GREAT
DEMOSTRATION. You cannot make a Full Size Space Shuttle but you can
make a model of one and run it through a wind tunnel or make a virtual
one and run it through a flight simulator. Remember DEMONSTRATION
ALWAYS OUTSHINES vocal cord wind.
Let me know if I can help.
ThinkSolveDo
I just found your email. Sorry for the delay in response. Happy New year
however!
The best way to get across the potential of an idea is to put it into
action. NOT WITH YOU USING IT and NOT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO NEED CONVINCING
USING IT. The best way is to get people they respect to use and love the
idea. So for example if you go to company picnic and bring the prototype of
you new bar-b-q grill and show the Corporate President's spouse or Head of
R&D's girlfriend and THEY LOVE IT. You have the idea on its way to being
sold.
People don't believe what you say, but they do believe what they say. So get
them to see, hear and feel the potential and they will convince themselves.
Regards,
Perry Kaye
Perry:
-Tim B
--- ThinkSolveDo <Pe...@ThinkSolveDo.com> wrote:
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.13/221 - Release Date: 1/4/2006
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.13/221 - Release Date: 1/4/2006