Dragonfly Product Development

I was having a drink in the back yard last weekend when a large black and gold dragonfly landed on my knee. It was fantastic looking, with a 4 inch wingspan, its shiny black head moving around to take in its surroundings. It reminded me of a biplane. I was surprised to see one so late in the season since I had assumed that they had all gone underground (or whatever bugs do in the winter.) But I was wrong. These little 0.04 ounce Odonata actually make thousand mile journeys to warmer climes every year. Now, I can understand how a hawk or a goose or even a wren can do this – but a little bug? Yes, indeed dragonflies migrate.

And this is exactly what new products do as well. They migrate from a concept or idea, fueled by energy and resources ($$) to become successful products in a welcoming market. The parallels are quite fascinating.

• The gathering – Before the trip starts, the dragonflies or birds begin to gather. They have a shared idea of what they want to accomplish. When they have enough members together and the conditions are right, they depart. With new products some time must be spent getting resources together and having the team understand the goals of the project.

• The journey -While travelling, the migrators stick together since they often rely on each other for support and direction. They also pay close attention to the weather since this has a huge effect on when they fly as well as the direction they take. Similarly, since the product development journey takes some time (often more than planned…) the team must closely monitor the market and make corrections if the target opportunity changes.

• Rest stops – Of course few creatures can fly 1000 miles non-stop so they pause along the way. This allows them to re-fuel, rest, and check their progress. As the product moves down the development pipeline, critical checkpoints must make sure things are on track – most importantly, confirming the product will solve the customer’s big problem. Some adjustment of features can occur as the product comes to life so you must be certain it will still hit the target.

• The arrival – After a huge effort, good decisions along the way, and a little luck, the creatures arrive at their promised land full of sun, food, and water. Your product also hopefully comes to the marketplace ready to reap the harvest – customers in great need, lots of them with cash in pocket, and a product that knows no equal.

So like the little dragonfly moving south for the winter, your products can have a successful migration. Be sure to have clear goals, a good team, enough funding and your finger on the pulse of the market. With all this (and a little luck) you will also arrive in the land of plenty.