After a long working journey with a highly reputable company on the development a new design, things collapsed in a split of a second when the marketing and sales people came into the meeting room to say: that has no commercial value! End of discussion. Project cancelled!
I got an email in my office from the creative department of the referred company, regretting to inform me of the above and at the same time saying the most flattering words concerning the product design work – in short they said something like: We think the design is very interesting but it seems it has no commercial value. We have to cancel it!
After reading it, I didn’t know what to think of it – is it good or bad news? – “…the design is interesting…” being the designer I see this as good news! “… it has no commercial value…” hmm… what does this mean? How can they know this for sure before they try to sell it? “… We have to cancel it…” Clearly bad news!
Creative departments and designers come up with an idea for a product. Together they decide to develop it. After several tests and a great deal of work, they solved it both functionally and technically. The final result is seen by everyone involved on the design process as rather interesting. Next step: a meeting with the marketing and sales department; they come in to look at it and say – it has no commercial value! The project gets cancelled right there… Is this logical? Would all marketeers come up with the same conclusion, or some would and others wouldn’t? This meaning: is the marketeer judging the commercial value of the product he is evaluating, or is he assuming his lack of capacity for making that product commercially successful?
This post is written by one of my designer friends that are contributing to David Report: Gonçalo Prudencio.
Andra bloggar om: design, produktutveckling, marknadsföring, strategisk design
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6 comments
Craig says:
Jul 6, 2007
This is why design and marketing need to collaborate on the definition of new products to make sure the entire organization is aligned! Once the definition is solidified, design can focus on what they do best, and marketing won’t be making a judgment call on a single meeting– they were there when the concept was first shaped.
the ethnographer says:
Jul 6, 2007
A typical behavior, you see it in different organizations. Why is it so anyway that people that don’t know, and should not be involved because it’s not their back yard, can make judgements like that? Let the experts do what they are good at. So stupid.
Product Design Agency UK says:
Jul 19, 2007
There might be several reasons for cancelling a project:
Clients usually know theit business pretty well – so listen carefully – and try to get a clear understanding of their intent.
How is the product going to be postioned on the market.?
Are they high-end or low-end ?
Are they innovative and creative frontrunners?
or are they taking the safe less profitable path making only “traditional safe designs” more or less similar to their competitors but with their own label – with some small details differentiating their products?
- Not every company are design and innovation driven like 3M, B&O or Mac.
Susan A says:
Jul 27, 2007
This is what happens when design thinks it can operate in isolation from the business. I have to agree, collaboration is essential. You seem to think the marketing people don’t have enough respect for design. I think respect needs to flow both ways. If the product was launched and failed in the marketplace, would that also be the marketer’s fault?
I am also wondering what criteria were set forth to determine what was needed from the design, and what criteria were used to decide whether the design met the needs.
It’s always frustrating to see good work rejected. I think we’ve all been there. My own experience suggests this is usually due to a failure to agree on the objectives and the characteristics of a good solution, and including all the necessary people/groups in that decision up front.
Jim Rait says:
Aug 3, 2007
I would have been amazed if marketing had been positive. The Marketing department will be tasked with delivering a portfolio of new products/services to the marketplace in concert with the strategic sales plan. To insert a new project that comes winging in unexpectantly will usually meet with a no. I am sure if you had gone to the factory and said “we’ve got this new product which will disrupt your hard worked out plans they will say “No” as well!
The thing about new products and services is that they require attention from lots of people who have to sign on to the dream; and they do that by co-creating the dream and then living it. I lead a design process group who killed more designs than let through on aesthetic plus manufacturability issues. This was because marketing were going to a design house and working up a “pretty” design for the packaging of a new product. Neither were aware of supply cahin and manufacturing feasibility constraints/opportunities so when we technified the designs they just died. We invented Design Space ( see http://snipurl.com/1p4h1 ) to ensure we tried never to do this again!
Jim Rait says:
Aug 5, 2007
This link http://snipurl.com/1p6yt is also relevant to the thought surrounding this blog.