Mark Jeffrey of Mahalo on Product Development at Dealmaker Media's Startonomics LA Conference on Feb 6/09

1. Product Development 101

2. Product Development 101
“Any huge success story like Netscape or
Apple is like a sausage factory. Everybody
likes to eat the sausage; no one likes to see
how it gets made. These things are all
sausage factories inside.”
- Marc Andreesen
co-founder of Netscape

3. Product Development 101

4. Product Development 101
Our Process
Preparation: 1 week
1. We start with *full mockups*, not wireframes
2. Simultaneously, data schema is planned
3. GO SLOW, so you can go fast
Why full mocks?
1. The biggest issue is COMMUNICATION.
2. Whitespace is NOT the enemy!

5. Product Development 101
You Tell Me:
a. What it is, I will then tell you how long it will take
OR
b. How long I have, I will then tell you what it is *
* (Of course, it never really happens that way … )

6. Product Development 101
After One Week of Prep, Begin Writing
Code
1. Week One: codejam: 7 days, 12 hrs+
2. Everyone works in one room
3. Meet every morning, define day’s tasks for each person
4. Meet every evening, see what is done / not done
5. At the end of codejam, project is 60% is complete
6. The plan for the remaining 5 weeks is defined

7. Product Development 101
The Can’t Chart. Oh, I meant GANTT chart. :)
(In all seriousness: This is how you focus)

8. Product Development 101
TROUBLESHOOTING
Yes, the problem MIGHT be your app
… but it might be your network!

9. Product Development 101
Networking Metrics: OpManager

10. Product Development 101
Machine and Networking Metrics: Ganglia

11. Product Development 101
Machine and Networking Metrics: Keynote RedAlert

12. Product Development 101
… And just before Launch: The Feature Cram!
(This is where the
GANNT chart
comes in handy)
Simply do what
you can (you will
inevitably cram a
few of these in),
but *stick to the
code freeze*.

13. Product Development 101
Launch!

14. Product Development 101
LAUNCH!
1. Don’t be afraid to suck in
public
2. … But FIX IT -- and FAST!
3. Those humans out there will
always do things you never
expected or planned for.
4. Identify both your successes
and failures and iterate: It’s
more important than anything
else!

15. Product Development 101
KEY METRICS FOR ANSWERS:
1. Number of Questions asked per day
2. Unique Visitors / Pageviews
3. Mahalo Dollars given as tips in the system
4. Speed to first Answer
Feedback Mechanisms:
- feedback@mahalo.com: goes to EVERYONE
- Twitter (we watch continuously)
- Blogs (same)
- People will feedback inside questions and
answers on the site

16. Product Development 101
Google Analytics

17. Product Development 101
Initial Mahalo Answers Metrics
New Tips Questions Answers
Signups Entered
12/21 162 $315 267 1,570
12/22 203 $172 302 1,634
12/23 240 $354 316 1,618

18. Product Development 101
Tips vs Time To First Answer
Time to First Answer (ALL): 141 mins
With Tip: 40 mins
BREAKDOWN OF TIPS / TTFA
Tip >= $5 : 28 mins
Tip >= $10: 13 mins
Tip >= $20 : 10 mins <<<--- Sweet Spot!
Tip >= $50 : 130 mins
Expressing your data as ratios helps you
understand whatʼs really going on.

19. Product Development 101
Google Analytics Goals
- Track Conversions
-Track Pathing
- Identify Mudpits

20. Product Development 101
Use SKITCH to illustrate problems
- Beats “It doesn’t
work” or “Fail!”
- Helps devs on
different browsers
who perhaps do not
see the same thing

21. Product Development 101
With a little luck, your new product
will change everything!