Linking customers to the design process mit sloan 2012

Linking

Laura Weiss ‘97 | MIT Sloan | 02.29.12

Customers

(and Related Topics)

to the Design Process

Human (desirability)

Are you producing a

product or service that

people will want to

buy?

Business (viability)

Can you produce this

product or service in a

way that makes

“business” sense?

Technical (feasibility)

Do you have the

means to deliver this

product or service in a

way that “works” for all

stakeholders?

4 practices 4 modules,

Opportunity Identification Product Design Testing Launch + Lifecycle Management

Be inspired

by people.

Opportunity Identification

Design in

context. Product Design

An invention ''bigger than

pantyhose,'' ''bigger than

the Internet'' and ''almost

as big as cold fusion would

have been.”

Get tangible,

fast.

Testing

Rough •just good enough – it’s a

tool for learning, not the solution

•any materials will do

•less emotional attachment

• can iterate many options quickly

• is efficient and cheap

• offers immediate feedback

Rapid

Right • be clear about what you

want to learn

•focus on high risk areas first

•build only what you need to build

The “chair of death” Herman Miller ‘Aeron’ Chair, 1992

Tell a compelling

story. Launch + Lifecycle Management

Be inspired by people.

Design in context.

Get tangible, fast.

Tell a compelling

story.