Home > Articles > Software Development & Management > Agile

This chapter is from the book

Portrait: Product Champion, Take 1

We close out this chapter by taking a look at what is probably the most important part of the system development process—even though it happens before most people would think the development process has begun. Before you dive into developing a system, it is critical to define its purpose in customer terms, just as you defined the purpose of your organization in customer terms earlier in this chapter.

When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879, it was a rather useless novelty. So he invented an electric power distribution system, formed a company to distribute power, and built a steam power-generating plant—to make the light bulb broadly useful. Edison's genius lay in his ability to envision how people would want to use light bulbs and to imagine a fully developed marketplace. We saw this same genius in Steve Jobs, as the iPod and iPhone came to life as complete ecosystems. This is the essential challenge of development: imagining how people will want to use a product and envisioning a complete system and fully developed marketplace. We call this ideation.34

Just as Edison went on to found the companies that brought his light bulb to the masses, we expect that ideation leaders will remain at the helm as their concepts are implemented. After all, people develop a certain passion around their creative ideas and are eager to bring them to life. In honor of that passion and dedication, we call this leader a product champion.35

A product champion, much like an entrepreneur, has business responsibility for the success or failure of the product. This means that for a product with a profit-and-loss statement (P&L), they are responsible for the P&L of that product. This is why the product champion leads the ideation effort—if ideation is not done well, the product will not be successful.36

For the sake of simplicity, we use the term product champion, although we recognize that you may not use the word product to refer to your systems. You may be developing

  1. Software as a product
  2. Software embedded in a product
  3. Software enabling a process
  4. Software under contract

In the first two cases, the product champion should be the person with business responsibility for the final product. With larger systems, the champion may need assistance with subsystem leadership. Even then, division into subsystems should not be along technology lines, but along subsystem lines, for example, an engine for a car, a medical device programmer, the human interface for an electronic device, and so on.

In the third case—software that enables a process—it is particularly important that the product champion (actually, in this case, the process champion) be responsible for the design and success of the overall process, not just the software.

The fourth case—software developed under contract—is the most problematic for a product champion, especially if the contracting party divorces software development from the rest of system development. In the end, software developed under contract serves a broader purpose, and it would be best to have a product champion responsible for the broader purpose guiding the learning and feedback necessary for system development. We recognize that this is not always possible, but in any case, the product champion(s) must keep the whole system in mind.

A product champion leads two critical activities: a customer-facing role and a technology-facing role. Very often these roles reside in one person, but they can also be successfully shared by two people working in close harmony. In either case, the product champion initiates development by leading a team through the ideation phase.

Customer-Facing Ideation

IDEO is a design firm in California that has been extraordinarily successful at discovering unmet needs and matching them with technically feasible, commercially viable designs. These have led to a remarkable lineup of products that have been extremely successful in delighting customers. As design awards pile up year after year, IDEO has gone into the business of helping other companies copy its design process.38

IDEO's design approach is outlined by general manager Tom Kelley in The Art of Innovation:39

  1. Understand the market, the client, the technology, and the perceived constraints on the problem. Later we often challenge those constraints, but it's important to understand current perceptions.
  2. Observe real people in real life situations to find out what makes them tick; what confuses them, what they like, what they hate, where they have latent needs not addressed by current products and services.
  3. Visualize new-to-the-world concepts and the customers who will use them. Some people think of this step as predicting the future, and it is probably the most brainstorming-intensive phase of the process.
  4. Evaluate and refine the prototypes in a series of quick iterations. We try not to get too attached to the first few prototypes, because we know they'll change. No idea is so good that it can't be improved upon, and we plan on a series of improvements. . . . We watch for what works and what doesn't, what confuses people, what they seem to like, and we incrementally improve the product.
  5. Implement the new concept for commercialization.

We can find no better summary of how to go about ideation. First frame the problem with its constraints. Then become an ethnographer and carefully observe people in that frame. This isn't about focus groups or market studies; go and watch the people who will use the product. Get inside their heads.

The next step is to visualize, model, and discuss what was observed. Add to the mix a forward-looking view of technology trends over the next few years. You want to skate to where the puck is going,40 and our technology puck moves fast. Brainstorm, concoct scenarios, tell stories about customers, whip up some prototypes, keep ideas alive.

Visualization leads to evaluation, a series of quick experiments that incrementally improve the product. "It doesn't matter how clever you are, your first idea about something is never right," says Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO. "So the great value of prototyping—and prototyping quickly and inexpensively—is that you learn about the idea and make it better."41

In due time, a product concept is ready for implementation. Ideation should not be a long, drawn-out affair, and the resulting concept should be at a high level to leave plenty of room for further learning.

Technology-Facing Ideation

Envisioning the product from a customer perspective is not enough in software development. Without an equally effective technology vision—let's call it an architecture—you aren't ready to proceed. The same design steps that worked to create a customer-centric view of the product can be used to develop the architectural vision:

  1. Understand: Technology is forever changing. Start by understanding where it has been and, especially, where it is likely to go over the life of the product.
  2. Observe: Take some time to observe the people struggling with the problem, from a technology point of view. The technical-facing concept and the customer-facing concept gain their integrity as a system when they are developed together and inform each other.
  3. Visualize: Model, discuss, brainstorm, test ideas with spikes.42 Inform these discussions with a keen awareness of where technology is heading and what will be possible over the life of the product.
  4. Evaluate: Don't get caught up in the first idea that comes to mind. Experiment. Select three or four options and use set-based design during implementation to make the final choice. Above all, remember that a good software architecture is one that facilitates change in the code over the short term and evolution of the architecture over the long term.
  5. Implement: At this point the architecture is a technical vision that will grow and evolve as development proceeds and learning takes place. It's time to start implementation.

The ideation phase will be done when it is done; it shouldn't have a deadline. It's not that ideation takes a lot of time; it usually doesn't. But without a breakaway concept, there can be no breakaway product. So don't short-change this important step. Develop a clear vision of how the product will meet market needs, how the architecture will support that vision, and how development will proceed. We call this a product concept. A product concept is not a detailed plan; it is a framework for proceeding with development.

What is the difference between a detailed plan and a framework for proceeding? Think of it this way: Plans are subject to change as learning occurs, whereas frameworks provide a space for learning to occur. So if you find that you have to make substantial changes to the product concept after approval, it was too detailed and did not provide for learning.

How do you know when ideation is done? This differs from one context to another, so we don't have a canned answer. In companies with good ideation processes, the product champion knows when the concept is developed sufficiently to move on to implementation. If you aren't quite sure, you'll have to experiment and find out what works for you. We recommend that you start your experiments with a bias toward action. If you wonder whether you're ready to start implementation, the answer is probably yes.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020