OUR PROCESS
1. Ideation and Opportunity Identification
Objective: Generate creative ideas for products or features by identifying market needs, customer pain points, and business opportunities.
Key Activities:
Conduct brainstorming sessions with cross-functional teams (AIPMM: Conceive; 10-Stage: Ideation).
Analyze market trends, competitor offerings, and gaps using SWOT or Porter’s Five Forces (AIPMM: Conceive; 10-Stage: Ideation).
Engage internal teams (e.g., customer support, sales) for customer insights (Product School: Product Discovery).
Use Jobs-to-be-Done or Opportunity Solution Trees to align ideas with user tasks (Product School: Product Discovery).
Document all ideas in a centralized repository (AIPMM: Conceive; Product School: Product Discovery).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Customer Support, UX Research, Executive Leadership.
Tools: Miro, Trello, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Analytics.
Deliverables: Idea backlog, market opportunity analysis, problem statement.
Success Metrics: 50+ ideas generated, 70%+ tied to customer needs, 80%+ stakeholder alignment. 2. Market Research and Customer Validation
Objective: Validate ideas through deep market research and customer feedback, identifying early adopters (fastest buyers) and high-value customers (highest payers) to confirm demand.
Key Activities:
Segment the target market (demographics, psychographics, behaviors) and identify early adopters and premium segments (10-Stage: Market Research; New: Fastest/High-Paying Buyers).
Conduct surveys, focus groups, or X posts analysis for insights (AIPMM: Conceive; 10-Stage: Market Research).
Test concepts with landing pages or social media campaigns, tracking conversion rates for early adopters (10-Stage: Market Research; New: First Customers).
Perform competitive analysis for differentiation (Product School: Idea Validation; 10-Stage: Market Research).
Prioritize ideas using impact-effort matrices, weighting for revenue potential from high-value customers (Product School: Idea Validation; New: High-Paying Buyers).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, UX Research, Engineering, Finance, Customers.
Tools: Typeform, SurveyMonkey, Hotjar, Google Sheets, Notion, HubSpot (for lead scoring).
Deliverables: Market analysis report, validated customer personas (including early adopters and high-value segments), concept testing report, lead scoring model.
Success Metrics: 60%+ ideas validated by users, 70%+ ideas filtered, 30%+ likelihood of product-market fit (HBR), 50%+ early adopter identification, 20%+ high-value customer leads.3. Product Definition and Requirements Gathering
Objective: Translate validated ideas into a clear product vision and requirements, aligning teams and incorporating features for early adopters and high-value customers.
Key Activities:
Draft a PRD with features, user stories, and metrics, prioritizing needs of early adopters and premium segments (AIPMM: Plan; 10-Stage: Product Definition; New: Fastest/High-Paying Buyers).
Define the MVP to focus on core functionality for quick market entry (10-Stage: Product Definition).
Create a business case with financial projections, emphasizing ROI from high-value customers (AIPMM: Plan; Product School: Product Definition).
Develop user personas and journey maps for early adopters and premium customers (Product School: Product Definition; 10-Stage: Product Definition).
Secure executive approval for funding and scope (AIPMM: Plan; Product School: Product Definition).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, Finance, Engineering, Sales, Executive Leadership.
Tools: Aha!, Productboard, Excel, Xtensio, PowerPoint.
Deliverables: PRD (with early adopter/premium features), business case, user personas, MVP roadmap.
Success Metrics: 100% executive approval, 90%+ PRD completeness, 85%+ stakeholder alignment, 80%+ feature coverage for target segments.4. Prototyping and Design
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Objective: Create prototypes to visualize the product, validate user experience, and tailor designs for early adopters and high-value customers.
Key Activities:
Develop low- and high-fidelity prototypes, emphasizing features for early adopters and premium users (Product School: Design; 10-Stage: Prototyping and Design; New: Fastest/High-Paying Buyers).
Collaborate with UX/UI designers for intuitive user flows (AIPMM: Develop; 10-Stage: Prototyping and Design).
