Product Development

(CLP) Programs

Appleton Greene corporate training programs are all process-driven. They are used as vehicles to implement tangible business processes within clients’ organizations, together with training, support and facilitation during the use of these processes. Corporate training programs are therefore implemented over a sustainable period of time, that is to say, between 1 year (incorporating 12 monthly workshops), and 4 years (incorporating 48 monthly workshops). Your program information guide will specify how long each program takes to complete. Each monthly workshop takes 6 hours to implement and can be undertaken either on the client’s premises, an Appleton Greene serviced office, or online via the internet. This enables clients to implement each part of their business process, before moving onto the next stage of the program and enables employees to plan their study time around their current work commitments. The result is far greater program benefit, over a more sustainable period of time and a significantly improved return on investment.

Appleton Greene uses standard and bespoke corporate training programs as vessels to transfer business process improvement knowledge into the heart of our clients’ organizations. Each individual program focuses upon the implementation of a specific business process, which enables clients to easily quantify their return on investment. There are hundreds of established Appleton Greene corporate training products now available to clients within customer services, e-business, finance, globalization, human resources, information technology, legal, management, marketing and production. It does not matter whether a client’s employees are located within one office, or an unlimited number of international offices, we can still bring them together to learn and implement specific business processes collectively. Our approach to global localization enables us to provide clients with a truly international service with that all important personal touch. Appleton Greene corporate training programs can be provided virtually or locally and they are all unique in that they individually focus upon a specific business function. All (CLP) programs are implemented over a sustainable period of time, usually between 1-4 years, incorporating 12-48 monthly workshops and professional support is consistently provided during this time by qualified learning providers and where appropriate, by Accredited Consultants.

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Executive Summary

Product Development- History

These days there are many training programs being developed / delivered year in and year out. My personal experience is that many of them are still too generic. Many fall short of meeting the key objectives of the organization. This not to say that are not robust programs out there – but experience has shown that most just missed the mark. The question really is what are the necessary elements that make up an effective corporate training program? In my opinion what tops the list relevance. Cater a generic program to the specific needs of the Organization in question. Is there a need to make cultural changes? Is there a need to prime an organization to receive new processes? Is there the need for the organization to adopt a new development process or re-engineer an existing? Whatever the situation, a solid corporate training program that goes beyond just the imparting of information – but adjust to and / or revolves around the organizational current position and ultimate goals would be the most “effective” training program.

As my focus is on product development related activities that can be applied to a software or hardware organization. History has shown that many organizations have been very effective is developing and delivery products and services. Obviously it is also true that many have suffered when they ignore the basic steps that have been proven to be successful. I can think of a global organization that had near to 2 decades of success in delivering a data protection product – holding a market leadership in the Gartner magic quadrant for years. About 4 – 5 years ago, management embarked on the development of a new release. In doing so did not adhere to the well paved paths trekked, did not subscribe to the usual checks and balances and the end result was disastrous. Today every single person making up the executive and senior management team is no longer with that company. Since then there has been some margin of recovery – but it has taken years and the bad taste lingers. History tells us, that a well define process that is adhered to, taken serious by all in the value chain will make a difference in the quality of the end product. Now this obviously does not imply that organizations should never look to refine, modify, stream line and make as efficient as possible their process. But it reminds us that may of the historical check points that define quality or robustness should not be ignored – but understand thoroughly. These check points – whatever they maybe are critical stops along the path to an output that meets the designed objective. Once an organization is done this, doing this the “mark” should not be easily missed. My experience tells me that those critical checkpoints are ones that do not exist outside of the process….are intertwined within the process. History tells me that when an organization is able to do this….they operate at a higher level of efficiency and are very effective in meeting quality objectives sought.

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Product Development– Current Position

A personal analysis of the current position. When I scan the web I see many organizations offering “product development” training programs. I know that the “Agile” Development process is being adopted by more and more organizations. Both hardware and software organizations I have been affiliated with are now using SCRUM project process – Agile – with the intent of shorten the development process and fostering more communications. Certainly a departure from a more traditional or waterfall development methodology. Although not a Scum master or person trained in Agile – it certainly has impacted many organizations have adopted this process. AS one can expect – with every process there are pitfalls, new challenges to understand / overcome and then a deeper understanding of what are the core drivers to make that particular process effective and work for the organization.

I am not in the position to criticize the more well-known and used development processes that have surfaced in the last decade. Because an organization will need to make up its own ‘mind’ as to what they want to evaluate, train a team on, and implement as their primary development process. Either way. A thorough understanding of several organizational elements must be taken into consideration. The following are just a few. One, what is the organizations maturity level as a development organization. In other words how long has the organization been in the business? What is the experience of the leadership team in developing and delivering products? Second, what is the current process being used? Waterfall? Traditional? Rapid development? Iterative? Third, what is the culture of the organization? Is it closed? Open? Collaborative? What is the average age of the development team? Fourth, before looking at adopting a new development process – has there been a current SWOT analysis done? This the organization highly distributed – covering multiple continents and time zones and cultures? These are just a few basic questions that need to be answered / understood before any new process should be evaluated and adopted – as those answers will help determine what is the best process to consider for the organization in question.

My position is that an organization needs to understand where it currently stands before it can take any steps to move forward with a process change. Better yet, an organization needs to understand what really is the objective for evaluating and potentially implementing a new product development process? Is it to keep up with the advancements in technology? Is it to improve efficiencies? Increase productivity? Is it to improve its competitive position? Or is it to reduce time to market in the delivery of products? Whatever are the reason an adoption of a new process should not be taken lightly. Whatever the drivers are – question that does need to be understood is whether the team is willing and have bought into the reasons for evaluating, implementing and more importantly convinced that the change is actually necessary! Experience has taught me that is the entire development organization has not bought in and is convinced that the new process will make them a better team! Therefore before there is even a decision to evaluate even the first process on the list – the team needs to be educated on the benefits to the team as a whole and even as individual contributors.

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Product Development– Future Outlook

What is the Future outlook? I could describe it in two words….”Growth and Opportunity”! I say optimistically growth in that there are so many small start-up companies appearing on the scene essentially every day! Think this speaks to the opportunity to provide these organizations guidance and insights into the challenges of developing applications for a global market. There are very many variables that need to be accounted for, understood and managed. Again, the future looks bright for individuals possessing my skill sets and having my experience.

That does not necessarily mean that is will be easy to align / partner with the right organizations. That will take a little luck, perseverance, and networking in order to find the right organizations to partner – of course my reasoning for partnering anticipating this to be Appleton Greene. The Market opportunity seems to be growing in Central Florida. I have seen several IT organizations relocate / open new corporate offices in my own back yard. The name just a couple; Deloitte Consulting less than a year ago and Verizon less than 2 years ago. There are club type organizations cropping up that cater innovators (or aspiring) in the Orlando area. One such organization is called the IT Innovators Club. Their mission per the web site is “The mission of the IT Innovators Club is to foster innovation within IT. We foster discussion between forward-looking IT professionals in order to ignite fresh thinking and the sharing of ideas.” The advent of such organizations is just one indicator that there is a growing interest in being not only innovative but in the sharing of insights, best practices, management perspectives so that organizations can be as effective as they can be when developing new products and services. Once again I think the future is bright.

The growing number of IT organizations coming to Central Florida and those emerging organizations from Central Florida is an indication that this area is growing its IT footprint and Florida has greater appeal and draw to technology companies looking to relocate offices or expand operations. Think it is fair to say that Florida will never compare to what Silicon Valley is today, however it seems to be making its own mark – establishing its own legacy, its own future and trending in the right directions. As such I can only imagine that the IT growth footprint may create a higher demand for people with the right skill sets and experience – especially those with product development and management experience to assist these organizations. Therefore, it is my belief that I am nicely positioned to partner and guide many of these organizations.

So the net of all of this is; the future looks promising and this is driven by growth in the Central Florida IT footprint, it will be driven by the fact that many organizations are product development driven (primarily software) and that these organizations will be searching for people with the right skillsets to objectively guide them through the product development processes. Especially if they are looking for different perspectives to deal with unique challenges in bringing their products to market.

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Curriculum

Product Development- Part 1- Year 1

1. Part 1 Month 1 Product Research
2. Part 1 Month 2 Concept Planning
3. Part 1 Month 3 Product Definition
4. Part 1 Month 4 Project Planning
5. Part 1 Month 5 Product Development
6. Part 1 Month 6 Quality Assurance
7. Part 1 Month 7 Product Support
8. Part 1 Month 8 Market Routes
9. Part 1 Month 9 Product Launch
10. Part 1 Month 10 Sales Management
11. Part 1 Month 11 Product Life
12. Part 1 Month 12 Portfolio Management

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Product Development- Part 2- Year 2

1. Part 2 Month 1 Module Management
2. Part 2 Month 2 Instructional Design
3. Part 2 Month 3 Content Development
4. Part 2 Month 4 Content Curation
5. Part 2 Month 5 Graphic Design
6. Part 2 Month 6 Content Refresh
7. Part 2 Month 7 Delivery Support
8. Part 2 Month 8 Course Feedback
9. Part 2 Month 9 Delivery Method
10. Part 2 Month 10 Workshop Structure
11. Part 2 Month 11 Sales Design
12. Part 2 Month 12 Product Dashboard

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Product Development- Part 3- Year 3

1. Part 3 Month 1 Program Communications
2. Part 3 Month 2 Program Materials
3. Part 3 Month 3 Select infrastructure
4. Part 3 Month 4 Prepare Trainers
5. Part 3 Month 5 Schedule Workshop
6. Part 3 Month 6 Module Process
7. Part 3 Month 7 Sales Tracking
8. Part 3 Month 8 Competitive Intelligence
9. Part 3 Month 9 Implement Training
10. Part 3 Month 10 Training Assessment
11. Part 3 Month 11 Assessments Process
12. Part 3 Month 12 Collect Feedback

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Product Development- Part 4- Year 4

1. Part 4 Month 1 Research Review
2. Part 4 Month 2 Concept Review
3. Part 4 Month 3 Product Review
4. Part 4 Month 4 Planning Review
5. Part 4 Month 5 Development Review
6. Part 4 Month 6 Quality Review
7. Part 4 Month 7 Support Review
8. Part 4 Month 8 Market Review
9. Part 4 Month 9 Launch Review
10. Part 4 Month 10 Sales Review
11. Part 4 Month 11 Lifecycle Review
12. Part 4 Month 12 Portfolio Review

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program Objectives

The following list represents the Key Program Objectives (KPO) for the Appleton Greene Product Development corporate training program.

