How to Launch a Small Software Product

Launching a Small Software Product Jesse Warden, Web App Solution Flex & Flash Consultant RIA Unleashed - 2010

Who am I?

Who am I? ‣ Jesse Warden

Who am I? ‣ Jesse Warden ‣ Flex& Flash Consultant @ Web App Solution

Who am I? ‣ Jesse Warden ‣ Flex& Flash Consultant @ Web App Solution ‣ Service Work by day...

Who am I? ‣ Jesse Warden ‣ Flex& Flash Consultant @ Web App Solution ‣ Service Work by day... ‣ ...product work (+Starcraft) at night.

What ‣ What a Product is

What ‣ What a Product is ‣ Why do it

What ‣ What a Product is ‣ Why do it ‣ What doesn’t work/sabotages release

What ‣ What a Product is ‣ Why do it ‣ What doesn’t work/sabotages release ‣ What works/helps

What ‣ What a Product is ‣ Why do it ‣ What doesn’t work/sabotages release ‣ What works/helps ‣2 methodologies

What ‣ What a Product is ‣ Why do it ‣ What doesn’t work/sabotages release ‣ What works/helps ‣2 methodologies ‣ Marketing ideas I’ve seen

What ‣ What a Product is ‣ Why do it ‣ What doesn’t work/sabotages release ‣ What works/helps ‣2 methodologies ‣ Marketing ideas I’ve seen ‣ Lessons Learned

Why? ‣ Passion: I want to change the world.

Why? ‣ Passion: I want to change the world. ‣ Struggled for years to ﬁnd what I wanted to do

Why? ‣ Passion: I want to change the world. ‣ Struggled for years to ﬁnd what I wanted to do ‣ Found it was software

Why? ‣ Passion: I want to change the world. ‣ Struggled for years to ﬁnd what I wanted to do ‣ Found it was software ‣Ihave ability to do good & make money

Why? ‣ tried for 5 years

Why? ‣ tried for 5 years ‣ failed multiple times

Why? ‣ tried for 5 years ‣ failed multiple times ‣ ﬁnallysucceeded 2 years ago, again this year

Why? ‣ tried for 5 years ‣ failed multiple times ‣ ﬁnallysucceeded 2 years ago, again this year ‣ doing it again on a smaller/larger scale

Why? ‣ tried for 5 years ‣ failed multiple times ‣ ﬁnallysucceeded 2 years ago, again this year ‣ doing it again on a smaller/larger scale ‣ one of the next stages of my career

Why this talk?

Why this talk? ‣ Dan

Why Do Others?

Why Do Others? ‣ Money (Zynga)

Why Do Others? ‣ Money (Zynga) ‣ Fame (Digg, Pownce)

Why Do Others? ‣ Money (Zynga) ‣ Fame (Digg, Pownce) ‣ Lifestyle

Why Do Others? ‣ Money (Zynga) ‣ Fame (Digg, Pownce) ‣ Lifestyle ‣ Nick Bradbury - Feedemon, TopStyle, Homesite

Why Do Others? ‣ Money (Zynga) ‣ Fame (Digg, Pownce) ‣ Lifestyle ‣ Nick Bradbury - Feedemon, TopStyle, Homesite ‣ Dan Florio - RunPee.com

Why Do Others? ‣ Money (Zynga) ‣ Fame (Digg, Pownce) ‣ Lifestyle ‣ Nick Bradbury - Feedemon, TopStyle, Homesite ‣ Dan Florio - RunPee.com ‣ Randy Troppmann - Runningmap.com

Why Do Others?

