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One might think that if a company as successful as MapQuest wants to launch a new product it can simply pull the trigger and watch the money pile up. Not so, said Natty Zola, MapQuest's head of product development, as he revealed some secrets behind the company's process as part of talk 'How MapQuest Builds Products- the Spotify Way' at Denver Startup Week.
[ibimage==29836==Medium==none==self==ibimage_align-right]Zola said some significant failures have occurred on his own watch. Those have included rolling out a custom photobook concept to monetize Everlater (a successful startup acquired by MapQuest), and MapQuest Vibe, which was intended to influence consumer behavior. The latter didn't take-on in the beginning, Zola said, because of timing and understanding consumer appetite for new offering. Users initially viewed MapQuest as a utility, not as a source of recommendations. These missteps inspired the company to commit to a firm strategic process for working with new ideas.
Zola said that he's recently drawn inspiration from Spotify, another company that makes ubiquity look easy. If you want to nurture ideas like these two tech powerhouses, here is Zola's take on the four-step strategy for bringing them to fruition.
1. Think It
It all starts with an imaginary press release, dreamed up by the company's 'Think It Squad,' that envisions a possible future world where the product's influence is already being felt. How are its rapt users describing it? What metrics is it successfully hitting? After clearly defining what a successful product looks like and creating a prototype, the Think It Squad passes it along to stage two.
2. Build It
The Build It Squad is in charge of internal releases, which Zola said are key to interpreting feedback and zeroing in on the product's real value to users. This team is always asking itself: Is this thing good enough for our ideal customers?
[ibimage==29835==Medium==none==self==ibimage_align-right]3. Ship It
If the product survives the Build It stage, it is released to the public. This starts with small groups, for which metrics are easy to glean, who help the team to adapt and perfect the product for its full launch.
4. Tweak It
Much like rearing a child, when the product emerges, the hard work has merely begun. MapQuest continuously measures the success of its babies and is prepared to keep making needed adjustments when concerns arise.
This four-step strategy helps the MapQuest team stay honest with itself. By the time products are released, they've been tested by users and debated on forums, and the benchmarks for their success or failure have been concretely established.
Using MapQuest's process, teams function as unique 'mini-companies' within the larger whole, with their own goals and operations. However, when it was time to commit to the new strategy, Zola said, the company changed as one, with all the departments collaborating to make MapQuest succeed.
For a full presentation of the process, click here.
Stay tuned for our Denver Startup Week coverage and check out all the events here.
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