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 Luke.

Nokia R&D Budget

Huge $, but to what result?  19,000 people to take on the competition.

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?

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?

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?

Article from Fast Company

3D Multi-Touch Everywhere

Have you seen people getting frustrated trying to use “Apple touchscreen gestures” on devices other than an iphone or a ipad?  Apple would like to “own” the 3D Multi-Touch.  The article talks about using it in sports equipment for user feedback as well as TV remotes.

Have you actually tried “flipping” from a touch screen that did not have the feature?  I have.   What do you think? Cool?   Where could the patent be used?

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 Lane.

GM Names new PD Chief

Focus on Speed and Quality.  Humm, sounds like they are falling right into Toyota Lean Product Development clutches.

What do you think?

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

Check out this article and video

Kraft Store Kiosk Scans Your Face Then Knows What to Feed It [Video]

What do you think?  Cool or what?

From Fast Company Magazine and Tech Crunch

I am excited about the coming of the New iPad.   Of course, any APPLE release has loads of rumors and pre-release information, so I would like to share some of it     iPad Rumors

The REALLY exciting aspect of the continued innovation of the iPad is the evolution of the Tablet Interface.  Forrester Research predicts that One Third of online consumers will own a tablet computer of some type by 2015 or 82 Million people.

Forrester Research through Tech Crunch

From the article “Last year, Apple created a new category of computing with the iPad. Now, every other PC manufacturer is rushing to revamp or bring out their own tablet computers. New tablets are expected to dominate at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. ”

“Forrester Research put out a new forecast this morning for the growth of tablet computers. It expects the number of tablets sold in the U.S. to go from 10.3 million last year to 24.1 million in 2011, and growing to 44 million in annual units sold by 2015.”

Do you expect to won one?  I do, in 2011  and that is not counting my iTouch or my new Samsung Captivate Phone.

From Fast Company Magazine

This Fast Company Slide Show presents the “most innovative” iPad Apps of 2010.

Innovative iPad Apps

Feel Free to COMMENT and Include YOUR Nomination for the Most Innovative App OR, perhaps your Favorite and Why….

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?

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?

Thank you to Professor William E Huxhold for speaking to our class regarding the “Use of GIS in Business” as a prelude to GIS Day at UW Milwaukee and for suggesting the following videos an introduction to GIS.

http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/episode1/complete

http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/episode2/complete

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXqLHSBP_x0 (Start here)

How can you see GIS being used in Marketing as well as other aspects of business?

From Fast Company

Netflix, Apple, and Microsoft Say Nay

Downloads and streaming technology are approaching the quality of the DVD Standard.  Does this mean that Blu-ray, the “winner” in the DVD quality wars of years (or months) is on its way out?    From the article “We might not be at the point where digital downloads equal Blu-ray in sheer quality, but it’s fast approaching, and digital downloads are able to grow and adapt and improve at a vastly quicker rate than those dinosaur physical disc formats.”

Does Microsoft’s addition to this list sentence the format to death?  When?  When will you abandon your Blu-ray player?

What’s next?

“Punch Bug” Video

Here is a video that combines marketing and technology.    VW Punch Bug It shows the brain activity when watching the commercial.

If science can tell us what works for sure  (neuromarketing) does it make marketing easy?  Should it be unethical?  How much should a marketer spend to know if and how advertising stimulates prospects?

What do you think?

AP Video on YouTube

Article on Manufacturing Business Technology

ABC News Video and Comentary on Engadget      Check out the Video Reporter walking in front of car

Amazing?   How long will it be before we realize this is a reality, not science fiction?   Should we be developing this further?

What do you think?