Why Do Others? ‣ Skill Validation vs. Unapplied Academia

Why Do Others? ‣ Skill Validation vs. Unapplied Academia ‣ Consumers vs. Clients

Why Do Others? ‣ Skill Validation vs. Unapplied Academia ‣ Consumers vs. Clients ‣ Vision

Service vs Product

Service vs Product ‣ Servicework = working for another business

Service vs Product ‣ Servicework = working for another business ‣ Low Risk: lots of opportunity/jobs

Service vs Product ‣ Servicework = working for another business ‣ Low Risk: lots of opportunity/jobs ‣ Low Return: company takes a cut of your pay

Service vs Product

Service vs Product ‣ Product work = building a product consumers buy

Service vs Product ‣ Product work = building a product consumers buy ‣ High risk: no guarantee it’ll sell

Service vs Product ‣ Product work = building a product consumers buy ‣ High risk: no guarantee it’ll sell ‣ High return: You own all proﬁts. Scale is higher.

What Doesn’t Work

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Not releasing a working build

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Not releasing a working build ‣ Deﬁne “Working”

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Not releasing a working build ‣ Deﬁne “Working” ‣ Why’d Waterfall die again?

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Not releasing a working build ‣ Deﬁne “Working” ‣ Why’d Waterfall die again? ‣ Deﬁne “Timetable”

What Doesn’t Work

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Coding First, Design Second

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Coding First, Design Second ‣ non-standard architecture

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Coding First, Design Second ‣ non-standard architecture ‣ No Clearly Deﬁned Goals

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Coding First, Design Second ‣ non-standard architecture ‣ No Clearly Deﬁned Goals ‣ Misaligned Goals

What Doesn’t Work

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Unsustainable cost structure

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Unsustainable cost structure ‣ scalability, fuck that mess

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Unsustainable cost structure ‣ scalability, fuck that mess ‣ 1stthing ColdFusion peeps said about Twitter’s scalability problems?

What Doesn’t Work ‣ Unsustainable cost structure ‣ scalability, fuck that mess ‣ 1st thing ColdFusion peeps said about Twitter’s scalability problems? ‣ no competency

What Doesn’t Work

What Doesn’t Work ‣ not getting along with partners

What Doesn’t Work ‣ not getting along with partners ‣ not releasing early

What Doesn’t Work ‣ not getting along with partners ‣ not releasing early ‣ not releasing often

What Doesn’t Work

What Doesn’t Work ‣ no commitment

What Doesn’t Work ‣ no commitment ‣ mythical man month

What Doesn’t Work ‣ no commitment ‣ mythical man month ‣ waterfall

What Works

What Works ‣ Design 70% Finished

What Works

What Works ‣ Clear Goal(s)

What Works ‣ Clear Goal(s) ‣ Clear Finish Line

What Works ‣ Clear Goal(s) ‣ Clear Finish Line ‣ Competency: Should you build, or learn?

What Works ‣ Clear Goal(s) ‣ Clear Finish Line ‣ Competency: Should you build, or learn? ‣ Something simple, done really well

What Works

What Works ‣ Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean

What Works ‣ Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean ‣ Why People Buy (Sandler Sales System)

What Works ‣ Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean ‣ Why People Buy (Sandler Sales System) ‣ Fear

What Works ‣ Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean ‣ Why People Buy (Sandler Sales System) ‣ Fear ‣ Pleasurable Experience

What Works ‣ Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean ‣ Why People Buy (Sandler Sales System) ‣ Fear ‣ Pleasurable Experience ‣ Get Out of Trouble

What Works

What Works ‣ Improvement Over Existing Technology

What Works ‣ Improvement Over Existing Technology ‣ MySpace vs Facebook

What Works ‣ Improvement Over Existing Technology ‣ MySpace vs Facebook ‣ Blogs to Twitter

What Works ‣ Improvement Over Existing Technology ‣ MySpace vs Facebook ‣ Blogs to Twitter ‣ iTunes to Netﬂix

What Works ‣ Improvement Over Existing Technology ‣ MySpace vs Facebook ‣ Blogs to Twitter ‣ iTunes to Netﬂix ‣ Tivo to Roku

What Works ‣ Improvement Over Existing Technology ‣ MySpace vs Facebook ‣ Blogs to Twitter ‣ iTunes to Netﬂix ‣ Tivo to Roku ‣ iPhone to Android... lolz, jk!

