What to Keep in Mind When Launching a New Product
We’ve all heard the phrase “Don’t rest on your laurels.” For some, we’re more familiar with Peter Drucker’s infamous (and infinitely more bleak) mantra: “Innovate or die.” Whichever way you view it, creating new ideas and products is the lifeblood of any company. Innovation can be risky and launching new products can be a stressful time for everyone. Double that if there are tight deadlines your team is trying to meet.
However, we can’t let potential negative outcomes stand in the way of getting the job done. Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate the stress and increase efficiency in your operation by maintaining focus and keeping in mind a few simple tips along the process.
Focus from the Beginning
The tone and tenor of a project is decided on the very first day. You will have to work to continue good work habits from beginning to end, but bad habits have a way of lingering and growing until they overtake the entire workflow.
One way to ensure you stay focused is to make your team as small as possible, consider this the bare-bones approach. A smaller team reduces redundancies, time spent in meetings, etc. Consider having a few experienced team members who provide the wisdom coupled with junior team members who bring the passion and the energy.
The focus for your team should be the minimal viable product (MVP). If your goal is to bring your product to market as fast as possible, there’s no need for bells and whistles at this stage. If an addition to your product isn’t necessary: save it for the next iteration.
Keep It Simple
If you’re trying to change the world like the development teams at Alphabet, Inc. or Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, this next step isn’t for you, but if you are trying to get your product to market faster, you don’t need to re-invent the wheel.
It is no secret that time spent without your product on the market is time that you are losing out on potential revenue. So, make sure your team starts with the problems, not solutions. What this means is focusing on the problems your customer is dealing with right now. Once you identify those problems you can easily create a product that diminishes the issues and could possibly eliminate them all together.
Communication Is Key
You’ll notice that everything we have discussed above shares something in common: making every step of the process as clear as possible. For product launches that require speed to be successful, nothing will derail you more than poor communication. The main intention of a smaller team or keeping the product as simple as possible is to prevent just that.
Especially with remote work on the rise, designers living in different cities than manufacturers, etc. the need to be precise and concise in our communication is greater than ever.
Do you have a deadline fast approaching? Are you looking to turn around your product as fast as possible? GCB Solutions has the experience and the resources to meet your deadline. Whether you are just starting out the design process or are looking to push your product to launch, we can help!
Call us at (904) 263-2804 or schedule a free consultation, today.