Product Development– Year 1

1. Part 1 Month 1 Product Research
   This is the beginning. Have to have a product idea or design formulated. During this phase it is important to understand whether there is a market for the product and if so, what the perceived marketing opportunities are. This perhaps is the most critical of the phases, since if you cannot validate the concept, you will be very difficult to move forward. The conceptual product planning will take into consideration what products already exist in the market – what are the top 5 competitors and how do they rank among each other. Then an understanding of whether this product will have disruptive implications in the market to competing products or whether it’s a niche product or whether it’s a product that adds new functionality to an existing product? The ultimate the question – “what problem is being solved” by this product? It is during this phase that market research will commence. The Goal of the research is to better understand the market or industry the product will compete in. The understanding gain will support subsequent steps to defining what would be needed to create a real opportunity in the market with the product in question, how to ultimately position the product against the key competitors and what strategy is the best to adopt. The Strategy adopted will be able exploit the weakness of the competition while highlighting the products strengths, and therefore creating a significant value proposition that customers see and are willing to pay for. Therefore this program will focus on data gathering (primary and secondary), working with research organizations, attending vendor / trades shows to see what the potential competitors are doing, how that are doing it and how customers are responding. The second element of this program is to understanding how to analyze the information obtained and use it formulate got to market strategies.
2. Part 1 Month 2 Concept Planning
   Developing a Proof of concept is an important step in determining what users really want before a large number of resources – both people and money are dedicated to the program. Concept planning is that step in the process that provides a level of validation – perhaps with a limited number of ‘select’ customers or even one key customer that has a large stake in the product to be developed. Key elements of concept planning are rooted in the outcome of product research process. At this stage an organization would have collected all of the information and come up with a short list of the product features / functionality that are determined to be most marketable and demand by customers. That said, developing a simple of proof concept to confirm the concept is one of the best ways to increase the probability of success. Some organizations may work with one major manufacturer of the development product and use that relationship to develop the proof of concept that they will have exclusive rights to. This does not mean that the development organization could not modify some features and components to suit a more diverse client base. In either case proving a concept (an idea) is a key step in the process of developing a product or service that meets a demand – one that customers are willing to pay for. Again in the module the intent will be to understand how to synthesize the information gathered during the product research step. It will also focus on developing the “concept” of what the product will look and feel like – although all features will not be fully functional. In the case of a software product, there may be pseudo code (code narrative) written in place of functioning code.
3. Part 1 Month 3 Product Definition
   The primary objective of this product definition stage would be to help clients come to grips with the need to use a process that has rigor, is flexible and keeps the organization in focus as to what they are attempting with the product or services they are looking to develop. There are many facets to the product definition process. Inherently there will be overlap with market positioning and competitive analysis of the similar products that will compete in the same market space and industry as the product in development. As one can imagine there are several approaches that could be taken during the product definition process that would make the product really competitive in its space and meet whatever the key market criteria needs to be. A first step in the process would be to identify the market in which to compete. This will involve fairly rigorous research into what the market is lacking – what gaps in functionality and features exist between the competing products and where new opportunity exist. This may facilitate the need to consult with some of the key analyst such as Gartner, IDC or Forrester. In many cases there may be research already conducted that is available free or at small cost. Consulting with these Analyst saves an organization substantial time and money and ensures that you are obtaining qualified and dependable information. The research should provide valuable insights into trends and how these trends may be in support of your product offering. The research will provide an understanding of where the opportunities may or may not exist. Will shed light on the best route to take to enter the market – perhaps by partnering or even acquiring a technology? The research can provide much insight into who the customer really – demographics, buying habits as in when they buy and how they buy. The research will provide a bird’s eye view of the competing landscape – who is the competition, who are the rising stars and how have they differentiated themselves from the competition – their go to market strategy.
4. Part 1 Month 4 Project Planning
   First there are thousands of books out there that talk to the project planning process. The intent here is not to regurgitate what can be found in any of those books. It is however to talk to the nuances of the planning process as there are many. One is that all plans are rarely executed to the way were originally drafted / signed off on. The longer the time to develop the product, greater the chances for change…perhaps many changes. Another nuance of project planning is that it is more guess work – especially in the initial stages – than most will care to admit. An estimate of effort, resources needed and time to hit various milestones is just that, an estimate. That in mind, the more important facet to the planning process is really the “tracking” process. Tracking and keeping good and consistent information of the tasks / activities / costs and how long it actually takes to complete. Another nuance is realizing that there needs to be a plan B…C or perhaps D. These may not be fully baked plans – although that may depend on the task / activity – nonetheless there should be something formulated that could be executed on if need be. Another nuance is that the plans need to be realistic. Yes, there are go to market windows that will be identified and yes there are alignment with Partners or of supporting technologies. But delivering the product before its ready for the public is far worse than being a few months late with a product that really hits the mark, has no major defects that can seriously impact a customer. The residual fallout of delivering an inferior product outweighs the accolades of launching on “time”. That is a short list of the nuances to project planning – otherwise, there are many project planning process and tools.
5. Part 1 Month 5 Product Development
   There are many elements or components that define a product development process. The type of product that is to be developed will be what defines the various elements that make up the process. But no matter what it is that is to be developed – there are several basic elements that must be understood / defined. The first and obvious is a product development plan. This plan will map out the key features and / or functionality of the product. In short it outlines what makes the product…the “product”. How this product is different from similar products in its class. A second piece of collateral would be specifications. Again an obvious piece of collateral. In the case of a hardware product, every sheet of metal, every nut and bolt will need to be specified in detail. Additionally there will be the need to produce manufacturing specifications that support a fact that there will be a manufacturing process / plan for a massed produced product. In the case of a software product, the specifications will normally include what is called “pseudo code”. This is the “code” that drives the functionality of the software – although in many cases written in a narrative for the purposes of including this is a spec. Lastly, a working – functional model of the product will be produced. In the case of hardware it is may be a watered down version of the final product version. Doing so provides designers and engineers the opportunity to touch and test the product to see how it performs, identify areas that do not meet the performance or even physical criteria established. In the case of software, there is also a validation process to ensure it meets the criteria defined for the product. Again, whether it’s a hardware or software product, there are some basic elements that define and drive the product development process.
6. Part 1 Month 6 Quality Assurance
   As implied Quality Assurance is that part of the process that ensures that the product under development will meet a level quality that is acceptable to the user and which will enable the product to be competitive with other products that compete in its market space. How does quality assurance work? Who determines if a product meets certain quality standards? How does a customer validate that your ‘product’ meets certain quality standards? As a rule quality assurance is a test driven process, that is driven by metrics and standards defined by the governing body for an industry in question. In the Information Technology industry it could be E.E.E. (Electrical and Electronic Engineers Standards association) – it defines many of the standards for electrical engineering and design, and software development. The standards, become the baseline in which test criteria may be developed from. Otherwise, Quality assurance is that process to ensure that the primary functionality and use of the product meets a defined level of robustness and reliability. More stringent the quality test process and standards test against, higher quality of a product will result. Some organizations will develop use- case test matrices. These go beyond standards established by a standards governing body, but these test are developed with the intent to understand how users will use the product in their own environment. So it may be workload driven – that is testing against a common load or set of circumstances in which a customer will encounter while using the product. In short this part of the process is essential in ensuring that the product is competitive, reliable and subscribes to a level of quality that the customer is willing to pay for.
7. Part 1 Month 7 Product Support
   Support – whether it technical support or shipping support in filling out an online transaction – an organization needs to be prepared to handle responses from customer who have purchased their product or service. How robust the support process and infrastructure needs to be will depend on many factors. As an example if may be driven what is considered to be standard or what is necessary in an industry. This may be related to call time. How long should a first line rep work with a customer before passing it on to a more experience rep? What is the hand-off criteria, how is information about the customer captured? What is captured about the customer? What customer relationship management software (CRM) would be used and then why? Objectives of this workshop will be to understand and then identify what is the best way to support customers – how large of a support staff may be needed? What are the minimum skills set (and experience) needed for each person employed. Will need to look at various metrics common to that industry and use those to define and implement a process and policies that align with those metrics. When all said and done an organization is not ignorant to the need to have a ‘support’ process in place – especially as we rely on organizations today for the support they provide…..for products and services we used today. Additionally there will be a focus on developing a feedback loop so that customers can provide feedback to their experience in using the product or service. This could be as simple as filling out an online survey or having a rep contact a customer directly. The pros and cons of each possible feedback loop would need to be explored to determine which makes the best since for the organization in question and what is feasible or makes the best sense for the maturity level of organization and its product.
8. Part 1 Month 8 Market Routes
   The primary objective for this program (aka Route to Market or RTM) will be to put focus on the need to understand what is the best path or route for an organization use in the selling and distribution of its product or service. This understanding and subsequent process is a component of the Go-To-Market Sales Strategy. The idea that a customer can obtain a product or service via a path that he prefers is not a new concept. Today, when I purchase a product online from an Amazon for example it is clearly defined that it will be delivered by one of the common couriers – a FedEx or UPS or the US postal service in the USA. Many organizations may lose sight of the importance of having a “delivery” strategy in place that takes into consideration the customer and their preferred way to buy the product. This implies that each route must be clearly defined, have its own marketing strategy, a targeted market campaign and a clearly defined management structure, ownership across the multiple nodes in the process. Additionally in order to operate in an expansive way and hit as many potential customers as possible organizations will develop a “channel partner” program. In short a channel partner is one that is an extension of an organizations sales force. But by the very nature of the existence of a channel partners, a route to the customer is defined. In order to have an effective channel partner program, there needs to be very strong consideration to the “development” of the channel partner so that he is an effective extension of the sales organization. Some of the things need to be accounted for / planned for are product discounts, product training, and access to development team, partner support staff, an internal partner champion and campaign materials to name a few. Again, routes chosen by the organization are a key to ensuring they are connecting with as a many customers as possible.
9. Part 1 Month 9 Product Launch
   Now it’s time to make some noise! This part of the program will look at product launch from a strategic perspective. As one can surmise there is much involved in making certain that the community that will be monitoring and even reporting on the organization will be interested in how effective and impactful the launch activities will be. For the record the community is made up of all interested people / organizations; the Analyst, Competitors, Partners and Stakeholders. As stated understanding the strategic importance of the launch activities will be considered. These considerations will be the time of year. Depending on the product / service the time of year could either augment the launch activities or it could damper the desired impact. If the product supports other products – then aligning ones activities with that organization’s activities may provide the leverage needed to make a difference. As example of the product supports a new feature of a Microsoft (MS) product and MS is planning to launch its new product in September, then launching at about that time would make sense as they organization will be able to benefit from the MS launch and associated press. The capture all of the particulars, a Launch plan would need to be developed. The key benefit to having a plan it will address all of the key questions needing to be answered. What marketing collateral needs to be developed, if at a particular venue – where should that be? If thinking of a guest speaker – who should that be? Why that person? Is he / she an innovative leader in that market? The program will explore the many possibilities the pros and cons, in determining the best plan to execute against.
10. Part 1 Month 10 Sales Management
    If there are no sales, there are no customers and no matter good the product or service is – an organization will not survive and the doors will close. That is as obvious as it gets. Then what would be the objective of this program – Sales Management. In short it’s to ensure that the obvious continues to happen, that there is a motivated sales organization, there are good incentives to sale, that a sales person is very clear about pay, margins, selling / buying programs and that he / she has back end support and he is up to speed on the latest and greatest sells information (strategy, products, sales plays, etc). Sales management would be that “structured process” and organizational body of management people that ensure the fore mentioned activities, policies and structure are in place. A key element of the program would be to see the value of implementing / using a sales tracking process / program that streamlines the process of tracking sales people’s progress – that deals being worked, what’s in the pipeline, how far along is it, are the deals committed, are there POs in place, etc. There are a couple of well-known tracking / management systems available to support sales management – one system is called Salesforce (SFDC). SFDC when used consistently by a sales team can provide invaluable insights into the day to day, year to year activities on deals – what’s won, what’s loss, why a team wins and with what products as well as why some deals are loss and with what products. Again, when rigor is applied it can serve a sales organization well. The objective of the program would be to look at the sales management umbrella. To understand why there needs to be structure, incentives and the value that a strong leadership management team can do for a sales organization.
11. Part 1 Month 11 Product Life
    The product life or commonly known as the product life cycle or PLC. It is important to understand that every product has a life cycle. The key stages are product introduction, adoption or growth, maturity and then decline. The more a company is in tuned to this fact, the better the position it will be in to formulate a strategy to manage the cycle. An intent of such management would be to understand what stage a product maybe in at any given time during its life. This analysis is essential but not as easy as one may think. Although an organization will be setting sales goals and monitoring performance, there will be some reliance on outside organizations to provide a bird’s eye view of the product’s real impact on the market in terms of market share and its ranking relative to competing products and competing organizations. Certainly several metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) will be looked at and understood. The one key Performance indicator (KPI) is sales. The logical questions to consider and understand are: is there is still interest in the product? Are sales going up – as in growth? Or are sales starting to level off as reached maturity or starting to decline – perhaps with a loss of some market share? Ancillary questions may be – how long has the current version of the product been in the market place? What is an average sales cycle for the product? If new features are in the process of being introduced – what is the expected delivery target for these to be available? As can be ascertained, the readout from the KPI analysis will be provided much insight for the sales and product management organizations. Thus providing the kinds of insight to formulate the appropriate strategy.
12. Part 1 Month 12 Portfolio Management
    The objective of this workshop / stage is too recognize that there will be a need consistently look at the portfolio of products and evaluate and measure each on its merits as it relates to its contribution to the profitability of the business. In doing so, various metrics will be used. One would be to understand the “performance” of products. How is it doing against competitor products? Is my product standing / holding its own? Or is it losing more than winning deals when going head to head with the competition. What position is it ranked in the Market place? First or fourth? If the position is one of leadership – what are the contributing factors? If it’s in a lagging position – is this due to less than relevant features? Or perhaps it’s a quality issue? What are the number of support cases against the product? How many of the top issues are considered showstopper issues for the customer? If the product is considered “mission” critical – are there a large number of customers complaining about the quality? Are resellers refusing to sell the product until the major issues have been addresses? Depending on the answers to the preceding questions. All activities in support of both developing the product and selling it would be assessed. As such, on follow questions will have to be asked and then looked at very closely and decided on. As an example – Is it time to revisit the current marketing and sales strategies? Are there metrics in place to measure ROI of the strategies? If there are quality issues, need to understand what is at root cause? Was there an introduction of a new technology? Was there not sufficient enough time dedicated to testing the product. Perhaps to a short time to market window – the tests cycles were shorten or certain test cases were not run? Once again, depending on the overall performance of the product an assessment / evaluation exercise will be conducted and that output will drive multiple decision paths.