What Works

What Works ‣ ﬁrst to market (Twitter vs. Pownce vs. Jaiku)

What Works ‣ ﬁrst to market (Twitter vs. Pownce vs. Jaiku) ‣ small, agile teams

What Works ‣ ﬁrst to market (Twitter vs. Pownce vs. Jaiku) ‣ small, agile teams ‣ UIKit for iOS = 1 person

What Works ‣ ﬁrst to market (Twitter vs. Pownce vs. Jaiku) ‣ small, agile teams ‣ UIKit for iOS = 1 person ‣ XCode = 16 people

What Works

What Works ‣ Market Research

What Works ‣ Market Research ‣ Iterative Development

What Works ‣ Market Research ‣ Iterative Development ‣ Motivation is Sacred

Product Process: Plan A

Product Process: Plan A 1.Research & Documentation

Product Process: Plan A 1.Research & Documentation A.Mindmap your ideas, then reduce the map.

Product Process: Plan A 1.Research & Documentation A.Mindmap your ideas, then reduce the map. • tipping point from slashing features/ideas to core value/MVP - most viable product

Product Process: Plan A 1.Research & Documentation A.Mindmap your ideas, then reduce the map. • tipping point from slashing features/ideas to core value/MVP - most viable product B.list your goal(s) and commit; if fail go to A

Product Process: Plan A 1.Research & Documentation A.Mindmap your ideas, then reduce the map. • tipping point from slashing features/ideas to core value/MVP - most viable product B.list your goal(s) and commit; if fail go to A • list features & prioritize; if fail go to B

Product Process: Plan A 1.Research & Documentation A.Mindmap your ideas, then reduce the map. • tipping point from slashing features/ideas to core value/MVP - most viable product B.list your goal(s) and commit; if fail go to A • list features & prioritize; if fail go to B C.research market or deﬁne personas to reﬁne C

Product Process: Plan A

Product Process: Plan A 2.Design & Iterate

Product Process: Plan A 2.Design & Iterate A.sketch interface on paper; if fail, reﬁne #1

Product Process: Plan A 2.Design & Iterate A.sketch interface on paper; if fail, refine #1 B.wireframe: thorough, not fidelity (Balsamiq,Visio, Omnigraffle, Fireworks); if brick wall, fall back to A

Product Process: Plan A 2.Design & Iterate A.sketch interface on paper; if fail, refine #1 B.wireframe: thorough, not fidelity (Balsamiq,Visio, Omnigraffle, Fireworks); if brick wall, fall back to A C.build design comps only refined to 70%; if brick wall, fall back to B

Product Process:

Product Process: 3.Develop

Product Process: 3.Develop A.commit 1 feature per build

Product Process: 3.Develop A.commit 1 feature per build B.release bi-weekly or monthly. If you can’t, go back to A.

Product Process:

Product Process: 4.Launch

Product Process: 4.Launch A.when #3 is nearing ﬁrst Alpha, get users and release Alpha version. If not working, fall back to #3.

Product Process: 4.Launch A.when #3 is nearing ﬁrst Alpha, get users and release Alpha version. If not working, fall back to #3. B.Once Alpha holes are plugged, deﬁne Beta. If not, have a 2nd Alpha.

Product Process: 4.Launch A.when #3 is nearing ﬁrst Alpha, get users and release Alpha version. If not working, fall back to #3. B.Once Alpha holes are plugged, deﬁne Beta. If not, have a 2nd Alpha. C.Make website to host Beta on. Needs forum for customer interaction, blog for announcements, and downloads for linkable page)

Product Process: 4.Launch A.when #3 is nearing first Alpha, get users and release Alpha version. If not working, fall back to #3. B.Once Alpha holes are plugged, define Beta. If not, have a 2nd Alpha. C.Make website to host Beta on. Needs forum for customer interaction, blog for announcements, and downloads for linkable page) D.Release Beta & confirm you can launch as is; focus on bugs for release. If not, have another Beta (differs from Alpha in you’re not adding new features, you’re just altering existing ones).

