From Harvard Business School Working Knowledge : Professor Clayton Christensen

This blog post hits on so many high points of marketing and new product development, I do not know where to begin.  Check out the ideas of “hiring a milkshake” and the market research that was done to determine the drivers for purchase (no pun intended).  Be sure to check out the video embedded into the text.

Milkshake Marketing

Also check out the comments about the Greatest Tool ever, the Milwaukee Sawzall “Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. has cornered the market on reciprocating saws with its trademarked Sawzall, which does the job of helping consumers safely saw through pretty much anything. Its Hole-Hawg drills, which make big holes between studs and joists, are also quite popular. The company’s other tools, which rely on the Milwaukee brand, are not nearly as celebrated.

“The word ‘Milwaukee’ doesn’t give you any market whatsoever,” Christensen says.”

Thanks for sharing Jodie

Check out this vision of the future from Corning….

A Day Made of Glass Video

What do you think?

Thanks TK

Tangled Hair Animation Article

Article with Drawings

CNN Video on Tangled Animation

Huge development.   Did you think it took this much to produce a movie with animated hair?

From Fast Company

An interesting read  User-Lead Innovation Can’t Create Breakthroughs

It could be “harmful” to listen to users.  Apple and Ikea agree.   From our class, we could also say Toyota agrees.

From the article ” The user is king. It’s a phrase that’s repeated over and over again as a mantra: Companies must become user-centric. But there’s a problem: It doesn’t work. Here’s the truth: Great brands lead users, not the other way around.”

What do you think?

Thank you for the recommendation Lane

Next Apple BIG Business

Connected TV  — From the article  Apple “will enter the TV market with a full focus, as an
all-in-one Apple television could move the needle when connected TVs proliferate.”  Controlled by iPads and iPhones of course.   I have Apple TV — nice, but expensive IMHO.

What do you think?

Thank you Luke for the recommendation

Kick Ass Prosthetics

Now this is wonderful customer driven design.  Great engineering, innovative design and wonderful products.

Check out the video at the end of the article about how and why this has been designed and developed.

What do you think?

Thanks for the suggestion Luke.

Toyota — Devil’s Advocate

From the article “The “devil’s advocate” approach to vehicle design is a key element of the new Toyota. Under the plan, the company gives engineers four extra weeks to tear down and evaluate new vehicles. The goal is to use the car in ways the owner’s manual doesn’t even consider.”

How well will this work?  Why or Why not?

Thanks for the Update TK

Apple Loses Ground

This article has some nice pie charts that clearly shows that Apple is losing share to Android.  However, the App Store is still very strong.  ”Simple” market share may not be enough to describe success in this market.  Apple OS– 25%,  Android OS 29%

Which do YOU prefer, and why?  Why will prevail?  How will RIM compete?

Thank you Jaclyn for the recommendation.

Check out this short video and article.  It looks at Product Planning using a cake/cupcake metaphor.

Cupcake Product Planning

Do you agree?

Thank you for the recommendation Luke.

GM Knothole Process

From the article ““Good enough” isn’t good enough if General Motors hopes to win back sales and market share, says Mark Reuss, president of the maker’s core North American operations.”

Also from the article “With the Knothole Process, the evaluation process is a little more formalized though, Reuss suggests, it is anything but rigid.  “Experts in every field of the car development process” take part in the evaluation process, which takes place at several key points during the path between concept and production.”

So, do we think that GM will now have a number of winners?

From Fast Co Design

3M Innovation Culture

Days off,  ”free time” and 15% time — keys to innovation?    Google 20% time.   But it does not always work.  From the article “Many companies have tried to emulate the ‘20 percent time idea’ but failed because they remained conservative about supporting the new ideas,” he says. And experts agree that this kind of nudging probably works best at companies where there’s a high level of creative competitiveness; that is, where impressing peers is just as important as the innovation itself.”

Innovation needs to be part of the culture, it has to be a competence, and must be included in the strategy.

What do you think?

from Fast Company

I am fan of Pandora.  I am listening as I keyboard this.  I even pay for it!

The following fast Company article, with a link to a video of the founder talking about how Pandora was created is very interesting.   I found it interesting as a lesson in product development, as well as a success story.  I really like the discussion of the “magic bullet” is.

Tim Westergren Fast Company Interview

What do you think?  Are you a fan?

Thank you Lucas

Honda Losing Momentum

According Lucas  ”Here is a good article for your website about Honda, their product strategy and it losing momentum in a market that is becoming increasingly competitive.”

What do you think?

Thanks Gunnar

You have got to See it to believe it.

Honda UX-3 Personal Transportation Video

What do you think?  Ready to purchase one?

Thank you Gunnar, Aaron, and Luke for this wonderful recommendation.

Steven Johnson Video

If you are into Innovation and a neat way to present ideas, you need to check out this video (and book) by Steven Johnson .

What do you think?

From FAST COMPANY

This slide show presents some AWESOME interfaces that I am looking forward to interfacing with.  More and More, we humans are getting to appreciate GREAT HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) as they become more and more important as well as the way to differentiate our new products as well as a way to create sustainable competitive advantage.

Interface Design

What is your favorite?  Do you have a nomination?  Why do you like it?  Why is it better, or, does it “just seem right”?

Thank you Lane

New Product Developers and Project Management students seem to always be looking into the Lessons to be Learned from the 787 Dreamliner.   Here is an update……

787 Dreamliner (December 2010)

From this brief update, any predictions on this project?  Will it be an NPD Winner, or has it already failed as an NPD Project?    Will it fly?

Thanks Aaron

Vehicles are getting “smarter and smarter” and always competitive.  Look out FORD?

Toyota Autopia

Products developed with services and software and traveling entertainment systems tied to pocket computers and smart phones.  What is next?   What are you looking for?

From Fortune and Fast Company

Conversation with Jan Chipchase – Fast Company

Formerly of Nokia Fast Company TED Video Included

Fortune Magazine — Indiana Jones in Asia

Voice of Customer in Cell Phone Development– How he does it.   What do you think?  How can YOU do this for your company?

Thanks to TK

Ten Emerging Technologies  for 2010 — How did we do?

#7 “wetware” actually defines this differently than I have in class.

#10  Batteries, Batteries, and More Batteries

Which one did YOU see in 2010?

Any predicitions for 2011?