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Product Development– Year 2

1. Part 2 Month 1 Module Management
   It occurs to me that the process of managing the module is an ongoing process of assessing the content and it relevance in meeting the key objectives. It’s an ongoing process of managing changes and even the direction the content of the direction the module may need to address. In addition to that there will be a rationalizing of the learning objective aka the curriculum and even supporting products and resources that maybe needed or even developed. It’s a recognition that the learning process at times needs to be fluid in that it needs to accommodate as needed the different audience that will utilize the training product and / or process. Case in point, if an organization has a relatively mature process with development teams and managers who have experience then the module may need to be modified to adjust to the level of reliance on a module that is needed for that organization. The other facet of module management is the delivery component. A key element is the process for delivering a module. Technology today certainly makes the process easier in that I could use the webinars model. The model is tested and has proven to be an effective way to engage with clients in a virtual environment that is understood, now standard and in a way that many find appealing. The other method that would be employed is using a mechanism like WebEx. The advantage of WebEx or a webinar in that the WebEx mechanism facilitates an easier way to communicate in real time. It provides the flexibility of changing the presenter of information in seconds and it helps build rapport better than the Webinar process. Again, a few considerations for managing a module.
2. Part 2 Month Instructional Design
   Instructional design is at the core of the module development process. This is a comprehensive process that includes a needs assessment, (which essentially is a reconnecting to key objective of the module and to be certain those objectives are constantly insight as I go from one element of the instruction to the next element of the instruction). Also there is a delivery component that needs to be understood and then designed that to meet the “delivery” expectations of those who want to embrace and use the instruction. If that delivery process is challenging and / or difficult to assimilate or use – then regardless of the content – the instruction will not be well received. Will there may be some collaboration between recipients and stakeholders – would say yes. Additionally there is a consideration to the technology that will / may be used – Webinar vs a WebEx versus an in person delivery method. Another element of the instructional design is the length of Instruction. The question that needs to be understood and reconciled is the actual length of the instruction. What is the right length? What’s too short? What’s too long?…what is that sweet spot. The answer – it just depends on the subject matter, the audience and the delivery method. Neither element can be taken in isolation, but will need to be reconciled with a decision that satisfies that common denominator. The last area for consideration in the Instructional Design process is that it is also provides a link between strategic planning activities / process and the relationship that is being established with clients (commonly called customer relationship management (CRM).
3. Part 2 Month 3 Content Development
   Content development process involves the creation of the actual learning programs from design to a deliverable product. It becomes very obvious that each module will be made up of content and as such the content development approach / process for each module may differ some. As an example some content may focus more on the leveraging of best practices borrowed from various industries and experts in many fields. Other content will focus solely on managing the sales process; understanding what are the most effective way(s) to sell – which includes the route that potential customers will use in to obtain a product. Whatever the module subject, there will be a “content” framework developed that maps out the flow of the information, key teaching points and other deliverables that support or augment the content in development and to be delivered. The content development process will also be both iterative and collaborative. Iterative in that there will a develop, submit for review by clients and stakeholders, solicit feedback, modify and resubmit for review….before a final module is declared complete and finished. Collaborative in that once a module has been submitted – relying on feedback from clients and stakeholders is an element to the process. Matter of fact it’s a critical element to the process. By providing a mechanism for feedback – it helps ensure that the objectives for the modules are being met, that there a sense of ‘high’ quality of what is being developed and that a module is in fact useable by a client once in hand.
4. Part 2 Month 4 Content Curation
   Content Curating is so very necessary of a process. Therefore curating is the process of sorting through available sources of materials that are available / found that help to support the objectives being developed. As in any research project – the researcher will find a mountain of material that talks to and supports the theme and objectives outlined in the content framework. Ultimately the content developer will need to sift through, and use what source material seem to support the objectives the best. The content curation process will also be both iterative and collaborative. Iterative in that there a consistent approach to bringing in content, re-evaluating how it supports the key objects or not for that matter. Once a module is submitted for review by clients and stakeholders, feedback is solicited and provided. An element of reviewing the feedback will be in many respects a revisit of the information resources that did not make a final cut in the previous submittal. Therefore a resubmittal may include information that was already looked at. That revisiting of the resources post feedback is key element of the iterative and curation process – before a final module is declared complete and finished. Collaborative in that a client or stakeholder may actually point to other sources of information that is relevant in meeting the objective for the module. By being open to receiving other source materials that were not originally on the table helps ensure that the objectives for the modules are being met, that there a sense of ‘high’ quality of what is being developed and that a module is in fact useable by a client once in hand.
5. Part 2 Month 5 Graphic Design
   Graphic design as a process looks at the content developed and facilitates the opportunity to see how visuals can be used to enhance the presentation and the information developed. With that in mind selection of the right or best visuals is a serious task. Since that is the case. Using visuals or pictures for the sake of using them serves no purpose at all. The visuals used must support the narrative – therefore there will be more focus on the use of graphs and charts as they are generally perceived a more professional way to tell the story and drive home the points. Again the selective use of visuals will enhance the learning process. The graphic design and development process, as with the content development, content curation and instructional design will be both iterative and collaborative. Iterative in that there will be an opportunity to submit the module including graphics for review by clients and stakeholders and a solicitation of feedback. As warranted graphics will be modified and resubmitted as part of the module for review process – before final graphic selections are made and the module is declared complete and finished. Collaborative in that a client or stakeholder may actually point to other sources of visuals that are relevant in meeting the objective for the module. By being open to receiving other source materials for the graphics that we not originally on the table helps ensure that the objectives for the modules are being met, that there a sense of ‘high’ quality of what is being developed and that a module is in fact useable by a client once in hand.
6. Part 2 Month 6 Content Refresh
   The Content refresh process establishes the ongoing review of the modules within the learning portfolio. The process helps ensure that the content elements of each module are the most relevant – therefore updated as deemed necessary. The approach to this process would have to be somewhat surgical. Meaning that I would not approach a “refresh” with broad strokes – as that would not be very effective. Also I would not refresh a module just because it’s been a year or so since a module was developed / used. There would a methodical – yes surgical way in performing a refresh after revisiting the content of a module. This revisiting process would be driven by many factors. One factor is that new information or processes is trending and its use could offer significant benefit and an implementation could change the direction that is the best thing for a module. It could be driven by my own empirical research. Or it could be driven by secondary research uncovered. Or it could be driven by input from a stakeholder or client. In either case, an entire module could be put on the table for a refresh or just specific elements of one could be. The refresh process does have elements of collaboration in that a client or stakeholder may actually be involved in making recommendations for a refresh of a particular module or just to elements of one. A client or stakeholder could point to other sources of information that they see to be relevant. A stakeholder could make suggestions to revisit a module to be refreshed based on an invested interest. Once again, whatever the drivers, a surgical approach for content refresh would be used.
7. Part 2 Month 7 Delivery Support
   Delivery Support relates to that infrastructure behind the scenes that supports the overall program (creation of the module content, communications technology use, and the workshop structure), the workshop itself (hosting of the content, delivery of content via technologies, and presentation tools used), the delivery (how the module is delivered – technology and tools used – the process, as well as the fulfilment of pertinent materials (power point presentations, supporting materials, the workshop assessment collection of information) and the assessment distribution (what mechanism is used to get the assessment into the hands of reviewers – stakeholders and clients). Additionally there are some marketing related activities to attract potential clients that will fall under the umbrella of delivery support. When looking at it holistically – delivery support is that behind the scenes set of process and infrastructure that enables everything to work as desired – which is the delivery of a repeatable, quality, consistent and meaningful workshop program. The key players in this process will be support staff assigned by AGC. That staff are key integral part of the overall program and structure that facilitates the communications at the outset and as warranted through the work shop development and implementation stages. The primary key player of course is myself. My primary role will be to assist in the orchestration and the coordination of the many resources that will be made available from AGC and then whatever resources (technologies needed and work shop materials needed) to develop and facilitate a workshop I will have at my disposal, with the objective of making the workshop to run as efficient as possible so that it is as effective as possible.
8. Part 2 Month 8 Course Feedback
   Course feedback is an end to end evaluation process to ensure the quality of the program. In this case it’s a process of circulating assessment information regarding both the method of delivering the modules and the content of each module to key stakeholders and even clients so that they can be updated as warranted. This feedback process will facilitate a continuous improvement methodology. An important component of the process will be to manage the collection process – ergo the participant’s feedback information and the evaluation data collected. As alluded to the course feedback process can be both iterative and collaborative. Iterative in that there a consistent approach to re-evaluating module content, re-evaluating how each module supports the key objects or has strayed from the objectives and then updating a module as warranted. Once a module is submitted for review to clients and stakeholders, feedback will be solicited with the understanding that feedback needs to be received within an agreed time line. The assessment information developed will focus on the content (instructional flow, graphics, etc.) the delivery process (how received, technology, etc.) and the instruction design. This process will be collaborative in that I will be relying on honest feedback from the stakeholders and clients – as their involvement is important in creating a course that meets their objectives and needs. This process will be employed after the course work has completed a first phase of its development – prior to being submitted as a final product. Then the review process will commence again after the coursework has been officially released and used for training.
9. Part 2 Month 9 Delivery Method
   Delivery Method is the process used to evaluate the method(s) for delivery of the module. All too often there is so much focus on the content and its development that how the content will be delivered and more importantly how the recipient receives it – gets minimal attention. Delivery method has to be designed that meet the delivery “expectations” of those who will acquire and use the module instruction. If the delivery process is challenging and / or too difficult to assimilate or use – then regardless of the content – the instruction will not be well received. To make a proper evaluation of the delivery method, will make an analysis of the various delivery methods that are deemed to be to most effective to use. Looking at this from the technology standpoint – there are multiple technologies under consideration that do foster an effective learning environment (even virtual). The two common delivery methods are Webinars (this replaces an in person seminar. It’s an effective way to increase the reach to many participants via this process). The other technology under consideration is the WebEx (similar to a webinar but provides a more real-time, personal to person interactive experience). Otherwise a third option not utilizing technology as the mechanism of interface is to do an in person training and in doing so, take of advantage of multiple technologies to facilitate the training. Another key element of the delivery method design process is determining the length of each module. Which begs the answering of several questions – What is the right length of a workshop? What’s too short? What’s too long? The delivery method and the workshop / module subject may be the determining factor.
10. Part 2 Month 10 Workshop Structure
    Workshop structure The focus is on how the overall work shop is structured (delivery flow, content elements, exams, case studies, etc. ) so that a learner is both able to grasp the needed content and has the ability to put into use right away what he / she is has been taught. The key element of the delivery method design process is determining the length of each module. Which begs the answering of several questions – What is the right length of a workshop? What’s too short? What’s too long? Finding that right middle ground is always a challenge and in some respects will rely on feedback from stakeholders / clients to adjust the length as needed. However, ultimately the delivery method and the workshop’s / module’s subject matter may be the key determining factor. The element of the structure will be to evaluate what percentage of a module will be written word instruction – lead by a moderator. What percentage is made of up visuals and graphics to help drive home points? What percentage could be framed as a “case study” review? What percentage is an exam? An exam may not be a typical multiple choice question based exam – but may be just a couple of questions or even be an essay. Last, what percentage will be Question and Answer at the end or integrated within the content? A final element under consideration will be to determine if there will be an offline component (maybe a take home study piece, preparation activity before the workshop begins or an exam at the end of the workshop). The Incorporating of those elements will allow the trainee to experience many facets of the training and delivery process.
11. Part 2 Month 11 Sales Design
    A key by-product of the product development process is the designing of the sales process. IT is near inherent that the when putting a product through the development process, there is consideration to how that product will be sold on the open market. The sales approach designed / used will be driven my multiple factors – the type of product, the market in which it competes, what other companies are doing who sell a similar product, and whether it will be sold to a global market or just to the local country to which the organization is established? When considering the product – if it’s packaged product that can be sold off the shelf at a retail store such a Best Buy. The sale design for an off the shelf product takes a fairly predefined marketing path. There will be negotiating discussions with Best Buy for shelf space, there will be on line advertising, there will be links to the Best Buy web page, there may be “print ads” or TV commercials. In addition that that predefine sales design, there may be a ‘push’ selling process or design by utilizing a sales organization. Part of the sales design would the process for training a sales staff. What does that training look like? What tools need to be developed? If there are competitors – what does a competitor sales play look like? There will be a need to design a sales plan – what does that look like? What are the margins, what are the incentives to sell? How does a rep get paid? Again “a sales design” will address all of those questions and more.
12. Part 2 Month 12 Product Dashboard
    The intent of a dashboard is to provide someone – namely management a birds eye view / product development activities. This may include a description of the major current development activity – the number of days in it, next milestone target with date to start, a current count of the most critical issues aka defects, and any other information that is deemed noteworthy to mention and track. The importance of these kinds of information almost goes without saying – as many organizations can see the value. As an example knowing the next milestone target helps understand how far long the project is, and whether or not key milestones are being hit. IF the current activity is running behind schedule – unless there is a major effort to make up ground, it will surely impact the subsequent milestones. If gone unchecked – will cause a cascading effect and cause a later than targeted completion. Again a dashboard will help in identifying issues or potential issues relatively early. The challenges however in the dashboard are many. First, who owns the data that populates the board? Will it be a project manager? A program manager? What are the checks and balances to ensure that the data entered is as accurate as possible? How often will updates be made? Once a week? Daily? Are the updates the subjective entry of a developer delivery to one of a task? IF so, the risk of course is a person may input very positive information about his task so that he looks good to his peers. Conversely some may input a very gloomy picture of a status so as to cover himself so that if the project is very late – he can I told you so…..see my status of a few weeks ago! Once again the development dashboard can be a very useful tool.