Plan B Reasoning

Plan B Reasoning “Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to ﬂight. If they will face death, there is nothing they may not achieve. Ofﬁcers and men alike will put forth their uttermost strength.” -- Art of War

Plan B Reasoning

Plan B Reasoning ‣ Flash Devs know this

Plan B Reasoning ‣ Flash Devs know this ‣ ﬁrstsuit ghetto fab, hard to move, no strength on servo’s, why his hand got stuck in wall

Plan B

Plan B Every 1st and 15th of the month, release a new build.

Marketing

Marketing ‣ gather quotes from forums for website and text marketing copy

Marketing ‣ gather quotes from forums for website and text marketing copy ‣ usewebsite email as your main email (running map’s Randy Troppmann does)

Marketing ‣ gather quotes from forums for website and text marketing copy ‣ usewebsite email as your main email (running map’s Randy Troppmann does) ‣ get friends to RT on Twitter

Marketing ‣ gather quotes from forums for website and text marketing copy ‣ usewebsite email as your main email (running map’s Randy Troppmann does) ‣ get friends to RT on Twitter ‣ get friends to Like/Share on Facebook

Marketing

Marketing ‣ invest in metrics

Marketing ‣ invest in metrics ‣ discounts

Marketing ‣ invest in metrics ‣ discounts ‣ contests

Marketing

Marketing "... a great tool for managing characters' menageries of powers and abilities so as to avoid having to ﬂip through 3 or more books at the table..." - AlterForm

Marketing

Marketing "...this is an amazing tool.... this is the ﬁrst tool I have seen that offers all of the information in a compact, easlily read format." - demonlampshade

Marketing

Marketing "I just discovered this app in a lucky google search and I love it. My whole gaming group uses it now, everyone thinks it is the greatest thing." - nall

Marketing

Marketing "This application is amazing... The program looks awesome and am having a blast creating powerbars for all my characters." - Dunhill

Motivation & Focus

Motivation & Focus “We don't know where we get our ideas from. We do know that we do not get them from our laptops.” -- John Cleese

Motivation & Focus

Motivation & Focus ‣ no motivation, no product

Motivation & Focus ‣ no motivation, no product ‣ no focus == slow velocity

Motivation & Focus ‣ no motivation, no product ‣ no focus == slow velocity ‣ John Cleese from Monty Python, Q in Bond said he’ll plan a time, 1 hour 1/2, without distractions

Motivation & Focus ‣ no motivation, no product ‣ no focus == slow velocity ‣ John Cleese from Monty Python, Q in Bond said he’ll plan a time, 1 hour 1/2, without distractions ‣ Oasis / Tortoise Enclosure

Motivation & Focus

Motivation & Focus ‣ iterations & user feedback fuel, and re-fuel motivation.

Motivation & Focus ‣ iterations & user feedback fuel, and re-fuel motivation. ‣ Feedback is validation... or invalidation.

Motivation & Focus ‣ iterations & user feedback fuel, and re-fuel motivation. ‣ Feedback is validation... or invalidation. ‣ blocks of YOUR time fuel motivation, enhance focus opportunity

Motivation & Focus ‣ iterations & user feedback fuel, and re-fuel motivation. ‣ Feedback is validation... or invalidation. ‣ blocks of YOUR time fuel motivation, enhance focus opportunity ‣ Consulting/Freelancingallows you to build up cash & time to devote

Powerz

Powerz ‣ Problem: 26 yr old’s don’t use books

Powerz ‣ Problem: 26 yr old’s don’t use books ‣ Need to use books to play D&D

Powerz ‣ Problem: 26 yr old’s don’t use books ‣ Need to use books to play D&D ‣ D&D isn’t digital like WoW

