Reflection – Learning Launch Tool    Challenge  My goal is to develop new consumer goods products for our organization that will significantly grow our  company, both on the top line (Sales) and on the bottom line (Profits).  The challenge I have is to  prevent the organization from jumping on the first idea that comes along, launching a product similar to  what our competition just launched, or have the owners/top management determine what is important  to the end user without asking them.         Selection  Over the last few years, I have been implementing a process that utilizes Learning Cycles (Learning  Launches) based on book by Katherine Radeka “The Shortest Distance Between You and Your New  Product,” which are very similar to the Learning Launches as explained in the video in Lesson 4 –  Learning Launch Tool by Thomas Stark.  The Learning Cycles provides a process to integrate the end user to  quickly get their input on different ideas. To have a higher success rate of launching new products, I  realized we need to do something different and make sure we determine what we don’t know early in  the process and engage the end user in the process to get the “truth” (Learning Cycles).    Application  On our recent product development projects, we go through a two-step process.      Step 1 – Determining what we don’t know  Taking the needs from marketing, the cross-functional team (including marketing, engineering, industrial  design, operations and quality) reviews each one and determines if we already have the knowledge to  address this need or not.  If not, it is considered a knowledge gap.   These knowledge gaps are then separated into three categories:

a) Low risk – team develops solutions “Just do it”  b) Technical challenge – which is resolved by engineering  c) End User input required – which is resolved by Learning Cycles (see below)

Step 2 – Learning Cycles  For the knowledge gaps where the teams do not have enough of the facts to decide on what feature  would meet/exceed the end user needs, we follow the Learning Cycle (Learning Launch) process which is  as follows:

1) Convert the knowledge gaps into questions / hypotheses, such as what the best feature is to

accomplish a need of the end user.

  Example: What is the best grip design for this product?

2) Develop a PLAN to answer these questions / hypotheses

  Develop the Grip characteristics that are possible solutions such as Size, Material(s),  Grip areas, etc.

3) Develop DESIGNs

  Have the Industrial Designers/Engineers design multiple grips that the end users can use  in the application and compare.  We intentionally create multiple grips to provide good  stimuli to get valuable feedback.

4) Build and Test

  Prototype the grips

  Test with end users including getting the following information:

 Is the grip important to you?   What rating would you give each grip?   What do you like/dislike about each grip?

5) Review Results

  After testing with end users, the team meets to review the results and determine what  was learned and what knowledge gaps still exist.

6) Continue to next Learning Cycle to eliminate any existing knowledge gaps until the risk has been

reduced to a reasonable level.

Learning Cycle – Typically 4-6 weeks for one cycle

Insights    Over the last 5 years, we have been able to significantly improve our success rate of launching new  innovative products using Learning Cycles/Learning Launch Tool.      Key learnings:

  Confirm that the feature you are developing is important to the end user, which is  confirmed by our questions “Is the grip important to you?  It is critical to make sure you are  providing features to the end user that are of value to them.

  Having multiple products for the end user to compare was critical to get valuable feedback.   We found that it is very difficult for an end user to explain why they liked a design when  there was no reference.  As soon as they had more than one prototype the end user would

compare one to the other such as; I like this one because it is larger and fits my hand better  or these grooves make sure my hand does not slip, etc.

  Make sure you make the prototype such that it can be used in the real application, such as  connect the grip to a handle and shovel so they can use it.

  Get a rating from the end user so that different observers make conclusions based only on  the observation or words provided.  This also provides a relationship between the different  prototypes.

Approach going Forward    Over the last 5 years, we have been able to significantly improve our success rate of launching new  innovative products through the use of Learning Cycles/Learning Launch Tool.  We will continue to  utilize and improve this process to focus on the aspects that are critical to the end user and get faster at  completing these Learning Cycles/Learning Launch Tool to improve our time to market and continue to  grow the company.        Thomas Stark  11-Feb-2018


Reflection – Learning Launch Tool Challenge My goal is to develop new consumer goods products for our organization that will significantly grow our company , both on the top line ( Sales ) and on the bottom line ( Profits ) . The challenge I have is to prevent the organization from jumping on the first idea that comes along , launching a product similar to what our competition just launched , or have the owners / top management determine what is important to the end user without asking them . Selection Over the last few years , I have been implementing a process that utilizes Learning Cycles ( Learning Launches ) based on book by Katherine Radeka “ The Shortest Distance Between You and Your New Product , ” which are very similar to the Learning Launches as explained in the video in Lesson 4 – Learning Launch Tool by Thomas Stark . The Learning Cycles provides a process to integrate the end user to quickly get their input on different ideas . To have a higher success rate of launching new products , I realized we need to do something different and make sure we determine what we do n’t know early in the process and engage the end user in the process to get the “ truth ” ( Learning Cycles ) . Application On our recent product development projects , we go through a two - step process . Step 1 – Determining what we do n’t know Taking the needs from marketing , the cross - functional team ( including marketing , engineering , industrial design , operations and quality ) reviews each one and determines if we already have the knowledge to address this need or not . If not , it is considered a knowledge gap . These knowledge gaps are then separated into three categories : a ) Low risk – team develops solutions “ Just do it ” b ) Technical challenge – which is resolved by engineering c ) End User input required – which is resolved by Learning Cycles ( see below ) Step 2 – Learning Cycles For the knowledge gaps where the teams do not have enough of the facts to decide on what feature would meet / exceed the end user needs , we follow the Learning Cycle ( Learning Launch ) process which is as follows : 1 ) Convert the knowledge gaps into questions / hypotheses , such as what the best feature is to accomplish a need of the end user .  Example : What is the best grip design for this product ? 2 ) Develop a PLAN to answer these questions / hypotheses  Develop the Grip characteristics that are possible solutions such as Size , Material(s ) , Grip areas , etc . 3 ) Develop DESIGNs  Have the Industrial Designers / Engineers design multiple grips that the end users can use in the application and compare . We intentionally create multiple grips to provide good stimuli to get valuable feedback . 4 ) Build and Test  Prototype the grips  Test with end users including getting the following information :  Is the grip important to you ?  What rating would you give each grip ?  What do you like / dislike about each grip ? 5 ) Review Results  After testing with end users , the team meets to review the results and determine what was learned and what knowledge gaps still exist . 6 ) Continue to next Learning Cycle to eliminate any existing knowledge gaps until the risk has been reduced to a reasonable level . Learning Cycle – Typically 4 - 6 weeks for one cycle Insights Over the last 5 years , we have been able to significantly improve our success rate of launching new innovative products using Learning Cycles / Learning Launch Tool . Key learnings :  Confirm that the feature you are developing is important to the end user , which is confirmed by our questions “ Is the grip important to you ? It is critical to make sure you are providing features to the end user that are of value to them .  Having multiple products for the end user to compare was critical to get valuable feedback . We found that it is very difficult for an end user to explain why they liked a design when there was no reference . As soon as they had more than one prototype the end user would compare one to the other such as ; I like this one because it is larger and fits my hand better or these grooves make sure my hand does not slip , etc .  Make sure you make the prototype such that it can be used in the real application , such as connect the grip to a handle and shovel so they can use it .  Get a rating from the end user so that different observers make conclusions based only on the observation or words provided . This also provides a relationship between the different prototypes . Approach going Forward Over the last 5 years , we have been able to significantly improve our success rate of launching new innovative products through the use of Learning Cycles / Learning Launch Tool . We will continue to utilize and improve this process to focus on the aspects that are critical to the end user and get faster at completing these Learning Cycles / Learning Launch Tool to improve our time to market and continue to grow the company . Thomas Stark 11 - Feb-2018