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Product Development– Year 3

1. Part 3 Month 1 Program Communications
   Program communications from an implementation perspective takes on many facets. There is the outreach facet of the process that is that part of the process that identifies new prospective clients. Another facet is that there will be continuous communications needed between the current clients and the prospective. A baseline of communications will need to be establishment – defining how the communications needs to flow (from what source to another source – also would need to look to “define” who initiates the communication(s) and the timeliness (as response time) of responding to a message received – as well as “who” responds to what types of messages. Understand that content messages would be responded by myself – marketing by someone at AGC), the frequency of communications (this will depend on what cycle in the process in which communications are being made – is it at the marketing stage?, it is a follow up or questions to a module that has been delivered? or is it within a process as when soliciting feedback from stakeholders and clients during a content feedback process or post a workshop implementation). the format in which it will occur (the format may be driven by what stage I am in the process the communications would be occurring) ,and who are the primary deliverers of the communications (Will depend on the stage in the process – if in the initial marketing activities – then AGC, if during the training delivery stage – that would be made by myself) will all need to be mapped out and then adhered to through the entire lifecycle of a workshop – from conception to implementation to review.
2. Part 3 Month 2 Program Materials
   There is no program, no module, and no workshop without the program materials. Therefore the focus of this process is not only a tabulation of the materials needed, but also a “timeline” sequence of when the materials will be developed and used. The materials in the case are both written as in power point presentations, additional resources (handouts perhaps) and to some degree the technologies needed / leveraged during a workshop. The primary materials will be the following: 1. Marketing collateral developed / used to for soliciting potential clients. 2. The actual content developed for each module – used per workshop. 3. The associated content within the content – may include visual graphics. 4. The end of the course / module survey assessment. 4. Miscellaneous handouts and / or supplemental readings / tools. Examining each item one by one. First, the marketing collateral may be comprised of specific messaging targeted at the overall program / course or at a specific module. In doing it may highlight some key takeaways or areas addressed with the training. Second, content within the content. In this case it’s a verification that the add-ins are the latest, not updates are pending. Third, the end of the course / module survey assessment has to be available right at the beginning of a workshop. Doing so provides a learner the opportunity to review the assessment questions and make physical / mental notes of his / her real time during the instruction. Forth, any miscellaneous handouts and / or supplemental readings that help augment the workshop instruction. These may be in the form of recent news article clippings, relevant excerpts from trade / professional magazines – periodicals or a video demonstrating a process. The introduction of these items will be driven by the coursework content or module.
3. Part 3 Month 3 Select Infrastructure
   Select infrastructure relates to the framework and technology used to host and support a workshop as well as having the support services in place to ensure that the behind scenes set of process and infrastructure are enabling everything to work as desired – which is the delivery of a repeatable, quality, consistent and meaningful workshop program. The framework is that of a virtual classroom. A real classroom setting has many elements to it that are key to creating a learning environment that is open, safe, inviting, challenging, spontaneous, and is interactive (encourages a two way exchange and interaction). When attempting to create a virtual classroom environment that elements are a critical in a classroom setting apply here as well. Therefore several things / components need to be taken into consideration when mapping the virtual classroom. First, what makes it “open”? Is it the technology or the room or the instructor? It’s a little bit of all. In the virtual room, it has to be open…..the technology used should not create artificial constraints by how people, and primarily the instructor uses it. It needs to be safe in that there are minimal restrictions in the rules of engagement. Participants will be able to communicate / participant without feeling confined. Is it inviting? Inviting and safe are similar in action…..but inviting also implies there is prejudice against any one or his / her comments, participation. Challenging only applies to the rigor of the workshop itself – not to the technology used to host the classroom virtual environment. Then spontaneity is with a participant in how they adapt to the technology / virtual classroom and how the instructor leads the team in discussions.
4. Part 3 Month 4 Prepare Trainers
   It can be said that an effective training program and / or workshop is measured by effectiveness of those who facilitate and conduct the training. The process of training the trainer is an integral part of the entire workshop. Another saying is that in order to have effective trainers – there needs to be an effective training program / process. The process used to accomplish a key training objective is more than just sending all of the materials to the trainer with the expectation that in a few days or weeks, she or he will pretty much digest as much as they can from the program, then spew this back to an audience in a way that is hopefully coherent. While that is probably the way many if not most training organizations approach this training, my approach is not that way. It will be a process of educating the trainer about the audience. The audience of professionals who are facing very serious challenges in introducing new products or services into the market place. An audience that is limited on monetary resources, limited in the expertise and experience that they can obtain and employ. By educating the trainer about the audience, the information he / she will be presenting should take on a different meaning. It should instil in a trainer the value of the program, his / her instructive process, his/her communicative ability and skills that are essential to drive home key points and ideas. Another process that will be considered is to have a trainer sit in on a workshop as a participating attendee – the audience. To be able to experience the workshop as an attendee should help in understanding how the information is received – therefore helping to understand how it should be presented.
5. Part 3 Month 5 Schedule Workshop
   The scheduling of a workshop is for a certainty a multi-faceted process. At first glance the impression may be that its only about sticking a number of workshops on a calendar, send notifications to clients, confirm attendance and confirm that the trainer is available? True, those elements make up the process and without a doubt there are a few key steps that need to be taken. Scheduling also involves an understanding the sequence – the order that each workshop should come in – which workshop is first, second, etc. in that program and then why? The proper scheduling of the workshop is like building a building – one block at a time. After each workshop is complete the learner / organization will be able to build his / her knowledge from the base established by the previous workshop or module and so on. If not scheduled currently, there will be a loss of continuity. That said, the actual scheduling will be from a joint – cooperative effort of many players – one of which ASG and what other agencies employed by then to assist. Another element of the scheduling process is to inform participants – provide them with agendas and executive summaries that, thus wetting appetites, and setting the tone of what is to be expected, In addition the agendas and exec summaries – a copy of the module assessment will be part of the package. Doing so will help the learner / organization to prepare their minds of what to think about prior to the training and as they actually attend the workshop session. Once again the scheduling of a workshop is multi-faceted process and key elements of it need due consideration.
6. Part 3 Month 6 Module Process
   This process talks to the sequencing of the workshop – this not limited to the order in which a module will be presented but also to that process of determining the order in which a module needs to developed. It is understood that the process of managing the process of module development and sequencing is never stagnant, but it is needs to be fluid. This will be determined by a consistent review of the objectives. This will be determined by the types of feedback received from stakeholders and participants – some of this via the module assessment process. This will be determined by the review new thoughts on a subject and what may be trending in the industry. All of that in mind, it most certainly should be stagnant. An example of what could drive a revisit of the module sequence is when an organization has a relatively mature development process with development teams and managers who have significant experience in developing products and services – but looking for a different perspectives and a fresh approach. In that case some modules in the portfolio may lack the relevance or fit the needs of that organization. If so, a review of their needs would need to be undertaken. After that review there could be multiple outcomes. One could be that a module in its current form needs minor changes to address the organization’s needs – its current state. Also the outcome may be that a unique module needs to be developed to suit that organization’s needs – whether that is driven by a process or a culture. In either case recognizing that a module sequencing review is of great value.
7. Part 3 Month 7 Sales Tracking
   A sales management tracking system / process is a key component and process that lends to the success of any sales organization. Can one imagine that an organization could survive without the ability to account for all sales activities of a sales force? IT would be impossible. How could management know at any given point in time what big deals are in play, how many deals are “committed? Howe many deals were closed last quarter and what was the value of those deals or how can a management team confirm which sales reps are performing to quota and which are not. Additionally how can an organization determine what products are the top sellers and which are not? Certainly a system and / or process that tracks the sales activities is essential. What is just as important is that there is a staff who are properly trained in using the tools and system. Second to that is that the staff use “all” of the essential tools within the system. As an example – if the system has an entry form that allows the input of a competitor – which input is critical regardless if it’s for deals won or lost! That competitor information is invaluable in really understanding is who competing in your market space, how frequently you compete for the same customer, what was a winning strategy against the competitor as well what sales strategy did not work when a deal was lost to that competitor. Once again it is easy to see that it’s imperative that there is a sales tracking process that provides insight into so many elements of the sales management process.
8. Part 3 Month 8 Competitive Intelligence
   Having an awareness of what the competition is doing goes well beyond knowing who they are and in what markets they compete in. As one can appreciate it is prudent to have as much information about them as an organization, their product positioning’s, the sale strategies, the sales force (local vs global vs channel), and their global presence just to name a few. Therefore performing a S.W.O.T. (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of the organization is at core to understanding who they are. The SWOT analysis is an invaluable tool in establishing a foundation of intelligence to build on. Then the process of reviewing the S.W.O.T analysis periodically is a crucial process to have in place. As stated the SWOT analysis is foundation building – and many organizations will employ the assistance of external organization that are expert analysis or create an internal organization in which their primary charter is to gather as much “competitor intelligence” information as possible. The gathering of this intelligence is crucial in that it feeds the activities of many internal organizations – such as the sales enablement teams. Having an understanding of an organizations vulnerabilities can make the sales force that more effective when going head to head against competitors that are competing for the sane sales opportunities. The intelligence can help the marketing organizations as they create ads. This intelligence will be very useful the product management organizations – in that it will help identify customer pain points or customer needs and arm the organization with the best information that feeds into product features / functionality. Once again having a formal “intelligence” gathering process provides many benefits to the organization.
9. Part 3 Month 9 Implement Training
   The Training implementation will not commence unless all of the final checks and balances are signed off on. These being all of the materials and technology are ready, functioning to design and in place. Conductor of the work shop is trained – well versed in the module to be presented and used. There is confirmation that clients will be in attendance (virtually or in person) and that behind the scenes support are available as needed. The workshop will be conducted in a fashion that provides a high level of quality, rigor and consistency. A training workflow diagram will be developed to ensure key points / elements are addressed is a rational and a logical flow that indicates the learning process is understood and the sequence of instruction is well thought out. The Training process will incorporate (dependent on the module under consideration) opportunities to discuss new concepts openly – to ensure the rationale is clearly understand. There will be “validation check points” incorporated in the training – these will provide the learner to opportunity to validate for himself that the concept under consideration make sense in that an application of the ideas can be made in his / her organizational situation. The Validation check point – is an invaluable tool to ensure that the participants get it. Additionally, each workshop will provide the opportunity to “challenge” a concept. The concept may not be mainstream and therefore a need for more discussion is needed. OR a concept may be perceived by the majority to be most applicable or relevant for their organization. This would be based on organizational structure, roles and responsibilities. Lastly each module may or may not incorporate an exam. As a rule the exam will not be used to give out a pass or fail grade – but to test the understanding of key concepts / ideas presented. At the beginning of each workshop – the assessment will be made available and then collected at the end.
10. Part 3 Month 10 Training Assessment
    The objective of this process is to make an assessment of the training “strategy used – as in how effective was it. Effective – can measure in many different ways. In this case it is based on how the key objectives were presented and received. How the participants viewed the end to end training process. The process of assessing the training and its value proposition will in many respects coincide with the workshop feedback process and will in most cases be done near real time as well. The process will be to collect feedback on various components of the module from participants, scan a few and read out comments from the participants post their feedback to that portion of the workshop. This means that the feedback collection process will be leveraged to assess the training as well. Doing so will provide the entire audience (each one’s peers) the opportunity to hear what others impressions are and then even offer comment to what has been read as it pertains to how effective the training – workshop was. Doing so would be an effective way to gain invaluable insight about what is being taught. Then the program developer will be able to take all of this information into consideration for the next time that particular workshop is conducted with the understanding that adjustments will be made to that module / workshop. Of course may not be for every received feedback – but the ones that seem to be the most impactful. This assessment strategy is a key element of the process.
11. Part 3 Month 11 Assessments Process
    Once a workshop has been initiated, a formal feedback collection process will commence. What is slightly different about this feedback assessment is that it will pretty much be conducted throughout the workshop and not just at the end. The value of doing it in this fashion (somewhat iterative) is that the ‘impressions” of recipients of the training is fresh in one’s mind. What has been described is the overall process of assessing the value of a module by those who have just completed. It. In order to accomplish the objective of getting valuable feedback – the assessment process must be strategically designed and implemented. Its strategic in that the process needs to be designed with the idea of refining the content for future classes. Don’t just what know if a participant “liked” the workshop because the instructor was a nice person or was articulate or funny! It’s all about the content the depth, the breadth, the real world relevance and application. The responses need so that an organization can train a team and have them successfully executing on what was presented. A value of designing the assessment to be captured and reviewed in front of the audience (each one’s peers) is that offers the opportunity to hear what others impressions are and then even offer comment to what has been said. Strategically speaking this will also provide the opportunity for participants interact, share experiences, offer options that might not always aligned with what was taught – but could be a critical point that warrants strong consideration for a revised version of the module. Once again the assessment design is strategic in nature and supports multiple objectives.
12. Part 3 Month 12 Collect Feedback
    Once a workshop has been initiated, a formal feedback collection process will commence. What will be slightly different about this feedback assessment is that it will be essentially conducted throughout the workshop and not just at the end. The value of doing it in that fashion (somewhat iterative) is that the ‘impressions” of recipients of the training is fresh in one’s mind. In short after completing a portion of the module – the process would be to administer or officially inform trainees that feedback to the discussion that was completed, is requested. This in turn will provides a learner the opportunity to review the assessment questions for the portion of the workshop / module, and make a physical or mental notes of his / her impressions – good and not so good during the instruction. The process of evaluating the feedback will in most cases be done near real time as well. The process will be to collect the forms, scan a few and read out comments from the participants post there feedback to that portion of the workshop. Doing so will provide the entire audience (each one’s peers) the opportunity to hear what others impressions are and then even offer comment to what has been read. Doing so would be an effective way to gain invaluable insight about what is being taught. Then the trainer will be able to take all of this information into consideration for the next time that particular workshop is conducted with the understanding that adjustments will be made to that module / workshop. Of course may not be for every received feedback – but the ones that seem to be the most impactful.

