This blog is all about making product developers, managers, and innovators more successful and their organizations successful with them. As I do each week, below is a roundup of articles around the web with insightful product development, management, and innovation practices, tips, and examples – and sometimes controversial ideas.

Around the Web

A brief definition of ‘cupcake’ market research – the folly of focus groups. “For example, if marketers were using this approach they would provide cupcakes to a focus group and ask them what they like about it. The group might say the icing and Woodford believes that this could lead to producing a cupcake that was 90 per cent icing because that is the result of the test group.” Read more from Marketing Week http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/disciplines/market-research/opinion/moving-away-from-testing-to-learning-can-help-product-development/4011672.article

A lawyer’s guidance for developing an innovation culture. “Over the years, I have developed and observed a wide variety of best practices for fostering and establishing on a sustainable basis a genuine culture of innovation.” Read more at IP Watchdog http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2014/09/14/best-practices-for-fostering-a-culture-of-innovation/id=51210/

Learning from Apple’s innovation and the myth of first-mover advantage. “However, it turns out that first-mover advantage is not an advantage at all!” Read more from Business Insider http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-innovation-secret-2014-9

2 studies linking creative benefits to boredom. “Boredom at work (and meetings) is something nearly all of us feel at times, but admitting that boredom to coworkers or managers is likely something few of us have ever done. It turns out, however, that a certain level of boredom might actually enhance the creative quality of our work.” Read more from HBR http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/09/the-creative-benefits-of-boredom/

How to win in product development. “I believe there is a recipe for winning in product development. It requires a delicate balance between pragmatism in planning, efficient execution, and the ability to see around corners (into the future). I’ve written this post to share some ideas on how to become legendary in product development.” Read more from Rob Thomas http://www.robdthomas.com/2014/09/legendary-product-development.html

Is a 3D printed car in your future? Yes, a real car. “One day, in the not-too-distant future, you’ll be able to walk into a car dealership, choose a design — including the number of seats — and have a 3D printed car by the end of the day.” Read more from Mashable http://mashable.com/2014/09/16/first-3d-printed-car

How Product Management and User Experience work together – part 2. This is the second part of a discussion between a product manager and UX expert on how the two roles should fit together. Find part 1 at http://onproductmanagement.net/2014/08/12/he-said-she-said-how-can-product-management-and-ux-work-together/ and part 2 at http://onproductmanagement.net/2014/09/14/he-said-she-said-part-2-how-can-pm-and-ux-work-together/

Using Big Data to find the secret sauce for innovation. “Such business-centric automated feedback is perhaps one of the largest potential Big Data benefits in the enterprise today — although adoption of this approach is spotty at best. Let’s say, however, that you’re one of the progressive early adopters in the automated Big Data-driven feedback world. Does this streamlined ability to optimize all aspects of your business improve your ability to innovate?” Read more from Wired http://www.wired.com/2014/09/big-data-innovation/

What is the classic product innovation process and does Apple use it? “Every time over the last decade when Apple has launched a product or a service, I have always wondered on how they go about their business in product development with so much aplomb.” Read more from I am Wire http://www.iamwire.com/2014/09/product-development-marketing-success/100815

The changing links between manufacturing and innovation – production expertise need increases. “The hubs of advanced manufacturing will be the economic drivers of the future because innovation increasingly depends on production expertise.” Read more from MIT Technology Review http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530686/making-innovation/

 

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