Conduct usability testing with early adopters to validate appeal (Product School: Design; 10-Stage: Prototyping and Design).
Iterate designs based on feedback and technical constraints (AIPMM: Develop; Product School: Design).
Align designs with brand messaging for premium positioning (Product School: Design).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), UX Designers, Engineering, Marketing, Customers.
Tools: Figma, Sketch, InVision, UserTesting, Lookback.
Deliverables: High-fidelity prototypes, usability testing report, design specifications.
Success Metrics: 80%+ user satisfaction with prototypes, 2–3 iteration rounds, 100% brand alignment, 75%+ early adopter approval. 5. Development and Iteration (MVP Build)
Objective: Build a functional MVP to test core features, optimized for early adopters and high-value customers, enabling rapid iteration.
Key Activities:
Define technical specifications, prioritizing features for target segments (AIPMM: Develop; Product School: Development; New: Fastest/High-Paying Buyers).
Implement Agile sprints (2-week cycles) for iterative development (AIPMM: Develop; 10-Stage: Development and Iteration).
Develop the MVP with core features for quick market entry (Product School: Development; 10-Stage: Development and Iteration).
Conduct code reviews and initial QA testing (AIPMM: Develop; 10-Stage: Development and Iteration).
Integrate analytics for user behavior tracking (10-Stage: Development and Iteration).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Engineering, QA, UX Designers.
Tools: GitHub, Jira, Trello, Selenium, Mixpanel.
Deliverables: Functional MVP, sprint reports, initial QA results.
Success Metrics: 90% on-schedule MVP completion, 95% critical bug detection, 85%+ feature alignment with PRD, 80%+ feature coverage for target segments.6. Testing (Alpha, Beta, and Qualification)
Objective: Validate the product through comprehensive testing, including A/B testing, to ensure quality, usability, and market readiness for early adopters and high-value customers.
Key Activities:
Run alpha testing internally to catch major issues (10-Stage: Alpha and Beta Testing).
Conduct beta testing with early adopters, tracking engagement (Product School: Testing; 10-Stage: Alpha and Beta Testing; New: First Customers).
Perform QA testing (functional, performance, security) (AIPMM: Qualify; Product School: Testing).
Run A/B tests on key features (e.g., UI, pricing) to optimize for target segments, iterating if results are statistically significant (p<0.05) or engagement drops >10% (New: A/B Testing).
Test market response in select regions, targeting high-value customers (AIPMM: Qualify; New: High-Paying Buyers).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), QA, Engineering, UX Designers, Marketing, Customers.
Tools: JMeter, Postman, TestFlight, BetaTesting, Optimizely, Typeform.
Deliverables: QA report, beta testing feedback, A/B test results, test market results.
Success Metrics: 98% critical bug resolution, 85%+ beta user satisfaction, 70%+ test market sales targets, 80%+ A/B test optimization for target segments.7. Go-to-Market Strategy and Launch Planning
Objective: Develop a strategic GTM plan to secure first customers, targeting early adopters (fastest buyers) and high-value customers (highest payers), while preparing for mainstream market challenges.
Key Activities:
Create a GTM strategy, tailoring positioning and pricing for early adopters (low friction) and high-value customers (premium tiers) (AIPMM: Launch; 10-Stage: Go-to-Market Strategy; New: First/Fastest/High-Paying Buyers).
Develop marketing assets (e.g., landing pages, X campaigns) optimized for quick conversions (10-Stage: Go-to-Market Strategy; New: First Customers).
Train sales/support teams on targeting early adopters and premium segments (AIPMM: Launch; 10-Stage: Go-to-Market Strategy).
Plan campaigns with influencers or X posts for buzz among early adopters (10-Stage: Go-to-Market Strategy).
Identify Crossing the Chasm pitfalls (e.g., misaligned messaging, lack of references) and plan for mainstream appeal (New: Crossing the Chasm).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, Sales, Customer Support, PR, Operations.
Tools: HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Canva.
Deliverables: GTM strategy document, marketing assets, sales training materials, chasm mitigation plan.