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Product Development– Year 4

1. Part 4 Month 1 Research Review
   This process is very much related to the product idea or design formulation process. During that phase it is important to understand whether there is a market for the product and if so, what the perceived marketing opportunities are – a most critical of the phases as it validates the “concept” that is agreed upon before moving forward with any design work. The research process needs to be reviewed to ascertain if the right or best approach was taken to getting to the end goal. The conceptual product planning takes into consideration what products or similar ones already exist in the market. A review of the process to ascertain this information needs to be done. IF there is a top 5 competitor list – how is this confirmed? What sources are consulted? Are the sources credible – aka, understood to be acknowledged industry standard or a best practice? The steps taken to gain an understanding of whether the product will have disruptive implications in the market to the identified competing products or whether it’s a niche product or whether it’s a product that adds new functionality to an existing product would need to be reviewed. That review will entail an end to end analysis of the steps, the resources used and analysis used to come to the conclusions. The Goal of the research review is to better understand whether the steps / process taken was the best in understanding the market as well as industry the product offering will compete in. That understanding gain will provide additional credibility that the subsequent steps used to defining what would be developed, creates a viable opportunity in the market with the product in question.
2. Part 4 Month 2 Concept Review
   The Proof of concept is an important step in determining what users really want before a large number of resources – both people and money are dedicated to the program. Therefore it is important to review the “Concept planning process” as it that step in the process that provides that level of validation that the best criteria is being applied and or used in selecting potential customers or a test case reflecting the customers is used. The elements of the review of concept verification process is are rooted in the outcome of review of the product research process. By this stage in the process – a collection of the key pieces information that drives what the short list of product features and functionality will have been defined. A review of the steps and even criteria used to define that list is important. Doing so, provides credibility to the selection process and reinforces that a reliable and repeatable process is being used. Developing a proof of concept (POC) is to confirm the product concept is one of the best ways to increase the probability of success. A review of the process to ensure that the POC review process provides the kind of feedback into the product management and development organizations will need to be done. One area to review will to be to ensure that there are “no filters” being applied to comments from testers of the POC product. Another area to review may be the selection process of a third party manufacturing organization used to build hardware for testing purposes. Lastly there may be a need to review how comments are being applied in the determining that a feature or function meets a design objective or not. Will feedback rated on a scale? Or will it need to ‘tested’ again by a different set of testers to determine viability? Whatever the follow up steps and or process will be – a review of it will be made to ensure the integrity of the Concept development process.
3. Part 4 Month 3 Product Review
   Review of the product definition process and those steps is aligned with the overall objective of the product definition stage which is to ensure that clients come to grips with the need to use a process that has rigor, is flexible and keeps the organization in focus to its product or services development objective. As there are many facets to the product definition process – a review of the process used is essential. A first step in the product definition process would be to identify the market in which to compete. Since this involve a fairly rigorous research process into what the market is lacking – an in-depth review of that process is needed. As the objective here is to identify ‘gaps in functionality and features from competing products or services. In some cases there may be a need to consult with key Market Analyst such as Gartner, IDC or Forrester. In doing so, would want evaluate that approach as well? What questions will be used to drive the discussions? How can an organization ensure its talking to the “right” analyst in any of those organizations – as there are many and not all have the same level of expertise and relevant, experience? Certainly in many cases relevant research may already be available for use – then in that case, the organization will need to be clear of the process used to make that verification. Internally the product research process is a continuation of the product research process – and as such a review of the associated processed will be somewhat a continuation as well. In doing so this end to end review ensures that there is a continuity of objective met, rigor being adhered to and integrity to the product research and validation processes.
4. Part 4 Month 4 Planning Review
   Just are there are thousands of books out there that talk to the project planning process – there are just as many that talk to the planning review process. The idea is not to focus on any one planning review process – but talk to the importance of conducting a formal review of the “planning processes” used to move a project forward. There is the need to establish a fact that the longer the time to develop the product, the greater the chances for change…perhaps many changes – since that is the case, a review of the reasons why the changes are or may be needed is an important element of developing programs / projects to a schedule. We the reasons for delays or changes something could have been foreseen? Are the changes a result of an internal miscalculation? Or they as a result of an external dependency? Is that organization missing a delivery target of a needed technology? Of course the list of reasons could be numerous. Whatever the case – a review of those things greatly enhances the ability of a team to plan better. Since another project planning nuance is “guessing” – especially in the initial stages – a review of the number of guess – why the guess and why this is not a definitive understanding will greatly improve the rigor of the processes to obtain accurate information when it crucial to the development activities. The estimation of the “development effort” for example and all of the associated resources needed to meet the objects would be reviewed as well. What are the estimates based? How much of an estimated effort is driven a “by a time to market” milestone? Considering the scope of the project, start time of the project and resources available – how realistic is project that target completion? Again the review process will be that set of questions and eyes that critically look for ways to improve and mitigate risk while increasing the success of the project.
5. Part 4 Month 5 Development Review
   Considering the fact that there are several elements that comprise the development process – each element must be understood and defined and therefore reviewed. The review will help ensure that there are efficiencies built into the process. The primary component of the process is the product development plan. The plan will map out the key features and / or functionality of the product. Which of course will need to be reviewed to be certain that this mapping is consistent in meeting the overall objective of the product. The second piece of collateral to will be developed are the specifications. The Specifications spell out those key details that normally define key functionally associated with a feature. A review of the steps / process associated with specification writing is key to building efficiency. That review would be focused on a couple of key areas within the spec. One is the feature description – does it clearly articulate not only what the feature is, but also its value add, its importance within the product. A second focus would be a “use case” description with the anticipated output. Doing so will help in validating that the feature support overall objectives. This will be the same for a hardware product. In many cases the review of a hardware production process will include the services of a third party manufacturing organization. This will involve a review of their development and manufacturing process, a site visit to the plant building the hardware, a review of certification, a draft of and review of legal agreements, statement-of-works, and any pertinent process that is deemed essential to meeting the overall product development objectives.
6. Part 4 Month 6 Quality Review
   The Quality Assurance process is a critical part of the development process that in it ensures that the product under development will meet a level of quality that is acceptable by the consumers of the product or even service. Therefore a review of the quality assurance process, its’ steps and criteria used to establish “quality” is of utmost importance. Otherwise, the organization may failed to be as competitive in the market targeted and therefore expend a large amounts of resources addressing customer issues, battling negative reviews and not hitting sales quotas. Since quality assurance is a test driven process, that is driven by metrics and standards defined by the governing body for an industry in question – there is inherently a need to review the associated steps in identifying the industry standards to use – why a particular standard versus another? When a test matrix is developed – a review is needed to confirm that the content of the matrix is accurately identifying the functionality that needs to be tested. Also to review the criteria used to determine the extent of tests that will be conducted? What minimum test are needed? How is the decision determined? Who will conduct the test? If it’s a hardware test – will it be done in house by the development team? Or will it be conducted by a third party organization holding the necessary licenses, or certifications or having in house the correct / best equipment? Does this test meet (or needs to meet) any international standards or U.L. (Underwriters Laboratory) oversight? Again all of the process surrounding and supporting the quality assurance process would need to be reviewed.
7. Part 4 Month 7 Support Review
   Support – whether it technical support or shipping support in filling out an online transaction – an organization needs to be prepared to handle responses from customer who have purchased their product or service. As that is the case, a review of the Support process is essential in making certain that the organization is utilizing ‘best practices’ for the product and / or services provided to customers. The robustness of the support process and infrastructure will be depend on many factors. Those factors will need to be reviewed to ascertain which of them are the most critical and need to most attention in meeting certain support criteria. If for example a support process is driven by some industry standard, how is that standard going to be applied in the case of this organization? Its expertise, customer reach, product, and services? Will every element of the industry standard need to be applied and / or adhered to? Or could there be latitude in the application? Once again a review of the standard would be necessary in order to answer those questions completely. The review process and workshop will be to examine and understand what certain processes will be applied and they define what the “best way” to support customers. As an example how does an organization determine how large a support staff needs to be? The criteria for determining that will need to be reviewed. Another example – how does an organization determine what are the minimum skills set (and experience) needed for each person employed? The criteria for determining that will need to be reviewed. That line of questioning / reasoning – review will apply to essentially all critical elements of the support infrastructure.
8. Part 4 Month 8 Market Review
