The "project" is humming right along. The spec is done, and I turned it over to the developer and the designer. The designer and I chatted a bit over the weekend as to the design--she had some really great ideas, and I sent her a few ideas of my own. Today I got her first comp and well, it's great. I just have to say it's an outright pleasure to work with such talented people. I sent it directly over for client review.
So, to sum it up. This PM series is pretty boring so far, since everything is going according to plan. And that is fine with me!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Off label use for your products
In marketing, we know that when customers buy a product, they aren't really buying that "product" so much as they are buying a solution to a requirement or need. You know, that old thing that "customers aren't buying a quarter-inch drill, they are buying quarter inch holes."
This is true, but waaaay too focused. If we think this way: "my drill is designed to make holes," and we position our products as such, we miss the serendipity of necessity and creativity. As creators/designers/product managers, I believe it's very easy to not see the forest for your tree. That is, you see the product that you know and love, designed to do what you designed it to do, and positioned in the marketplace in that way.
So... here again, collaboration and community provide (aka Web 2.0) an exciting venue.
What are your customers really using your products for, and how can you find out (and even encourage) this behavior? What if you asked customers to post CGM (consumer generated media) that describes unique uses they have found for your product? Reward the best ones in some way (contest, community points, whatever). Your site would attract routine traffic to see the new ideas... and once people see new ways to use your product... you might sell even more. You might learn about new features you should add to your next release... Make your customers part of your product.
Community + Creativity = great for your users and great for you too.
This is true, but waaaay too focused. If we think this way: "my drill is designed to make holes," and we position our products as such, we miss the serendipity of necessity and creativity. As creators/designers/product managers, I believe it's very easy to not see the forest for your tree. That is, you see the product that you know and love, designed to do what you designed it to do, and positioned in the marketplace in that way.
So... here again, collaboration and community provide (aka Web 2.0) an exciting venue.
What are your customers really using your products for, and how can you find out (and even encourage) this behavior? What if you asked customers to post CGM (consumer generated media) that describes unique uses they have found for your product? Reward the best ones in some way (contest, community points, whatever). Your site would attract routine traffic to see the new ideas... and once people see new ways to use your product... you might sell even more. You might learn about new features you should add to your next release... Make your customers part of your product.
Community + Creativity = great for your users and great for you too.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Reluctantly Connected
This is going to sound odd from someone who blogs under this URL but...
I just recently joined Facebook. Like a couple of weeks ago recently. And I don't actively belong to MySpace either.
Why? Because, I'm sort of afraid of social networking sites.
(Gasp! The horror! The emperor has no clothes!)
Yes, well, keep that "no clothes" part top of mind.
Here's why. A long time ago, I joined Friendster, and was subsequently bombarded by people who wanted to be my friend. My good friend. My *special* friend. This seemed to be the ONLY thing going on on Friendster. Logging in to Friendster felt like being in a college bar at 2am. Yuck. Not only that, Friendster folks sent me lots of emails, so I didn't even have to log in to get pelted by propositions. Again, yuck.
From what I hear about MySpace (where I also don't hang out) it's the same way. I am forever hearing about my friends getting in trouble or getting mad because of something they saw or getting hooked up via MySpace. That's fine. I'm all about people being happy together. However, this one application does not define the boundaries of social networking. Nor does it even approach the true possibilities.
So when we talk about the power of Web 2.0, does this "hookup" factor predisposition folks to think of these applications as less... well... formal? Applicable? Businesslike? Is this a factor when we pitch ideas within our companies and to our clients? Are they just thinking -
I think it used to be like that. But I think we're slowly overcoming the stigma, as we have more use cases and success stories of true business applications. We all know what industry pushes technical boundaries on the web... Perhaps this is just the way we have to (ahem) get it going.
This whole train of thought also brings up the concern - how do we keep our professional networking, professional? More on that soon.
I just recently joined Facebook. Like a couple of weeks ago recently. And I don't actively belong to MySpace either.
