Not a very original quote you might say, but hey! Being a part of a product based company always has me thinking about what we can do to make the end user more involved with the software we deliver. We are in that age where there is no margin for error when it comes to technology. User experience and a clean interface are at the forefront of an outward facing application, but more-so, companies across industry are going head-over-heels to innovate, simplify and make the lives of users that much more productive (well, unless you are playing Flappy birds!).
Apple is one of the pioneers in this field, innovating award winning products which are aspired and raved about. Jony Ive, the SVP and head of the industrial design team at Apple believes in putting the user first and accepts only practicality to be the key to growth. His contribution at Apple cannot be overlooked, everything from the iMacs to the iPhones/iPods over the last few decades have this product philosophy engraved in them. Steve Jobs was quoted saying, ‘Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works’. It was their passion for the product, their drive to achieve greatness in what they delivered to the global audience, which made them stalwarts of the design philosophy and champions in the field of emerging technology we use today.
Microsoft, under the new leadership of Satya Nadella is taking steps which can be deemed collaborative in this otherwise competitive sector. Office was launched last week for the Apple flagship iOS platform, a step many technology pundits hailed as brave, yet many were skeptical. The gamble paid off and the Office app was downloaded millions of times in the first week, a win-win for both the technology majors. Nadella, a 22 year veteran at Microsoft takes over from able leadership in a company which is looking for sustainable growth after some lack-luster performances over the last few years. The very fact that they acquired Nokia, shows that they want to make inroads into the mobile industry after having reigned over the computer market in the last few decades. Innovating and transitioning into popular mediums are now pivotal for survival.
For a product like ours, although in a niche domain, remains an emerging sector owing to the boom in cloud computing and a CRM software being sold as a service. We almost have the best of both worlds: the franchise industry virtually recession proof, and the immense scope at our disposal for innovating and streamlining the CRM product line. Being undisputed market leaders in the field, our goal like the giants mentioned earlier, is no different. Our challenge lies in understanding how we can simplify the activities of our clients, how they can seamlessly perform tasks in a minimalistic time-frame, and focus on what they are out there to do, i.e. sell. Bill Gates remarked that most unhappy customers are the greatest source of learning, which is one lesson we need to take in stride. Our focus should be to aim at ease of adoption of the product and defining a benchmark in quality. As Jobs mentioned in his book, ‘Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected’; each one has to play a role in ensuring that the product reaches the pinnacle it deserves.
Individuals have to be centers of excellence to warrant the growth of the product, to ensure that we establish a footprint in the industry, and to shoulder the product towards the forefront of technology which is defining our era.
Note: This piece was my contribution to the office newsletter at the capacity of Product Manager. All views are mine, and not of anyone else.
Apple is one of the pioneers in this field, innovating award winning products which are aspired and raved about. Jony Ive, the SVP and head of the industrial design team at Apple believes in putting the user first and accepts only practicality to be the key to growth. His contribution at Apple cannot be overlooked, everything from the iMacs to the iPhones/iPods over the last few decades have this product philosophy engraved in them. Steve Jobs was quoted saying, ‘Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works’. It was their passion for the product, their drive to achieve greatness in what they delivered to the global audience, which made them stalwarts of the design philosophy and champions in the field of emerging technology we use today.
Microsoft, under the new leadership of Satya Nadella is taking steps which can be deemed collaborative in this otherwise competitive sector. Office was launched last week for the Apple flagship iOS platform, a step many technology pundits hailed as brave, yet many were skeptical. The gamble paid off and the Office app was downloaded millions of times in the first week, a win-win for both the technology majors. Nadella, a 22 year veteran at Microsoft takes over from able leadership in a company which is looking for sustainable growth after some lack-luster performances over the last few years. The very fact that they acquired Nokia, shows that they want to make inroads into the mobile industry after having reigned over the computer market in the last few decades. Innovating and transitioning into popular mediums are now pivotal for survival.
For a product like ours, although in a niche domain, remains an emerging sector owing to the boom in cloud computing and a CRM software being sold as a service. We almost have the best of both worlds: the franchise industry virtually recession proof, and the immense scope at our disposal for innovating and streamlining the CRM product line. Being undisputed market leaders in the field, our goal like the giants mentioned earlier, is no different. Our challenge lies in understanding how we can simplify the activities of our clients, how they can seamlessly perform tasks in a minimalistic time-frame, and focus on what they are out there to do, i.e. sell. Bill Gates remarked that most unhappy customers are the greatest source of learning, which is one lesson we need to take in stride. Our focus should be to aim at ease of adoption of the product and defining a benchmark in quality. As Jobs mentioned in his book, ‘Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected’; each one has to play a role in ensuring that the product reaches the pinnacle it deserves.
Individuals have to be centers of excellence to warrant the growth of the product, to ensure that we establish a footprint in the industry, and to shoulder the product towards the forefront of technology which is defining our era.
Note: This piece was my contribution to the office newsletter at the capacity of Product Manager. All views are mine, and not of anyone else.
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