We here a lot from Presidents in the telecommunication industry in the middle east asking their senior managers, "Prepare for me a business case" or sometimes after hearing about a new Technology employees ask their self, "Why don't we do it in our Company? Does it worth developing a business case?". What is Business Case in the Telecommunication industry? Omantel, Qtel, Etisalat and Du and the other telecommunication operators always ask for a business case for new projects, services or ideas. Telecommunication and Information Technology Industries comparing to other industries changes a lot as every day we listen to new services and technologies around the world. We do listen to a new way to make money or safe money. Top managers and employees working in the Product Development do prepare lot of Business Cases. For me personally, I do prepare business cases a lot as I am a product manager and I do evaluate the new ideas and services. The initial way to evaluate is to stay by my self and think, "Can we make money our of this project". Let's say something like WiMax. I do stay with my self and ask my self, "Can we make money out of WiMax?!" If I said to my self, "Yes, WiMax is a good opportunity for our Telecommunication Company". I go to the next step which is developing a Business Case.
Business Case is a document that includes the following sections: 1) a background of the service. 2) Reasons for thinking of the service 3) Financial & Human Resources Required 4) Readiness of the business providing the service 5) Project plan 6) Project Scope 7) Customer Impact 8) Risk Analysis 9) Service and Project Deliverables 10) Financial Justification 11) Consequences of not executing this project 12) Decision (Go Ahead/Not Go Ahead)
Let's take WiMax as an example of developing it and selling it in Sultanate of Oman. First of all, provide a short description telling the Senior Managers and different employees about WiMax. For instance, "WiMax is a telecommunications technology that provides for the wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular-type access". Explain to Senior mangers why we should go to WiMax? Telling to the managers the benefits that the Company can benefit from WiMax. Also, the Readiness of our existing Telecommunication System. It is important to tell them that we are ready or not from the Human Resourcs, Network Capability and Finanically. Questions will be something like "Can we use or existing system or do we need a new system? who are our strategic partners and alignment to provide this service? Can we go with Ericsson, Nokia Siemens or Cisco?
Part of it is making Market Research and gathering data, How other Operators around the world made money from WiMax. For instance some operators think this way "Building the mobile Internet with WiMAX"
They are many questions to need to be answered in the Business Case. Business Case help the compay make the decisioin that the proposed servcice or technology we can make money out of it.
The business case is a document help senior managers have a clear picture of a new service or opportunity in the telecommunication industry. Business Case is important as it documents that documents everything and make the decision of "Go Ahead or not Go Ahead" for a service or project. Business cases includes the quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Developing a business case in the telecommunication industry requires basic Financial background, some telecommunication background, industry analysis and marketing analysis.
Let's take WiMax as an example. On one hand, It is important to know the basics of WiMax. Something like, "How to get WiMax" On the other hand, it is important to evalutate from the finical and commercial perspective. The Capital cost required, the Operational cost, evaluting the prices of the equipments. It is important to understand financial terms like Rate of return, cash flow, length of payback period and other financial criteria.
Bottom line, in the telecommunication industry business case should help you communicatate, "What you are doing, How will make money? Can we make money out of it?"
Good Luck in Developing Your Business Case!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Product Development Process
Product Development is an interesting field. I will tell you my own opinion of Product Development Process and method I feel will benefit you a lot.
Product Development is developing a Product or a Service that you want to sell to customers. Building a Product that people really needs and there is demand for the Product or Service you want to develop.
While Developing a product you need to consider that you product is technical and from commercial side you can develop.
Below are the steps you need to follow to develop a successful Product or Service.
Step I: Accept all ideas. Bring all ideas from different sources. Bring from customers, ideas from colleagues, customers, magazines, internet and from every where what you want to implement and develop. Everyone Dreams, bring all your ideas that you think you in your business. If you were in Real Estate Industry think of different options and put all of them in a piece of paper.
Step 2: Evaluate ideas. Ask you self: Will customer buy what you want to sell? Can you finically and technically provide your ideas to customer?
The expected growth is very important. Also the pressure and the expected competition are important factors to consider when evaluating a product.
Select the ideas that you feel mostly will be successful. The idea that will mostly customers buy. Also, the idea that you feel you is capable and ready to implement it it.
Step 3: Develop a business case, financial feasibility study, and Product Description.
Business Case
Business Case is a document that includes information about the Product, the requirements you need to start the product, the Human Resources that you require and many different sections. This will help you gather more information about your product and understand it more.
Usually a Business Case includes the following sections:
Includes the Expected Capital and Operational, and Demand Analysis. This is a Sheet which includes numbers and the amount of money required.
Capital Cost is the equipments and services that you need to purchase to start the service. For example, to start a Real Estate Project you need a land. A land is considered as capital cost because it is in the first step of developing the project and only one time payment. Operational cost are the cost you need to pay to run the service. For example, the labor cost you need to pay form employees to finish your Real Estate Project.
It is nice to develop a Feasibility Study as you will now the expected revenue and cost.
Product Description is a short document where you can put a brief description about the product you want to sell.
Step 4: Is to decide to go for the Product or Not to Go. You need to make decision if the Service or Product you want to launch is Feasible. If feasible you go to the next step.
Step 5: Project Management. After deciding to go for the project you need to implement the project. This requires good skills in Project Management. You need to make the Human Resources, the Financial Resources and the other resources ready.