Success Metrics: 100% GTM plan completion, 80%+ KPI alignment, 90%+ team readiness, 70%+ early adopter campaign reach.8. Product Launch
Objective: Execute the market introduction to drive awareness, secure first customers, and optimize via A/B testing, while monitoring for early chasm risks.
Key Activities:
Roll out campaigns across channels (X, email, ads), targeting early adopters and high-value customers (AIPMM: Launch; 10-Stage: Product Launch; New: First/Fastest/High-Paying Buyers).
Monitor real-time analytics for engagement, sales, and segment performance (Product School: Launch; 10-Stage: Product Launch).
Provide robust support for early adopters to ensure retention (AIPMM: Launch; 10-Stage: Product Launch).
Run A/B tests on launch assets (e.g., CTAs, pricing), iterating if conversion rates drop >15% or KPIs lag (New: A/B Testing).
Assess early feedback for chasm risks (e.g., lack of mainstream appeal) (New: Crossing the Chasm).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, Sales, Customer Support, PR, Operations.
Tools: Mixpanel, Amplitude, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Optimizely, Marketo.
Deliverables: Launch campaign execution, performance report, customer feedback summary, A/B test results.
Success Metrics: 80%+ of projected sales, 100,000+ marketing impressions, 85%+ positive reviews, 75%+ early adopter retention, 80%+ A/B test optimization.9. Growth and Scaling
Objective: Expand market share, scale operations, and address Crossing the Chasm pitfalls, while monitoring for the Valley of Death and iterating via A/B testing.
Key Activities:
Analyze user data to prioritize features for mainstream markets (10-Stage: Growth and Scaling; New: Crossing the Chasm).
Iterate the product with A/B-tested features, triggered by engagement drops >10% or significant results (p<0.05) (AIPMM: Deliver; New: A/B Testing).
Expand marketing (SEO, partnerships, national campaigns) for broader reach (10-Stage: Growth and Scaling).
Scale supply chains/support, monitoring cash flow and burn rate to avoid the Valley of Death (cash flow negative >6 months or revenue <50% projections) (AIPMM: Deliver; New: Valley of Death).
Address chasm pitfalls (e.g., build case studies, refine messaging for pragmatists) (New: Crossing the Chasm).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, Sales, Customer Support, Operations, Finance.
Tools: Amplitude, Tableau, Salesforce, NetSuite, Optimizely, Slack.
Deliverables: Performance dashboard, updated roadmap, operational scalability plan, chasm mitigation report, Valley of Death assessment.
Success Metrics: 20%+ revenue growth, 90%+ retention, 50%+ revenue boost within 12 months (Deloitte), 80%+ chasm readiness, <10% risk of Valley of Death.10. Continuous Improvement and Lifecycle Management##
Objective: Optimize the product, manage its lifecycle, and monitor for Valley of Death risks, retiring it strategically if needed, with iterations based on A/B testing.
Key Activities:
Monitor KPIs (NPS, churn, lifetime value) and cash flow to assess performance and Valley of Death risks (AIPMM: Deliver; 10-Stage: Continuous Improvement; New: Valley of Death).
Release A/B-tested updates, iterating if churn rises >5% or NPS drops >10 points (AIPMM: Deliver; New: A/B Testing).
Manage lifecycle phases (growth, maturity, decline) with pivots or market expansions (AIPMM: Retire; 10-Stage: Continuous Improvement).
Retire the product if unviable, with customer transition plans (AIPMM: Retire).
Document lessons learned to inform future products (AIPMM: Retire; 10-Stage: Continuous Improvement).
Stakeholders: Product Manager (lead), Marketing, Sales, Customer Support, Legal, Finance, Operations.
Tools: Qualtrics, Confluence, Salesforce, SAP, Google Analytics, Optimizely.
Deliverables: KPI dashboard, updated roadmap, retirement plan, lessons learned report, Valley of Death assessment.
Success Metrics: 20–30% higher retention (McKinsey), 90%+ customer transition, 80%+ resource reallocation, <5% Valley of Death risk.