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.”

Suggested by Luke

Oregon Manifest Article and embedded videos.

From Luke “Design competition/collaboration of leading design firms like IDEO with bespoke/custom bicycle shops.  Very interesting to see the different approaches”

What do you think?

Thanks Lane.

Smartphone Ultrasound

Product development can use the smartphone as a development platform and delivery mechanism.  Notice how the product includes a peripheral and software.  Now, what about the online service.  Humm, NPD is changing.  No?

New Product Development strategy — using the phone as a platform, creating new business models,  adding value through ongoing software development.  Should we build “analog” products that do not have associated services?  Ever?

Thanks JiJu

Toyota OK

However, it may take years for the brand to recover.  Why is the US government jump on Toyota so fast?  Why were so many people convinced that Toyota was at fault?

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?

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

Apple’s Obsession with Details

The article linked above talks about Apple’s obsession with design as evidenced by its patent applications.  Often, people cannot express WHY they like something, or WHAT it is that they like, however they KNOW it just works or feels “right”.  I submit that “it” is the result of “design”.

Do you include DESIGN (industrial, ergonomic, visual, innovative)  in your new product development process?

What other types of DESIGN should we be including?

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?

A short Video regarding the Tablet coming out in early 2011

RIM Tablet Video

Forbes Article

Can they be viable competition for Apple?  Why or Why not?

From Engineering.com

3D Pong Game

While this is a fun time waster.  What does it tell us about the future of interactive technology?  Will 3D TV etc. be big?   What does this mean for business?  How can you use the emerging 3D technology to create competitive advantage?

What do you think?

From Fortune Magazine

Fortune GOOGLE 24/7

This blog looks like a great way to keep up with all things GOOGLE from a business and technology standpoint.  I will be checking it often.

What do you think?  Any other sources so dedicated besides GOOGLE itself?

From Managing Automation Blog — Chris Chiappinelli

Managing Customers’ Dreams

This blog post plus video sums up the business challenges and requirements of the design-build (Continuous Product Development) business for industrial automation well.  http://www.enhancedautomation.com

A focus on the customer requires a focus on quality, cost, specification and reality; often many of these concepts clash.

Are there other challenges?

From PDMA Visions

Portfolio Pain Points

This study, once again points out how poorly we manage our NPD Projects.  We do not seem to think of the collection of projects as a portfolio and do not manage them as such.  If we are to achieve our strategic goals for NPD as well as our objectives for each of the projects we have in process, we need to manage them as a portfolio.

Too many projects and poor decision making is at the root cause of poor success rates for both strategic and tactics objectives.

This research connects to a previous post regarding an article by Robert Cooper   Cooper Article

What do you think?  Am I overly concerned?

This article is from Marketing Management — You may need to be a Member of AMA to Access all content

Effective Gating by Robert G. Cooper

Effective Gating ABSTRACT

This article is a great reminder that we have TOO many projects in our product development pipeline.

We have ineffective gates (and NPD Processes) that do not KILL bad projects.

We do not have effective (NPD) portfolio management systems and governance processes.

We have TOO many small, incremental projects to be an effective  (NPD) profit growth engine.

What do you think?

From KM Edge

Referred by Evelyn of MSOE Rader School of Business MG-750

KM Edge (blog) from APQC presents a wonderful PPT which looks at three Ba Based Knowledge Management approaches in Japanese Companies.  As we study Knowledge Management, we learn more of the concept of Ba.  This presentation gives us some insight into the power of Ba.

Ba Based Knowledge Management Approaches

Comments?

From Fast Company

Google Unveils Real Time Search

From the article……

“But it’s clear that Google’s execs have tapped Twitter as the real winner in real-time status, despite Facebooks half-billion userbase, as these two were presented right at the end. You might think that’s about as real-time as you can get, but the team noted they won’t stop until the speed of light around the world is the only barrier to getting real time search data.”

Look out BING!

Are they now up-to-date?  What next?

From Strategy and Business

Profits Down, Spending Steady: The Global Innovation 1000

“Booz & Company’s annual study of the world’s biggest corporate R&D spenders finds that most companies have stuck with their innovation programs despite the recession — and many are boosting spending to compete more effectively in the upturn.”

My take: Innovation should ALWAYS be a priority. R&D for New Products, a priority.

What do you think?

Thanks Hugh

GOOGLE Maps Navigation (Beta) Video

Scroll Down for Video

Awesome!  Perhaps we know why some are predicting  iPhone  domination by the Droid!    Can I build this into my car?  Are you listening Toyota?

Check out the slide shows too!

Voice command.  FREE no ads (for now)

What do you think?

An article on “strategy+ business” entitled “Profits Down, Spending Steady: The Global Innovation 1000″

” Booz & Company’s annual study of the world’s biggest corporate R&D spenders finds that most companies have stuck with their innovation programs despite the recession — and many are boosting spending to compete more effectively in the upturn.”

Within the article we read quotations from business leaders  “Innovation is what drives our competitive position in all three of our markets — automotive, professional, and consumer — and therefore we can’t back off,” says Robert Lardon, corporate vice president for strategy and investor relations at Harman International Indus­tries Inc. Adalio Sanchez, general manager of IBM’s System X server business, echoes that point of view: “I would argue that the recession is a catalyst for in­creased innovation.”

This is encouraging for new product developers and a welcome sign that innovation is live and well, and in fact, an imperative for survival — long term.

What do you think?

Here we go, the rumors are starting?  The New Your Times’ Bill Keller ranting about the end of newspaper publishing (the coming of Googlezon?) and the potential of an iTablet?  Is this good marketing — pre-announcement?  Market Research?  Apple iTablet

What do you think?  Marketing?  Rumors?  Advance, off the record, notice?