In the last phase you need to think of the message you want to deliver your customers, where will customers be able to buy the service, how you goanna sell the service and many marketing things.
Step 6: Product Launch. This is a nice part where you will celebrate the launching the product or service.
Step 7: Evaluating You Product after launch. From time to time you need to evaluate your product and service. See how much money you generate? Is customer satisfied? Does the growth is same or above expectation?
That are the steps for Product Development Process.
I like product development and I like what his highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Says about Something related to Product Development and Management.
You need to be a leader, As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, "Everyone dreams, but only the leader can change dreams into reality"
Product Development is developing a Product or a Service that you want to sell to customers. Building a Product that people really needs and there is demand for the Product or Service you want to develop.
While Developing a product you need to consider that you product is technical and from commercial side you can develop.
Below are the steps you need to follow to develop a successful Product or Service.
Step I: Accept all ideas. Bring all ideas from different sources. Bring from customers, ideas from colleagues, customers, magazines, internet and from every where what you want to implement and develop. Everyone Dreams, bring all your ideas that you think you in your business. If you were in Real Estate Industry think of different options and put all of them in a piece of paper.
Step 2: Evaluate ideas. Ask you self: Will customer buy what you want to sell? Can you finically and technically provide your ideas to customer?
The expected growth is very important. Also the pressure and the expected competition are important factors to consider when evaluating a product.
Select the ideas that you feel mostly will be successful. The idea that will mostly customers buy. Also, the idea that you feel you is capable and ready to implement it it.
Step 3: Develop a business case, financial feasibility study, and Product Description.
Business Case
Business Case is a document that includes information about the Product, the requirements you need to start the product, the Human Resources that you require and many different sections. This will help you gather more information about your product and understand it more.
Usually a Business Case includes the following sections:
- Executive summary
- Brief Description about the Product
- Customer Impact (What will customer benefit from the service)
- Objectives and deliverables
- Costs: Which Includes: Capital Cost & Operational Cost
- Market analysis which you can include which includes: Target Market, Demand Assumptions, Growth, Pricing and Industry situation for the Product
- Price Proposed
- Implementation Period
- Partners if any
- Risk Management
- Conclusion
Includes the Expected Capital and Operational, and Demand Analysis. This is a Sheet which includes numbers and the amount of money required.
Capital Cost is the equipments and services that you need to purchase to start the service. For example, to start a Real Estate Project you need a land. A land is considered as capital cost because it is in the first step of developing the project and only one time payment. Operational cost are the cost you need to pay to run the service. For example, the labor cost you need to pay form employees to finish your Real Estate Project.
It is nice to develop a Feasibility Study as you will now the expected revenue and cost.
Product Description is a short document where you can put a brief description about the product you want to sell.
Step 4: Is to decide to go for the Product or Not to Go. You need to make decision if the Service or Product you want to launch is Feasible. If feasible you go to the next step.
Step 5: Project Management. After deciding to go for the project you need to implement the project. This requires good skills in Project Management. You need to make the Human Resources, the Financial Resources and the other resources ready.
In the last phase you need to think of the message you want to deliver your customers, where will customers be able to buy the service, how you goanna sell the service and many marketing things.
Step 6: Product Launch. This is a nice part where you will celebrate the launching the product or service.
Step 7: Evaluating You Product after launch. From time to time you need to evaluate your product and service. See how much money you generate? Is customer satisfied? Does the growth is same or above expectation?
That are the steps for Product Development Process.
I like product development and I like what his highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Says about Something related to Product Development and Management.
You need to be a leader, As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, "Everyone dreams, but only the leader can change dreams into reality"
Sunday, December 30, 2007
My Experience of Product Development in 2007
It is the last day of 2007 and I want to share my experience and opinion of Product Development in this year.
Product Development is the most exciting part under Marketing. On one hand, turning an idea into reality is hard thing. On the other hand, it is very exciting and challenging.
You need different skills from different fields. You need experience in Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Economics and Technical experience in the field you are working in. One of the challenges that I face are technical employees view the product only from the technical side. Also, non-technical employees looks at the product from the commercial side only. I had tried to bridge with the two sides and be in the middle.
Dealing with partners and try to understand their needs is very important. In addition, trying to communicate with them and tell them about your needs and requirements had required from me to have business development skills. Also, developing strategic alliances is very important. Partnership with partners had provided for me an opportunity to learn about other cultures and to understand how other international companies are working and learning from them.
Project Management is very important in Product Development. I had used useful tools that had helped me in Project Management which are: Microsoft Project Management and the online tool Google Documents.
Research skills is very important. Using the Internet, meeting professionals from the same field is very important, gathering data from the company database and conducting surveys were the main methodologies I were using. Using the Internet and trying more to understand how to use the Search tools more effectively and efficiently had helped me to get what I want from the Internet easily.
Coming from a Technical Background and being enthusiastic to learn more about product had helped me a lot. It is not only about money and figures. You need to understand the Product from technical side. That had helped me to provide First Level Support and to answer questions that employees are asking about the Products.
Learning and providing knowledge transfer to the employees in your company is very important and making every one being committed and excited to be happy in launching a particular product is a challenging thing.
This what I have in the last day of the year. I am happy that I am working in this field.
Wish you a happy & successful new year!
Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
