02 Jun Rob Beachy: Fast-tracking Products to Market
Axiom’s Rob Beachy will be presenting today at the 14th annual conference for the Society of Concurrent Product Development (SCDP). The organization, which focuses on bolstering teamwork and concurrency in the corporate atmosphere, helps organizations improve product ideation and creation processes through various implementations of technological innovation tools and best practices. As a prominent group with frequent networking events, SCDP highlights some of the nation’s foremost leaders in team-based innovation. That’s why we’re so excited to see that the group asked Rob to speak today on fast tracking products to market.
While his presentation is scheduled for 40 minutes (which, if you know Rob, means it could last 90), we’d like to highlight three of his talking points here. The process of fast-tracking products to market involves three seemingly simple, but actually quite complex, steps. Here’s a brief overview:
(1) The best product processes go the extra mile in the initial phases. While many releases inaccurately approach the process with disparate silos, the best approach is to define all requirements that need to be met as a team for the product/service to shift from concept to commercialization. The team aspect is critical here. Acquiring buy-in from everyone involved is crucial.
(2) Successful fast-tracked processes focus on combining steps and sign-offs, as well as parallel development tracks, in order to ensure timely decision-making. It’s no surprise that the product development process can be bureaucratic—but sometimes, that results in the team getting in their own way. Removing those barriers and streamlining the process—thereby letting innovators innovate—is a key to success.
(3) Fix the approval process. Management support has to be in place, and it has to provide timely, pragmatic and consistent approval based on sound judgment and clearly articulated premises and rationales. The product teams need to know what requirements are in place in order to focus on the right things from the very beginning. Doing anything else only fosters ineffective work habits and creates a great deal of innovative frustration.
Curious about how to go about these three steps? Shoot Rob Beachy an email at rbeachy@axiomcom.com, and he’ll forward you the presentation!
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