The vital few at the center of the universe

Product development is a delicate balancing act that needs to reflect and balance the needs of the vital few, thoughtfully and thoroughly. There’s no single right answer as to what’s best for a particular product in terms of its mix of traits or styling cues. To make matters more complicated, the competitive landscape is ever-changing and internal (corporate/client/brand) needs can be a moving target as well.

Fortunately, there are many good solutions for all opportunities and problems, but only a few great ones. So then, how to choose the great ones and set aside the rest? Identify the main participants in the business, uncover their challenges, needs and wants and the rest becomes clear.  

Start by putting the vital few users at the center of the universe and then developing solutions that serve their needs the best within time, cost and other constraints.

So then, who are the vital few?

…this could include end customers, buyers, the company, the factory, the delivery person, the maintenance technician, and anyone else who comes into contact with the product. In the case of shoes, there are three:

1) the consumer / end-user who wears the shoes (the customer is always first) 

2) the company (client, brand) that is commissioning the work to be done. and

3) manufacturing: the network of factories and suppliers that makes the shoes

These three groups live at the center of the shoe universe. Take care of these three players and others’ needs are typically addresses as well.

For example, environmental issues are addressed within the client/brand and factory/manufacturing pieces. Investor needs are addressed withing the client and consumer piece.

Thinking of this in an easy to utter phrase helps to keep this concept at the forefront:  each shoe has to deliver a high level of delight and functionality to the customer while being manufacturable for the factory and profitable for the company...hmm, not as easy to say as I had hoped...delight the customer, factory and the company with a wow, high-quality and profitable product that will have a positive effect on all. 

Poor choices can now be easily eliminated enabling the best path forward to come into focus.