In Product Development, It's "New or Die"
The automobile industry has known something that the
software and other industries are slower to pick up on. New
year-models with shiny new updates are appealing to
consumers. Tom Yager at InfoWorld agrees with this in Innovate,
or take a walk.
Obviously the automobiles we drive are more visible than
the software we use, and therefore contain a greater element
of show value. Part of the reason we buy new cars is to look
good while driving them. Something happens when we tell our
friends that we are still using Windows 98 when they are
running XP or Longhorn. Although the software industry doesn't
use a financial model that demands yearly updates, consumers
still want the latest thing.
People like new things. They want to see new gadgets,
levers, knobs, and switches in their software. They want to
know that the product they use is keeping up with industry
innovation, and can support them in their endeavors. They also
want to believe that the choice they made in purchasing your
product was the best one, and that your product is still
better than the competition's. They are looking for these
signs to feed their sense of pride in ownership and
intelligent choice. It's like the fellow who claims to be a
"Ford man." He does so because he sees innovation
that exceeds the competitive product, and wants to look good
for making the better choice.
Brand loyalty on the part of the consumer necessitates
constant innovation on the part of the manufacturer. Normally
this involves having people on staff that constantly examine
the product for aesthetic appeal and usability. If you can't
afford dedicated product designers then you'll need to assume
this role. If you don't have the personality for it, you'll
need to obtain the help from somewhere. Often your customers
and partners will offer usability and polish suggestions.
Don't ignore them. Make it a high priority to innovate on
usability for every release of your product. For every
release, you'll likely have many issues in your database.
Strive to ensure that at least 10% of them are usability
refinement innovations.
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