Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Administrivia – Final Project For the final project you may use the product concept that you develop in the challenge problem for your report, or you may choose to do something else that is of interest to you The report should be a concise, focused, and compelling presentation of a product concept and why it represents a sufficiently good opportunity to move forward with a traditional early-stage product development process page target length. Include details in appendices or on wiki as needed.

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Phase 3: Conceptualizing The Opportunity High-Tech Product Innovation Robert Monroe April 10, 2008

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Agenda Challenge problem #3 introduction Overview of phase III process – conceptualizing the opportunity Prototyping 101 for software-intensive systems Prototyping exercise

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Challenge Problem #3

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Phase III Process Overview VOA Refined POG Product Attributes Brainstorm lots of concepts Quick eval Select 3-10 most promising concepts Select one concept for Phase IV Detailed Eval: Define Test Refine, Repeat

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Concept Generation Goals: –Generate a wide variety of product concepts –Explore many different approaches to solving the problem –Narrow list to 5-10 concepts for detailed evaluation Tasks: –Brainstorming - encourage wacky, ‘out-there’ ideas The crazy ideas often hold nuggets of opportunity to build on Sometimes what has historically been crazy is becoming more feasible due to SET factor trends –Try to come up with different concepts that could address the identified value opportunities and product attributes

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Concept Generation Example: Paper Fastening Identified product attributes: Fasten related pieces of paper together –Inexpensively –Quickly –Reversibly –In order –Holds for an arbitrarily long time –In such a way that a person can flip through the papers Allow ad-hoc disassembly, reordering, and re-assembly Identify concepts to address this opportunity

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Paper Fastening Example: Initial Concepts Images source:

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Paper Fastening Example: Further Concepts What did you observe about these concepts? Have I generated enough product concepts yet? Further ideas: Images source:

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Technology Analysis In Phase III Technical feasibility –What needs to be done (technically) to realize product? –How big a job is it to realize this technically? Is it straightforward? theoretically impossible? practical? … –Convince yourself that the concept is technically feasible Where do your product concepts fit in your customers’ technology ecosystem? Should your concept be packaged as: –A stand-alone product? –A component to be incorporated into other products/systems? –A service?

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Technology Analysis Detail Changes At Each Stage Understand the primary technology products, systems, and platforms used by target customers Purpose is to help identify opportunities Realize Conceptualize UnderstandIdentify

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Technology Analysis Detail Changes At Each Stage Repeat the exercise, hopefully with more data gained from observations and interviews Move beyond broad generalizations to identify specific techs and issues Focus on understanding Realize Conceptualize UnderstandIdentify

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Technology Analysis Detail Changes At Each Stage Identify specific systems, standards, and products with which your product will interact Understand the key platform decisions you will need to make Identify key platform candidates Realize Conceptualize UnderstandIdentify

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Technology Analysis Detail Changes At Each Stage Bind key platform decisions Prototype to insure feasibility Commit to specific systems and standards when and as needed Realize Conceptualize UnderstandIdentify

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Concept Filtering In Phase III VOA Refined POG Product Attributes Brainstorm lots of concepts Quick eval Select 3-10 most promising concepts Select one concept for Phase IV Detailed Eval: Define Test Refine, Repeat

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Concept Filtering In Phase III Initial filtering criteria: –How well does each product concept address the key value opportunities identified in phase II? –How well does each product concept meet the product attributes identified in phase II? Secondary filtering criteria: –Basic sanity checks –Technical feasability –Market sizing, readiness, likelihood of acceptance –Competitive landscape –… others?

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Market Analysis In Phase III Goals: –Determine business potential for concepts –Confirm that there is still a significant market opportunity –Evaluate customer acceptance of concept Tasks: –Market research –Surveys –Focus groups and interviews –Brand analysis –Customer/consumer sessions showing prototypes and observing customer reactions to and interactions with the prototypes

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Prototyping In Phase III Prototyping begins in this phase –Simple visual and functional representations Focus is on evaluating: –Customer reactions - desirability and utility –Technical and production feasibility (and difficulty) –Fit in customer’s technology ecosystems –Identifying early ‘gotchas’ Tasks: –Create storyboards to illustrate and refine concepts –Sketch out pencil-and-paper concepts –Identify key technical challenges, figure out a way to convince yourselves that they can be addressed –Do necessary prototyping to understand key technical challenges

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Some General Thoughts On Phase III Process Iterate, Iterate, Iterate! Refine, Refine, Refine! Customer feedback good Fail quickly and move on Believe in your concept by the end of the phase

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Prototyping 101 for Software-Intensive Systems

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Phase III Process Overview VOA Refined POG Product Attributes Brainstorm lots of concepts Quick eval Select 3-10 most promising concepts Select one concept for Phase IV Detailed Eval: Define Test Refine, Repeat

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe From Concept Ideas To Prototype Number of concepts under consideration Time Fidelity of concepts under consideration “Real” prototyping begins around this part of the graph