   Considering the fact that an organization will need to understand what is the best path or route for said organization use in the selling and distribution of its product or service – there is also the need to review not only the paths or routes chosen but also to review the “logic” and “criteria” used to make those selections. This review and the subsequent understanding gained is in support of the Go-To-Market Sales Strategy – which too is reviewed. Understanding the need to be clear in articulating the chosen “delivery” strategies is important as it has a direct bearing on how customers will be served in the way they prefer. Every path or route defined will have its own unique strategy. That is a marketing strategy with its own campaigns and ads, sales tools that are the best for that route and a management structure to oversee / facilitate the process. A review of the rationale behind the routes chosen will be made. Even if it’s only to have a direct sales organization and that is it! Let’s say for example an organization decides that it only wants a direct sales organization. Will not use internet technology beyond advertising and will not develop a channel program. The review process would be to understand that rationale. If that would be the case, the review would to be understand the rationale behind. Is this a long term decision or is it short term? – Perhaps to just seed the market with a select number of targeted customers? Perhaps it’s to limit exposure and use the product under consideration as a way to beta test the market? Whatever the reason – a review of its feasibly as it relates to use of resources, timing to market, competitive pressures, Venture Capitalist pressures, etc. will need to be part of the review process. In short no decision will not be made without the proper checks and balances review.
9. Part 4 Month 9 Launch Review
   A review of the product launch and all the moving parts associated with it will be essential. Recognizing that there is great strategic importance to when and how a product makes its formal debut adds another level of importance in reviewing those process / steps leading up to the launch and processes / steps post launch! These areas that will be given the highest review consideration is the time of year that the launch will occur? Are there any external dependencies driving that decision? Perhaps there is a Microsoft OS release that the organization wants to support – then aligning with a Microsoft OS release will be make sense and the organization could see great benefits. If the product supports other products – then aligning ones activities with that organization’s activities may provide the leverage needed to make a difference. A review of the potential benefits of doing that – would be weighed against the development schedule, associated activities, and the organization’s readiness to launch. Having the understanding that there is a need to capture all of the particulars, a Launch plan is developed. A formal review of the launch plan will be made. In addition to the timing of the launch and reasoning behind why a chosen month / day – a review of the launch materials that would be needed will be made as well. What marketing collateral needs to be developed? Who will develop? Will there be a special event scheduled? Or will the organization piggyback another event? What are the pros and cons of each choice? If the launch is just a meeting with investors or analyst and a press release is ‘release’ are there any cons to going that route? Most certainly a review of the strategy and of key activities are essential to a successful product launch.
10. Part 4 Month 10 Sales Review
    Considering the fact that at root to the success of all ‘for profit’ organization is ‘sales” it is very important to review the review various process under Sales Management umbrella. Sales Management is that structure responsible for the motivation of a sales organization, for the institution of an incentive and rewards program, for ensuring that there back end support, there is product training, sales tools and a host of things in place to support the sales organization. Then it’s imperative that there is a review process is in place of the key “sales processes” if not all of the process to ensure that the organization is as effective as possible in meeting sales goals. As an example the development of sales collateral is a necessary by-product of the sales tools– a review of the collateral to ensure that its current, timely and relevant to market needs is an essential step. If it’s a sales play against a key competitor – when was it last updated? Is there information that talks to the most current known feature, functionality of the competitor as well as sales strategy? Is there collateral developed that has a “regional” focus? As an example of the product is sold globally – is there consideration to localizing some collateral for that the local market to be used by the sales staff? A review of the collateral will be have address those questions / concerns. A key element of the program would be to see the value of implementing / using a sales tracking process / program that streamlines the process of tracking sales people’s progress – that deals being worked, what’s in the pipeline, how far along is it, are the deals committed, are there POs in place, etc. When considering a tracking system – there is the “before acquisition” of the system ‘review’ and then the post implementation ‘review’. At times there is failure to “review” how the system is being used by the staff. Is the staff properly trained and is it being used consistently as intended? Again a review of those process are crucial in ensuring that sales management is as effective as possible.
11. Part 4 Month 11 Lifecycle Review
    The product life cycle or PLC is the “defacto” standard practice and understanding that a product has a life…it begins with the concept and essentially ends when it end-of-life – in that it has served its useful purpose in meeting market objectives. Then it becomes clear that there are multiple opportunities to “review” the product and associated activities / processes of its development and enhancement during the various stages of its product life. The review during its various stages is akin to the strategy of managing those various cycles. From a management perspective – it’s not just gaining that understanding of what stages a product is in and managing resources accordingly – but it’s a review of the management process associated with each stage. As an example – once a product has launched and being sold – what is the appropriate assignment of resources to the development organization? What is the criteria for understanding that assignment? Is driven by external factors – aka what the competition is doing? Or what the overall market is doing? Or is driven by the culture to innovate (like Apple)? Whatever the reason – a review of the reason(s) and it impact on resource management will be need to be thoroughly reviewed and understood. When a product is on the mature stage – a review of its viability in the market place will need to be reviewed. That said, who is saying its mature? How long has it been selling? Is the maturing driven by sales itself….as in sells have been declining for multiple quarters or years? What other variable could be responsible for the decline? Increased competition? A declining market? An ineffective sales forces? Ineffective leadership? Whatever the case ultimately is the reason – a review of each variable and its influence on the “sales decline” will need to need to be researched and reviewed.
12. Part 4 Month 12 Portfolio Review
    Portfolio management is that infrastructure and set of processes designed to consistently look at and review the portfolio of products. With an objective of evaluating each product in the portfolio on its merits as it pertains to its contribution to the profitability of the business. To do management may apply various metrics to better understand the “performance” of each product in the relative markets in which a products competes. A review of the process, criteria and metrics applied will be needed to ensure that management’s evaluations is the most effective and pragmatic in its approach. As an example if product has been in the market for 4 years and is underperforming relative to the market or against competitors – what factors, events, variable need to be looked at and reviewed? What organizations will be involved in the process? Who owns the lion share of the activity? Is it purely an executive activity? Or is shared as various levels and depts.? A review of the approach and sphere of influence will need to done. Let’s say it been determined that it’s a competitive issue – in that there are 3 key competitors and the organization is losing to the competitors because the product is lacking key sought after features. A review will be need to determine ‘what is the most feasible way to counter the attacks’? Or if the decision is not to counter – a review of the criteria used to make that decision will be needed as well. The intent is not to over simplify the review process associated with the portfolio management process. It’s clear that portfolio management starts at square one – when there is a decision to develop / launch a new product or service. It should be clear that the review process is an integral of the management process and as such naturally is done by most if not all internal stakeholders and supports of a product within the portfolio.

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Methodology

Product Development– Program Planning

The Program planning method I would use that is rather popular is the GTO approach or the “Getting to Outcomes” approach. The method consists of 10 accountability questions in total. Six of them are planning questions (steps 1-6), two are evaluation questions (steps 7-8) and the final two questions are ones that address how the use of data to improve and sustain programs (steps 9-10). The planning questions are:

(1)Needs and Resources (What are the underlying needs and conditions?), (2)Goals: What goals, and objectives (i.e., desired outcomes) (3)Best Practice: Which evidence-based models and best practice programs can you use to reach your goals? (4)Fit: What actions do you need to take so that the selected program “fits” the community context? (5)Capacities: What organizational capacities are needed to implement the program? (6)Plan: What is the plan for this program?

Will use those questions as my guiding principles in establishing / planning the program. The needs assessment in essence has already been defined as I do have current name for the program with key goals / objectives defined. The needs also is established based on the growth and opportunities understood for key cities selected. As it relates to goals – the overall goal is to increase ones product development efficiencies. Rather interesting that this will need to be measured on fronts. The first would be at time of program delivery. Based on stated objectives, there will need to a client assessment that the content / process defined has enough substance and / or procedure to ensure confidence that the program will indeed meet the needs and said objectives. The second would be post “use” of the program. The timing on that would have to be agreed upon, but in short there will be a need to make an assessment of the program after its use. In doing a series of questions would be used to determine if there has been success, i.e. met key objectives. If that assessment indicates that success was lacking due to a series of elements needing to be changed / modified – then the assessment will highlight what this is and changes will need to be implemented and retested for re-submission. Then cycle will repeat as often as warranted to be certain the program meets said objective and will have a measure of success once fully implemented.

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Product Development– Program Development

The program development process is one of the most critical elements of the process and may be the longest poles as well. Using key questions from the “Getting to Outcomes” approach – the objective will be to evaluate the development of program from inception to implementation. In doing so the objective would be to ensure that each element of the program is aligned with the overall development objective. The two key questions from the GTO approach involves reviewing the development “process” with an objective of assessing the “quality” of program implemented. As an example a driving question is: how will the development “process” will be assessed? The assessment will take on various facets. A facet would the development itself. What criteria is used to ensure quality? What steps will be taken to confirm that each development maintain alignment with the intent / objective? Another would be what mile markers will be used or assigned to validate that the path taken is the best / accurate one and that once development is complete – there is a way to confirm that it does meet the stated outcome. The next driving question pertains to the outcome and it is “how well did the development process work? What were the challenges encountered? What worked well and what did not work so well? What processes would be kept and which would be modified? It’s pretty obvious that the objective is to ensure that not only is there a “quality” deliverable that meets the criteria established – but also development process / activities used are the best to meet the objective.