Why? Because, I'm sort of afraid of social networking sites.
(Gasp! The horror! The emperor has no clothes!)
Yes, well, keep that "no clothes" part top of mind.
Here's why. A long time ago, I joined Friendster, and was subsequently bombarded by people who wanted to be my friend. My good friend. My *special* friend. This seemed to be the ONLY thing going on on Friendster. Logging in to Friendster felt like being in a college bar at 2am. Yuck. Not only that, Friendster folks sent me lots of emails, so I didn't even have to log in to get pelted by propositions. Again, yuck.
From what I hear about MySpace (where I also don't hang out) it's the same way. I am forever hearing about my friends getting in trouble or getting mad because of something they saw or getting hooked up via MySpace. That's fine. I'm all about people being happy together. However, this one application does not define the boundaries of social networking. Nor does it even approach the true possibilities.
So when we talk about the power of Web 2.0, does this "hookup" factor predisposition folks to think of these applications as less... well... formal? Applicable? Businesslike? Is this a factor when we pitch ideas within our companies and to our clients? Are they just thinking -
Yah this girl must be pretty wild - she's all about the social networking.
I think it used to be like that. But I think we're slowly overcoming the stigma, as we have more use cases and success stories of true business applications. We all know what industry pushes technical boundaries on the web... Perhaps this is just the way we have to (ahem) get it going.
This whole train of thought also brings up the concern - how do we keep our professional networking, professional? More on that soon.
Monday, October 15, 2007
more questions than answers - PM Series
After a fabulous weekend of trying to sit still and pay attention (MBA Class Weekend!), I spent several more hours yesterday sitting at my kitchen table. I began digging into the spec for the "new ecommerce site."
Let me preface this discussion with two items.
1. I've decided not to call them by name until we launch, just to protect the innocent.
2. The proptype site, when aligned with the comments the founders sent me, illustrate a prime example of a good idea gone awry. Everyone thought they were on the same page (I suppose) but they just so weren't. And then, when the prototype was delivered, angst and anxiety and anger ensued.
You say potato, I say patato, whatever, it's fine when you're talking accents. But a lot less fine when you are talking deadlines, money, and entrepreneurial vision.
I'll be working on that spec now.
Let me preface this discussion with two items.
1. I've decided not to call them by name until we launch, just to protect the innocent.
2. The proptype site, when aligned with the comments the founders sent me, illustrate a prime example of a good idea gone awry. Everyone thought they were on the same page (I suppose) but they just so weren't. And then, when the prototype was delivered, angst and anxiety and anger ensued.
You say potato, I say patato, whatever, it's fine when you're talking accents. But a lot less fine when you are talking deadlines, money, and entrepreneurial vision.
I'll be working on that spec now.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Quote of the Week -
"We don't verb our nouns"--fellow webmaven
Ah, if only the biz world (and biz school folks) would take this to heart!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
This should be interesting... the PM series
I've decided to do a project management series on this blog. I'm going to blog about a project, start to finish, and talk about the theory and practice (and art) of project management. I know you guys are reading my blog, but no one ever talks to me, so maybe this will get you talking. Maybe. If you just want to quietly observe that's ok too (I guess).
Anyway, let's start at the beginning.
I have a new client. They are a startup. They are building an ecommerce site with a twist. They have a prototype of their site, but it is definitely in prototype format. So, step 1: I need the client to help me fill out their creative brief and I'll start on the spec.
Launch date: Dec 1.
More soon.
Anyway, let's start at the beginning.
I have a new client. They are a startup. They are building an ecommerce site with a twist. They have a prototype of their site, but it is definitely in prototype format. So, step 1: I need the client to help me fill out their creative brief and I'll start on the spec.
Launch date: Dec 1.
More soon.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
I need a vacation... but not at ebay!
Marketing 101. Don't make your logo look like someone else's logo. I'm doing some research for an impending vacation, and I was really confused as to why Guatemala wanted me to shop on ebay. Turns out, this is their logo!
They should tell their designer they want their money back.
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