A Requirements Document (RD) is the first step to creating a great product. Because it is the first step, a RD has the greatest leverage of all product development activities. A small error in the direction at this stage can make a big difference in were the product ultimately ends up.

1. First Step To Creating A Great
Product
By Steve Owens

2. A Requirements Document (RD) is the first step
to creating a great product. Because it is the
first step, a RD has the greatest leverage of all
product development activities. A small error in
direction at this stage can make a big difference
in were the product ultimately ends up.

3. “Good is the enemy of great”. If you want a
great product, you must first have a great RD,
not just a good one. Think about the iPod - the
product that changed Apple from a company on
the verge of bankruptcy to the most valuable
company in the world.
Good is the enemy of
great.
James C. Collins

4. Apple's great achievement was a great
Requirements Document - and what Steve Jobs
was really a genius at.
Jobs defined a digital music player that simply
met the needs of people who loved music better
than any other product on the market.

5. Did they invent the digital music player - no, it
was first patented in 1979 and several models
were on the market before the Apple project
started. Were they first to market - far from it,
but they were Best to Market.

6. Was Steve Jobs a genius engineer who created
some never seen before circuit or software - no,
He was a college drop-out.

7. Here are some tips so you can do the same with
your product:
Two rules for a great Requirements Document:
Rule 1: Requirements must be objective, not
subjective. Low power is subjective. Battery
Life greater than 100 hours is objective.

8. Rule 2:
Requirements must be enumerated. Examining
one requirement at a time focuses the team on
making a decision. Long paragraphs with run-on
sentences encourages a general consensus
without focus on the fundamental trade-offs
that is the essence of good engineering

9. Assemble a team. Requirements generation is
very much a team sport. You will not win
without a player in each position, and it is more
about how well they play as a team, and less
about how good any individual team member
is. The positions you need are:
Coach/Facilitator - someone who can extract
the best ideas from a team

10. Voice of Customer - someone who knows the
customer better than the customer knows
themselves.
Technology - someone who can help the team
make the trade-offs that are the essence of
great engineering.

11. Manufacturing - someone who can help the
team with unit cost trade-offs
Sales - someone who understands customer
objections
Marketing - someone understand how to create
demand
Manufacturing Sales Marketing

12. After 15+ years and 1,500+ projects, we have
developed a great set of tools to help improve
product development and are happy to share
these with you. The RD Template as well as other
tools can be found here
https://www.finishlinepds.com/tools

13. Finish Line has completed more than 1,500 projects for
275+ companies, creating market-dominating products
by combining clients’ ideas and market reach with our
talents, team, and processes. We can do the same for
you.
Best Regards,
Steve Owens
603-880-8484
https://www.finishlinepds.com