Powerz ‣ Problem: 26 yr old’s don’t use books ‣ Need to use books to play D&D ‣ D&D isn’t digital like WoW ‣ Solution: Make digital solution

Powerz

Powerz Goals

Powerz Goals 1.Launch

Powerz Goals 1.Launch 2.Solve Super-Simple Problem

Powerz Goals 1.Launch 2.Solve Super-Simple Problem 3.Get Bought or Get Shutdown

Powerz

Powerz MVP Features

Powerz MVP Features 1.Show multiple Powers from ﬁles

Powerz MVP Features 1.Show multiple Powers from ﬁles 2.Create a new Power

Powerz MVP Features 1.Show multiple Powers from ﬁles 2.Create a new Power 3.Edit a power

Powerz

Powerz Design

Powerz Design 1.Higher Fidelity Sketches

Powerz Design 1.Higher Fidelity Sketches 2.Design Comps

Powerz

Powerz ‣ Develop

Powerz ‣ Develop ‣ 1st version: open powerz

Powerz ‣ Develop ‣ 1st version: open powerz ‣ 2nd version: powerz in bar

Powerz ‣ Develop ‣ 1st version: open powerz ‣ 2nd version: powerz in bar ‣ 3rdversion: powerz in character

Powerz ‣ Develop ‣ 1st version: open powerz ‣ 2nd version: powerz in bar ‣ 3rdversion: powerz in character ‣ 4th version: powerz in community

Powerz

Powerz ‣ [show website]

Powerz

Powerz ‣ [show app]

Powerz

SoundCloud for Android™

SoundCloud for Android™ ‣ Problem: No SoundCloud on my phones

SoundCloud for Android™ ‣ Problem: No SoundCloud on my phones ‣ Mostof my music is in the cloud (YouTube, SoundCloud), not in iTunes anymore

SoundCloud for Android™ ‣ Problem: No SoundCloud on my phones ‣ Mostof my music is in the cloud (YouTube, SoundCloud), not in iTunes anymore ‣ Problem: Never written an AIR for Android app

SoundCloud for Android™ ‣ Problem: No SoundCloud on my phones ‣ Mostof my music is in the cloud (YouTube, SoundCloud), not in iTunes anymore ‣ Problem: Never written an AIR for Android app ‣ Solution: Build an AIR app to play SoundCloud songs

SoundCloud for Android™ Goals

SoundCloud for Android™ Goals 1.Launch app into Android Market & Sell it

SoundCloud for Android™ Goals 1.Launch app into Android Market & Sell it 2.Learn if AIR for Android is viable

SoundCloud for Android™ Goals 1.Launch app into Android Market & Sell it 2.Learn if AIR for Android is viable 3.Learn more about Android

SoundCloud for Android™ MVP Features

SoundCloud for Android™ MVP Features 1.Play your favorites

SoundCloud for Android™ MVP Features 1.Play your favorites 2.Play searches

SoundCloud for Android™ MVP Features 1.Play your favorites 2.Play searches 3.volume

SoundCloud for Android™ MVP Features 1.Play your favorites 2.Play searches 3.volume 4.simple playlist

SoundCloud for Android™ Design

SoundCloud for Android™ Design 1.High Fidelity Sketches

SoundCloud for Android™ Design 1.High Fidelity Sketches 2.Design Comps

SoundCloud for Android™ Develop

SoundCloud for Android™ Develop ‣1st version: all MVP features

SoundCloud for Android™ Develop ‣1st version: all MVP features ‣2nd version: cache mp3’s to SD card vs. phone

SoundCloud for Android™ Develop ‣1st version: all MVP features ‣2nd version: cache mp3’s to SD card vs. phone ‣3rd version: supported Android back button vs. link

SoundCloud for Android™ Develop ‣1st version: all MVP features ‣2nd version: cache mp3’s to SD card vs. phone ‣3rd version: supported Android back button vs. link ‣4th version: made swipe-able list vs. pageable