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe What is a Prototype? A prototype is an artifact (or set of artifacts) produced to evaluate or explore a design concept or challenge A prototype should not be: –Comprehensive –Indefinitely scoped –Release 1.0 of your product (or beta 1, for that matter)

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Why Build Prototypes? Primary reason: To answer questions Secondary reasons: –To explore the space of possible solutions –To identify unforseen problems and ‘gotchas’ –To sell your ideas to interested stakeholders

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Why Limit Your Prototyping? Prototyping is expensive (time, money, attention) Prototyping is a means to an end, not an end in itself Temptation to turn the protype into the real thing –This is remarkably hard to resist…

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe What Kinds of Questions? Does your concept hit the mark with target market? –Is it useful, usable, and desirable? Will the product or service solve the problem identified? Is it feasible to produce the product or service concept? –At all? –Within time and budget constraints? Will the proposed solution fit into the target tech ecosystem? –Is the assessment of the tech ecosystem on target? –Where are the hidden landmines? What else?

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Unknowns Drive Prototyping Strategy And Tactics General strategy: –Figure out what you don’t know but should –Prioritize issues and identify cascading implications –Will building a prototype help you get the answers you need? Is there a quicker, cheaper, or easier way to get the answers? –Prototype sufficiently to learn what you need to proceed Specific tactics –Focus on the hard problems first –Prototype no more than necessary

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Solution Space Prototyping As Exploration Fun, enlightening, useful … but it’s easy to spend way too much time doing this Generally best done with pencil, paper, whiteboards

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Prototyping To Find ‘Gotchas’ Kaboom!

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Prototypes As Sales Collateral Selling a new product concept can be difficult –To your (target) customers –To stakeholders within your own company Prototyping can help sell to external stakeholders Prototyping can help sell to internal stakeholders

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Match Prototyping Tools and Techniques To Problem Pencil, paper, whiteboards –Great for experimenting with general concepts –Good for rapid iteration and feedback –Not very good for identifying subtle tech mismatches Photoshop and HTML –Powerful visual mock-ups –Less iterative than paper and pencil –More difficult and expensive than paper and pencil Software prototyping tools –High cost, high fidelity –Smooth transition to requirements –iRise Skeletal technical prototyping –Build selected elements –Focus on technology fit

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Exercise – Develop A Prototyping Strategy

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Quick Review: Product Opportunity Gap Over the past decade consumers have become more dependent on web-based retailers and service providers. To prevent fraud, web retailers and service providers need to authenticate that the customer making a purchase is who he or she claims to be. The standard way that web providers authenticate customers is requiring a userid and password to login. Consumers now need to manage many different passwords for many different sites, creating a hassle for consumers and a security problem for both consumers and web-based businesses.

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Identified Value Opportunities

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Identified Product Attributes Simplifies authentication process for consumers –Process of authenticating to a specific website –Process of managing authentication information across sites Provides robust authentication – not easily spoofed Reduces security threats from consumer confusion, inattention, and inability to remember numerous pwd’s Simple to use with little or no training Difficult to use incorrectly Provides customers clear feedback that it is working Standard usage across many different websites Integrates with existing web technology infrastructure

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Early Conceptualization Example Provide a small keychain-sized device that stores userid and passwords for user-selected websites. –Device stores userid/password combos that it provides to the browser on the computer to which it is connected. –Device can connect to computer using bluetooth, IR, or USB. –Userid/Passwords stored in an encrypted format on the device –Fingerprint is required to decrypt device contents or send userid/password combo to browser

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Mid-Fidelity Conceptualization Example user scenario: Mary uses three different online financial services – credit card, checking, and brokerage. She uses different password/id combos at each one to improve security but she has a hard time remembering them. When she sits down to pay her bills and reconcile her accounts each month she sets her key-chain id next to her computer and presses her thumb on the thumbprint pad. Her thumbpress turns the device on, which sends a bluetooth signal to her pc. The software on her pc recognizes the signal and alerts her browser to query the device whenever a login screen pops-up. The device provides the userid/password for each of her online financial sites After 15 minutes without a query from the pc, the device turns itself off Example flowchart: Fingerprint unlocks device Login screen recognized Userid/pwd sent to browser Banking application accepts userid/pwd, access granted

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Today’s Exercise – Develop A Prototyping Strategy What are the key unknowns with this concept? –Identify, prioritize, and order Which of these unknowns should we investigate through prototyping? Why? –Which should we investigate with other techniques? Describe the prototyping strategy you recommend we employ to get each of these answer(s)? –Will one prototype address all of the issues identified? –If not, how many prototypes should we build? –What are the costs of doing so? Can they be amortized?

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe Wrap Up

Carnegie Mellon University © Robert T. Monroe For Next Week Tuesday we will look at technology ecosystems and different approaches to packaging product concept capabilities No new readings for Tuesday. Spend your time working on challenge problem #3 Thursday we will do in-class presentations of challenge problem #3 results