What if Skunkworks is not an option? How do we apply the NISI process? Some companies already apply some of the principles:

Upper Management Existing Infrastructure

BIG INTUIT

 Ensure upper management understands the process, and that start will be slow, customers few, and revenues low  Keep it low budget!  Align part of engineering to be agile and responsive to customer feedback Zen Principle

 Sometimes constrained by partnerships, processes, pricing strategies, and sales channels

Is Revenue Enough? Retention

 Use the right tool for the job › Unknown pain or solution = NISI › Known pain or solution = pseudo NISI or others › Won’t tell you how to market product  Continuous feedback/communication  Set expectations early and clearly  Keep in mind existing infrastructure (don’t let it blind you)  Zen Principle of Beginner’s Mind  Align and involve engineering  Be willing to spin off (Innovators Dilemma)  Nailed = Recurring Revenue or Retention?

Questions?

Appendix

What if Skunkworks is not an option? How do we apply the NISI process? Some companies already apply some of the principles: Boeing introduced concept of Dreamliner more than a year before it would ever fly. Yet it had preorders of 900 planes totally $150 Billion

 Initiatives sometimes come from upper management, marketing, or engineering, but often from gut instinct › It should come from market/customer analysis  Market pain hypothesis can be filtered or seen through the lens of what has already been developed  Established infrastructure can be utilized, so keep it in mind › Example: existing technology or sales channel

 Easy to get meetings with your name, but set clear expectations. This is not a sales call, you want an open dialog and feedback  With existing products it is often better to watch usage instead of asking for pain or troubles (Intuit – Follow Me Home)  Seek out the smartest people throughout the company (cross functional) to get their insights

 Ensure upper management understands the process, and that start will be slow, customers few, and revenues low  Keep it low budget!  Align part of engineering to be agile and responsive to customer feedback  Apply Zen principle of beginners mind, even though you are the expert

 Often best to spinoff a start-up  Consider the Innovator’s Dilemma  Sometimes constrained by partnerships, processes, pricing strategies, and sales channels  Much of this will be the same as in a smaller business

 Often the same in a small business  Perhaps revenue isn’t the best indicator of a nailed business model › Customer Retention? › Repeat Revenue?

 Use the right tool for the job › Unknown pain or solution = NISI › Known pain or solution = pseudo NISI or others › Won’t tell you how to market product  Continuous feedback/communication  Set expectations early and clearly  Keep in mind existing infrastructure (don’t let it blind you)  Zen Principle of Beginner’s Mind  Align and involve engineering  Be willing to spin off (Innovators Dilemma)  Nailed = Recurring Revenue or Retention?