SoundCloud for Android™ Develop ‣1st version: all MVP features ‣2nd version: cache mp3’s to SD card vs. phone ‣3rd version: supported Android back button vs. link ‣4th version: made swipe-able list vs. pageable ‣5th version: supported Android menu button

SoundCloud for Android™ ‣ [show website]

SoundCloud for Android™ ‣ [show app]

Parting Words

Parting Words ‣ nothing wrong, everything right with releasing earlier with less features

Parting Words ‣ nothing wrong, everything right with releasing earlier with less features ‣ ask Mike Chambers about Central

Parting Words

Parting Words The processes like water levies, has a series of checkpoints that must be passed through before you can proceed on. Additionally, if you get stuck, you can go back to gather what you need to proceed. If you do this a few times, you’ll recognize the cost. This is what I learned, and used to reinforce.

Parting Words

Parting Words Website Blog isn’t important for “blog’s” sake, it’s just easier to have a simple text CMS, and RSS is portable, so easier to bring other places dynamically (Twitter, in your app, on latest entries on front page of your site, etc).

Parting Words

Parting Words ‣ Sandler Sales Model

Parting Words ‣ Sandler Sales Model ‣ Users’s 3 levels of pain

Conclusions

Conclusions “To win a war, you have to become a war.” -- Rambo

Conclusions

Conclusions Product is High Risk, High Reward

Conclusions

Conclusions Launching a small software product is something everyone in this room can do, by yourself.

Conclusions

Conclusions Find your inner ﬁre, your passion, this fuels motivation, which fosters your goals, which your discipline works to attain.

Conclusions

Conclusions Choose a technology you know & are comfortable with.

Conclusions

Conclusions Unknown technology or platform?

Conclusions Unknown technology or platform? Choose something simple. Make it work. Get a valid sense of your capabilities.

Conclusions

Conclusions Build & release every 1st & 15th of the month

Conclusions

Conclusions Release early and often. Get builds into user’s hands early and often. Get their feedback. Iterate on that feedback. Save the good feedback as marketing copy. When in doubt, follow your heart. And Your gut.

Conclusions

Conclusions Motivation is sacred, focus is essential.

RESOURCES

RESOURCES ‣ Steve Krug’s Book “Don’t Make Me Think” - software dev

RESOURCES ‣ Steve Krug’s Book “Don’t Make Me Think” - software dev ‣ Gary Vaynerchuk’s Book “Crush It” - branding & marketing

RESOURCES ‣ Steve Krug’s Book “Don’t Make Me Think” - software dev ‣ Gary Vaynerchuk’s Book “Crush It” - branding & marketing ‣ “Minimum ViableProduct” - http:// www.startuplessonslearned.com/ 2009/08/minimum-viable-product- guide.html

RESOURCES ‣ Steve Krug’s Book “Don’t Make Me Think” - software dev ‣ Gary Vaynerchuk’s Book “Crush It” - branding & marketing ‣ “Minimum ViableProduct” - http:// www.startuplessonslearned.com/ 2009/08/minimum-viable-product- guide.html ‣ Startup Book “Start Small, Stay Small” - http://www.startupbook.net/

T3h Ends.

T3h Ends. ‣ Jesse Warden, Web App Solution

T3h Ends. ‣ Jesse Warden, Web App Solution ‣ Twitter: jesterxl

T3h Ends. ‣ Jesse Warden, Web App Solution ‣ Twitter: jesterxl ‣ Email: jessew@webappsolution.com

T3h Ends. ‣ Jesse Warden, Web App Solution ‣ Twitter: jesterxl ‣ Email: jessew@webappsolution.com ‣ Blog: jessewarden.com

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How to Launch a Small Software Product

by Jesse Warden on Nov 13, 2010

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How to Launch a Small Software Product — Presentation Transcript