14 November, 2012

Topic #1: The practicalities of defining a software MVP

Using MOSCOW: List the extra customer demands’ and do a minimal research to verify if the demands realistic.

• Mockup:

1.  Create a basic UI to make it simple& easy to understand what the features should cover.
2. Keep a log of customers’ wish list and rank the most desired features. Then decide if to add it to your core product or as add-ons.

• Build external services to the software
• Design / Build a core functionality / product with an option to add extra services / add-ons. Enable creation of selling packages to answer the demand of different customer segments in the market.
• Try to propose workarounds to customers’ process within the system to make it cheaper and quicker.

Topic #2: Lean teams: To what extent the team should be take decisions about the product?

• 2 team should exist:

1. A business team: Leaders that have the responsibility to speak with the customer and to represent the company on business aspects.  they will  choose the business / tech people to represent the solution to the customer.
2. The technical team
   

• The goals should be clear to all.
• The team should be empowered to make decisions
• Escalation criteria should be set, to address problems

• The suggested process:
  1. When customer requirements are collected; only the business people should be involved. If technical gaps are found then the tech guy enters the picture.
  2. Sing post of danger: The team should react when risk is exposed:
  3. The team should  stop
  4. Define the risk and alternatives to what they should do / escalation.
  5. Risks are taken in consideration when the backlog / requirement are prioritized.