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Product Development– Program Implementation

The methodology that will be used is the ABCDE Method for defining Objectives. The method puts a focus on the following: A – Audience (the population for whom the desired outcome is intended aka the clients); No doubt the emphasis is on how well received the program will be to those primary beneficiaries of said training. If the client cannot or is not able to ascertain the benefits from the outset (not including minor tweaking) it will be a challenge to say the implementation is successful. B – Behavior (a statement of expected behavior change by the implementation of the program. If there is not significant or substantial change in how an organization executes, then a behavior modification has not been made and the program has not satisfied a fundamental objective. C – Condition (what is the time frame for implementation measurement?). The time-frame for measuring whether the implementation was timely or within predefined constructs will be charted at multiple intervals or check points. As in any project management process check points serve as a informative way of measuring progress and ensuring the project is on track – if not then adjustments can be made earlier enough so as not derail the project. D – Degree (how much change is expected?). The Degree is subjective in many respects and can be driven the perceived value of what has been implemented. That value will be measure against the key objectives and feedback from primary stakeholders and ultimately clients. E – Evidence (how will the change be measured?). IF there are areas / elements of the implementation that need to be changed – there will be a system of identifying those potential changes. A value will be assigned to each recommendation, and those with the highest value will be assigned the highest priority. Then a timeline / effort will need to be made as to how long and when the change(s) will be made.

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Product Development– Program Review

The review process can be considered the most important of the program life cycle. Using elements of the “Getting to Outcomes” approach – the objective will be to evaluate the program from end to end and look for areas to improve and even reintroduce as warranted components of the program with an end goal of understanding “How well the Program Performs and meets the objectives of the Clientele.

It’s obvious that getting feedback from clients as early in the program delivery phase helps in ensuring its success in meeting key objectives. Surveying is one way of gathering information at end of any process being introduced. It would not be an exhausting survey – but as a rule just a handful of questions to understand how effective the program is and how it was received. Another element of the review process will be to look for ways to improve the overall quality of the program. Certainly getting feedback from Clients during multiple steps during the design and implementation stages will help meet that goal. In addition to that, there will be a continuous effort to look at new ways / approaches to product development. In short there will be continuous investigation and research with the intent of improving the “quality” of what has been delivered. The notion that improving quality is a continuous process almost goes without saying, but there will be a conscious effort to do so as it always has a direct bearing on the sustainability of the program.

Recognizing that sustainability will be driven my various factors – there will be an effort to touch base with Clients post-delivery to make inquiry and to get insight on the following: How would they rank the development effectiveness of projects / programs since utilizing the program? Name the 3 top things that have worked well? Named the top 3 things that have worked to expectation? Named the areas that you see to be an essential implementation or areas of coverage that will be difference?

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Industries

This service is primarily available to the following industry sectors:

Technology

The world is driven by technological innovations. From what I can see there is not one industry that has not benefited from technological advances. One cannot help but think how Apple turn the world on its ear when it introduced. The IPhone about 10 years ago. Although cell phone technology and its use was becoming more main stream – the iPhone with is focus on enhancing the internet experience via a very sophisticated browsing process and finger touch technology – it was a very disruptive technology that set a new standard and opened the door wide open for the “smart phone” innovation. But it does not stop there – organizations have popped all over the place attempting to create new and disruptive market opportunities by way of technology.

That in mind, there has been the need to grow and mature the product development discipline within the technology industry. Doing a side by side comparison of the building industry to technology industry – well there is almost none. The building industry and its associated sciences have been around for thousands of years – evolving and becoming more structured and sophisticated over the centuries. Again by contrast ‘technology” as an industry is only a few decades old. Even then perhaps the real growth has been only in the last decade or so. Therefore historically speaking it’s an industry that is thriving, continuing to evolve, continuing to explore the many different ways innovations can touch and enhance to work we do, the comforts we enjoy and ultimately make our lives a little better, more efficient and certainly more interesting.

Technology’s current position. In short it’s a game changer and will continue to be. The reliance on technology will continue to increase especially as manufacturers and product designers will continue to discover new applications for the current technologies and as a result that will drive a demand for new technological products and supporting services. As example car manufacturers are now looking to fully integrate IPad type touch screen into an automobiles dashboard. Volvo for example has been extremely forward thinking when they decided to integrate the touch screen technology into the 2016 XC90 SUV. It is a thing of beauty – provides not only super aesthetics but superb functionality and control for the driver. Porsche has done a similar thing with the introduction of the 2017 Panamera sedan. Again the touch screen technology taken to another level – providing the driver so much control and insight into the inner workings of the sedan. Volvo and Porsche designers are making significant strides into autonomous driving – the concept cars of today will be available in the near future. In doing so introducing disruptive technologies that will change the driving experience forever.

All of the technology advances and thus reliance on them to move products puts an unique burden on the tech companies to produce. That is both produce new innovations that are disruptive – game changers, also the decrease the time to market, increase development efficiency and reduce the time to market (aka reduce the development cycle) and yet reduce the likely hood of show stopper defects and issues. So again the current position for this market sector is strong, deeply rooted with many opportunities to grow.

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Consultancy

Historically speaking there has always been a need for someone outside of an organization to provide an objective perspective on an issue or problem. The consultant brings to the table a broad perspective, years of experience, exceptional listening skills and analytical skills and the ability to dissect an issue into its finer elements. Consultancy is a multi-billion dollar industry and has given birth the likes of McKinsey & Co, Deloitte and Pricewaterhouse – three of the top consulting firms in United States. When one thinks of those organizations one cannot help but think of hordes of newly minted MBAs and Analyst and Engineers who are willing to give their souls for the greater cause….working untold hours around the clock determine to uncover that issue, find the golden nugget and then created tons of spreadsheets that add credibility and justification to the high consulting fees charged. It is very certain that the consultant industry has been instrumental in formulating strategies that have helped a many Fortune 500 companies pad the pockets of hordes of investors.

Another perspective is that in these lean times, it may be prudent for organization to invest or keep on retainer consultants that understand the industry or at least their business model and internal challenges. I had for several years in the earlier days (late 90s’) of my career work for Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), an IT consultant and systems Integration company based in El Segundo, CA at the time. It was my first introduction into the consultant world and the contributions they can make to an organizations. Looking back on that experience provide a nice point of reference for the industry I want to support today.

Today, more than ever the consultancy industry is a valuable partner to any organization looking to be as effective and efficient as they need to be. There are very many external influences that make it a challenge for an organization to navigate, to stir the ship, develop an effective / efficient crew, be able to weather economic storms and competitive pressures not only from the larger players but even the entry organizations exploiting a large organizations inability to be agile and responsive, to be competitive and satisfy the investors. As a rule an organization cannot do it all, understand it and effective in addressing all of those challenges. Enter the Consultant can help fill the gap and driving some of those key objectives. The consultant can be a valuable and even effective partner because he is always an outsider. For the most part the consultant provides point in time guidance and insights. Although he may carry a load for the organization he never carries the full burden of running the organization. The consultant is like a “navigator” on a battleship. He is accountable to the Captain and to the crew to provide good intelligence and insight as to what he sees ahead, to the sides and even behind the ship. He gives the Captain that ‘insight’ and intelligence – but the Captain has the responsibility to act upon what he understands. Again although Consultant is not necessarily responsible for the execution – he bears a heavy responsibility to ensure that the intelligence is credible, relevant and when execute as directed – the outcome positively moves the ship in the desired direction.

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Manufacturing

What is there to really to say about the manufacturing industry? Every item, every consumable goods is the result of a manufacturing process. Whether its two people in a garage bolting pieces of lumber together as they assemble a jungle Jim for their seven year old son or it’s a computer run automobile assembly line – essentially all things are a result of a manufacturing process. Historically speaking it’s no secret that there were manufacturing industrial giants who were had the greatest impact on the evolution of the manufacturing of consumer goods. One such person was Henry Ford. Although no expert I recall that he was a key proponent of the assembly line used on the production of his automobiles at the turn of the century. Additionally he was instrumental in developing / introducing quality management principles and re-engineering process to the American work force.

The only other thing I can think of is that there was a consistency by the industry leaders to wan to improve. To either improve the processes used to make the goods – by rethinking essentially every step in the process. Or by the by even looking at the raw materials used to produce the goods. Certainly as consumers became savvier in their understanding of the products, they started to put additional demands of manufacturers. That demand for the most part was to improve the quality “good”. As other companies entered a market – this put pressure (good) pressure on the leading market manufacturers to improve the quality and reliability of the good. Then as time moves on, governments (US Govt) enacted various regulations to either monitor and / or enforce regulations. Again as it relates to improving manufacturing processes – reduce inefficiencies, keep costs down and improve quality, these are elements of the manufacturing industry that will be continue to be a focus.

Manufacturing will continue to focus on increasing efficiency, cutting costs and improving the quality of products produced – in short it will evolve as the needs and behaviours of consumers change as well as how technology is used to increase productivity, reduce costs and improve quality. This will not be a local driven shift – but will occur globally. Think of it – as one manufacturer adopts a new process or way of “manufacturing” it will in time be adopted by others. It’s that rate of adoption that will dictate the speed at which manufacturing organizations will shift in its ability meet new demands. Even then there will be challenges to encounter. As an example, some emerging markets such as the Middle East, China, or India may not be able to adopt to the shift at a speed that makes a difference in the near term. More than likely the ‘shift’ will be slowed by the socioeconomic conditions of the countries. There may be political barriers to overcome even within countries that have “trade agreements and various alliances” in place. History has proved that they may not be able to get out of the way of the geo-political red tape – thus impacting their abilities to adopt to a ‘shift’.

Another challenge that will present itself is getting access to workers with the right skillsets. As the manufacturing process becomes more sophisticated – so does the need for acquiring / employing workers with the “essential” skills. Better yet how will workers obtain the skills? Will universities and technical schools be in the driver seat for teaching / training workers? Will employers who have already shifted – take the lead? If relying on history as a reference point – it will be a shared responsibility.

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Consumer Goods

Consumer goods. It is without a question that the typical consumer is the primary focus of manufacturers around the globe. The Nestles and the General Mills corporations and similar have amassed billions of dollars from Joe consumer over decades. As one could imagine the need for more stuff from the Joe consumer grows year over year as a result the ‘consumer goods’ industry flourishes yearly.

There are multiple reasons for this growth. Although I have not conducted research – it is rather clear that marketing and sales campaigns over the decades have been very effective in enticing the would be buyer to more….even if it’s a product that have not real need for. By the marketing activities – campaigns, TV and radio commercials. Ads found in magazines and newspapers have been very effective in creating the “image” that a buyer can subscribe too when they either consume a beverage, where a sneaker, drive car or carry a woman’s named brand hand bag. Another reason for this growth is that the buyer has become savvier in that they now can easily access information about a product via an on-line web experience and not even leave the house. So it is clear that the internet explosion and the ability of manufacturers to connect with so many potential buyers with a plethora of product information once again is a contributing factor to the growth in consumer good demand and consumption.

Historically speaking countries have come a long way since the Industrial revolution of the late 1800’s / early 1900’s that occurred in the US, established the fact that products can be massed produced in great quantities and then eventually shipped to multiple locations within country and outside of it. Certainty a disruptive shift from the norm of producing products in people’s homes, using hand tools and basic machinery.

The US as an example uses “consumer spending” index as a way to monitor the economy’s health. In short the more the consumer spends stronger the indication that confidence is high and this therefore is an indication that the economy is, robust, strong and healthy. Conversely when consumer confidence is low (driven by so many factors) spending tapers off – economy indicators go in the wrong direction. Consumer goods has become such an important element in determining economic strength that manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure that consumers are still consuming.

What does this mean for organizations developing goods for consumers to spend? It could mean that there is a new normal on the horizon, that the traditional methods for manufacturing and in particular the methods for delivering the goods to consumers is changing. Additionally there is increased competitive pressures to win and keep the hearts of consumers. When I think about Amazon Prime Day and its impact on the consumer market. It’s amazing what this on-line retailer has been able to accomplish – this in terms of its impact on consumer spending on that one day. If not mistaken last year (2015), there were no records broken – but this year there is great optimism that it will be a very good year. What is notable is how this one day event has sparked competition from other retailers….such as the Walmarts and the BestBuy’s. They too will be pushing out many incentives – like free shipping on purchases meeting a certain criteria and significantly reduced pricing. When one makes an assessment of what the implications of this “new” normal….one can surmise that the manufacturers will be revisiting manufacturing process, relationships with suppliers, current distribution channels, marketing activities to name just a few. The new “consumer goods “normal is here and organizations need to be prepared in order to be able to compete effectively.

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Locations

This service is primarily available within the following locations:

New York NY

Historically speaking NYC is indeed the city of real opportunity. No one can deny that NYC is one of the most sort out places to visit and to establish a business. This is driven by multiple reasons – some of which are its location. Its diversity of people, the many institutes of higher Education, world known financial district, its ports of access, plethora of funding institutions and venture capitalist, and the unique – worldly living experience. As a native New Yorker – a have a natural bias to the city, the New York lifestyle and the opportunities the city can bring that are both challenging and rewarding. All said and done, there is no other City like it and when I think about the best place to find prospective clientele, New York is my number one pick.

To provide a brief example of the innovative spirit of New York City – one cannot help but think about the birth of the Garment District. The area is about one square mile—and occupies that region from 35th to 41st streets and between fifth and ninth avenues. It has been in existence for well over a hundred years. The district evolution was influenced in many different ways. One of those ways related to the increase of immigrants during the early 1900s, especially post war times. In time the area itself found itself brimming with a wealth of skilled craftsmen, ready to practice their trade. Additionally as women’s fashion evolved and the institution of the cycle of seasons, Garment District showrooms in time boasted fashions that were similar to European fashions that changed every six months. As I understand it, by the early 1900 the majority of clothing worn by women in the U.S, originated from the Garment District. Again, one example of the innovative spirit the city can give birth to. Thus reinforcing my decision to target it.

Today, I see the business opportunities to still be there. One cannot say that all of the innovative activities and aspirations limited to Silicon Valley! New York has some programs in place today that serve as incentives for organizations to start new businesses that focus on technology, research and development and product develop. One such incentive program is called “StartUpNY”. That program is targeting new and expanding businesses and providing a 10 year operation tax-free incentive. There is a report called the “Startup Genome Report”. The key thrust of the report to provide an east coast west coast comparison and why New York is many ways a more appealing location over Silicon Valley. One of the things that stick out in mind is the following excerpt from the report by writer ‘Rip Empson’. He noted that compared to New York entrepreneurs Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are 2x more likely to build games, 50% less likely to build marketplaces, 23% more likely to build social networks, 3.5x more likely to build infrastructure and 2.5x less likely to build financial tools. New York entrepreneurs have the highest proportion of companies trying to re-segment existing markets with niche products.” It is that last statement that has me excited and where my experience and expertise would be served best. The City has gone through a renaissance of sorts over the last decade – whereby there is a greater focus on diversity, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit that is both encouraged and nurtured. In short I should have access to a clientele that is positioned to receive my services.

Based on the current position statement, the future opportunity to grow the network of clientele looks very promising indeed. The several initiatives in place by the City such as “StartUpNY” initiative should lay a ground work from which to build from. IT has to start somewhere, somehow and by some persons or group. Once the foundation has been laid, it will take a host of people to continue to build on it.

Another thing I am learning about the NY startup is that its characteristics are quite different from the Silicon valley startup org. The west coasters are primarily focused on the development of the next big disruptive technology. East coast does not as a rule do not have the same aspirations. Technology is the main driver of business for the west. In the east, technology is an enabler, which allows the east companies to change the dynamics of existing industries. For me that provides more opportunities with a higher probability of success as well as more companies looking for experience and expertise to partner with. All that said, there seems to be strong indication that New York will see its own technology revolution that may even rival that of the Valley. Unfortunately I have not read anything that predicts a time line as to which the revolution will begin. I am sure it will be slow…..but obvious to those in the middle and or directly impacted by it. I am sure it will be tied to the R&D efforts of the major university’s aligning themselves with multiple start-ups, entrepreneurs who relocated east and from a continuous effort of the City to attract companies via the incentive programs in place./p>

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Miami FL

Miami is not normally the city one thinks of when it comes to technology innovations or as an epicenter for technology incubation. However, there is now indication that an evolution is in process to make that city on par with the Silicon Valleys, New York and Washington State. As one can appreciate Miami has long been known for the glitz and glamor of its night life, a hot tourist location, Art Deco South Beach, a back drop for movies and TV shows such as Miami Vice that focused on the bourgeoning drug trade during the 1980s. It’s sought after real-estate, and a Cultural Mecca with a strongly entrench Cuban community and influence and the sought after vacation location, investment area for Argentines and Brazilians. Perhaps one of the most culturally diverse and Caribbean influenced cities in the United States and also one that now known for arts center with thousands going to Miami Beach each year for Art Basel. Now, Miami is positioning itself as a hub for technological innovation.

The city has seen changes in the last couple of years to position itself as such. It has become home to several venture-backed tech companies. One of which is ‘Modernizing Medicine Inc’ – the creator of the Electronic Medical Assistant (EMA), a cloud based technology that is a specialty-specific to assist doctors. An innovation that is setting a new standard in healthcare diagnosis and treatment. Also Apple and Facebook have opened regional offices in Miami. Therefore an indication that the City’s Universities / colleges is developing the kind of technical talent that these organizations need to have access to. That is just the tip of the iceberg. The City is obviously in the process of reinventing itself from a technology-innovation perspective while it continues to thrive on its appeal as the Southern Florida City to visit and have fun in.

The city has seen changes in the last couple of years to help reposition itself as a technological hub of innovation and opportunity. As an example there have been a few venture-backed tech companies moved to the area. One of which is ‘Modernizing Medicine Inc’ – the creator of the Electronic Medical Assistant (EMA), a cloud based technology that is a specialty-specific to assist doctors. An innovation that is setting a new standard in healthcare diagnosis and treatment. Other players in the technology arena have established roots in Miami – such as Apple, Facebook and successful entrepreneurs like ‘Square’ co-founder Jim McKelvey. Additionally Venture Capitalist firms like Scout Ventures have made Miami home in hopes of expanding their growth.

Note that this is all supported my multiple initiatives – which include local government leaders making investments infrastructure, as they woo companies to relocate and providing incentives to do so. The eMerge Americas has been a prominent player in creating the right kind of buzz and attracting the right type of people. In their inaugural event held last year, they went on record to attract over 6,000 influencers, investors, media and techies to Miami Beach to collaborate and innovate. It is now an annual event and the 2016 event held this past April has grown in its influence and reach.

Based on the preceding, this is an indication that the time is now to establish and build relationships with the innovators and entrepreneurs migrating to and growing out of the Miami area. As such my experience and expertise will be of benefit to many start up organizations and / or those organization revisiting / re-engineering their product development and delivery methods.

Building of the foundation to establish a “Silicon Miami Beach” is picking up steam, however it is not without the cooperation of many people and agencies. As an example – one appreciate to build an actual physical building, many different groups (contractors, workers, etc) must come together to understand the vision, work from the same set of blue prints, do their part in cooperating with the other trades to accomplish the overall objective – which is to complete the building. The concept when applied to the technology growth of Miami is no different. Its future aspirations will be accomplished by the many agencies and groups working for the common goal. One of the foundational building activities in place right now is in Education. Not just at the University and Technical school level – but also targeting grade schools as well. Miami officials recognized the need to build an educational system infrastructure that nurtures the innovative spirit and curiosity from grade school.

A second area in focus is the recognition that there needs to be a support mechanism or process in place that will help foster the innovative spirit, help bring to market new innovations, establish a network where entrepreneurs can get help in getting access to funding or training or to mentors. The Miami Beach Idea Center is one organization that filling that need. The Center includes an accelerator, co-working space, and an idea lab. Other organizations like Venture Hive and Endeavor Global, create a support system by which key partners that offer their expertise and support in creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem and mentoring to guide up and comings through the various stages of growth. Lastly any successful techno ecosystem needs access to funding whether it’s by private equity, venture capitalist or angel investors. Miami is seeing more of these organizations establish themselves there such as the New York venture capital firm Scout Ventures. The future looks sunny in Miami and see much potential in building a clientele base there.

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Tampa FL

Tampa or the Tampa Bay area historically speaking is an area comprised of 3 waterfront cities, these being St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Tampa itself. It hugs the Gulf of Mexico and it has miles of the some best beaches in the USA. Like many of the Florida coastal cities trade and fishing had been the primary industry to establish a foundation to build from. The area is noted for its rich Tobacco industry that started in the late 1800s. This was started by Don Vicente Martinez YBor, a Cuban exile. In time approximately 12,000 people including immigrants from Spain, Italy and Germany worked in about 200 factories. This community was known as YBor City and was the Cigar capital of the world at that time. The Cuban crisis and embargo on Cuban tobacco eventually had an impact. Now YBor City is now a mixture of historic buildings, galleries, shops and nightclubs and is one of the three National Historic Landmarks in Florida.

Once again this a coastal city not historically known for innovation. But there are indications that Tampa is working diligently to move beyond the perception of being a beach town and a nice place to vacation! There is an entrepreneurial spirit that is rooted in cities like YBor City. The Efforts of multiple agencies and groups, Tampa on the verge of really exploiting its innovative side and emerge as a Silicon Valley – West Florida city of opportunity for investors, start-ups and established organizations looking for a better quality of life for its employees. This of course creates new and unique opportunities for folks like myself seeking clientele that will benefit from experience and expertise.

In my opinion Tampa is one of these best kept secrets cities. This is both good and not so good. For the not so good – according to PitchBook, just $113 million was invested across 11 deals in Tampa and St. Petersburg in 2014. But it does pale in comparison to the more than $1.2 billion investment in deals in Seattle for the same year. It’s clear that Tampa is no Silicon Valley and this would be for various reasons. One that tops the list is access to funding. Without available funding it because a big challenge for organizations to grow or it becomes a difficult to negotiate with start-ups that Tampa is a place to setup shop. Without a doubt, the biggest obstacle.

That said, there is a tech presence. As an example the Clearwater, Florida-based Tech Data Corp. was founded over 40 years ago back in 1974 – that is a year before Microsoft was founded! Tech Data is one of the largest distributors of technology products with annual sales in the tens of billions. It partners with many of the IT companies cradling both sides of I-4, the interstate that runs from Orlando to Tampa. Another organization by the name of U.S. Central Command or CENTCOM, was established back in 1983. It is strategically located near the MacDill Air Force Base and as such could be a draw to start-ups that specialize in defense and cybersecurity start-ups.

One organization that is attempting to create more interest, and buzz is the organization “UP Tampa Bay”. It is a part of a global movement supporting the city’s innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs. UP Tampa Bay supports new ventures, provides resources for entrepreneurs, and connects the community. UP Tampa Bay is a part of a global movement dedicated to ensuring that anyone can experience entrepreneurship, no matter where they live.

The future outlook can be defined as encouraging and challenging. Encouraging in that there are initiatives in place / underway that are designed to permanently establish an ecosystem that will create the facility to nurture, to mentor, and create a network of innovators and ent