At FortyAU, we believe that software development requires strong collaboration. Our holistic approach starts with product strategy, design, and prototyping, all with a relentless focus on understanding the needs of customers and making sure we are creating value.
In this blog, we invite you to discover the power of our collaborative process, where product design, customer discovery, rapid prototyping, and workflow design converge to craft seamless, modern, and impactful software solutions.
“With an early stage product idea, it is very important that all parties remain open-minded and really listen to customers. The exciting thing is that if you can listen really well, your customers will actually help you figure out what doesn’t work and may eventually help you discover a truly great product” said FortyAU CEO, Andrew Kerr.
Product Design & User Experience: Elevating Every Interaction
Our clients are consistently impressed with the depth of passion and engagement our teams display when preparing a product strategy for them. Collaborating closely with engineers, designers, and business stakeholders, we start by assuming the role of investigators or researchers to explore customer behavior and help gather initial feedback. The goal is to gather signals from customers about how the product may help them and then see if there is strategic alignment with the client’s business goals.
Creating a great product however needs more than customer feedback. To bring an initial prototype to life, you need a diverse team made up of engineers, designers, subject matter experts, and business strategists. A valuable product is forged at the intersection of desirability, feasibility, and viability, and it is the product’s team role to balance all aspects as they are building the solution. A great product that cannot be properly monetized will fail in the marketplace. Similarly, a highly profitable one with a poor user experience will soon find itself losing market share to competitors.
UI/UX/CX & Internationalization: Forging Unforgettable Impressions
Cutting edge visual design continues to be a huge differentiator of top digital products. This process starts with low-fidelity wireframing and can quickly progress to high-fidelity prototypes that allow users to interact with several possible design scenarios. By embracing cutting-edge tools and industry best practices, we can rapidly create user interfaces that captivate users and inspire strong product loyalty.
It is really important for our design teams to be in the room with clients as initial designs are revealed, “You really can tell alot by how someone’s face reacts when they see their new website design for the first time. Being able to read body language and gauge people’s gut reaction is really important and can provide good evidence of where you might need to iterate more”.
Rapid Prototyping: Innovation through Iteration
Rapid prototyping is an excellent way to engage users and develop consensus among multiple stakeholders within an organization. Moving quickly allows teams to gain and maintain a sense of momentum within the project and focus stakeholders on making critical decisions.
Tools like InVision and Figma, allow for detailed commenting and allow multiple perspectives to be synthesized within a common view. These tangible experiences empower clients and end-users to actively engage with the product’s functionality and continuously refine the user experience. Our expertise in front-end development then ensures that prototypes faithfully reflect the final product.
Workflow Design: Paving the Path of Efficiency
Often prospective clients that do not see the value of a product roadmap, or simply do not have the time to invest in it. In our quest to streamline user experiences, workflow design takes center stage. Our experienced team crafts an intuitive information architecture tailored to your business goals. Through meticulous mapping of workflows and pinpointing pain points, we unleash software solutions that optimize processes, heighten productivity, and deliver unparalleled value to end-users.
While some may question the importance of investing in product strategy, it is essential to understand the long-term benefits it brings to organizations. By taking a strategic approach to software development and embracing product strategy, businesses can achieve significant advantages that drive success and cost-effectiveness.
In Q1 and Q2 of 2023, here are the top three reasons why a product strategy roadmap is cost-effective:
- Efficient Resource Allocation: A well-defined product strategy roadmap enables organizations to allocate resources effectively by prioritizing features, functionalities, and development efforts based on their strategic value and impact. This ensures that resources are invested where they will generate the greatest return on investment, avoiding wasteful spending on low-priority or unnecessary features.
- Reduced Development Iterations: With a product strategy roadmap in place, organizations can minimize the number of development iterations needed. By conducting thorough research, user testing, and prototyping early on, potential issues and requirements can be identified and addressed upfront, resulting in fewer costly and time-consuming development cycles.
- Market Success and Increased Revenue: A product strategy roadmap helps organizations develop software solutions that align with market demand and customer needs. By focusing on solving the right problems and delivering value to customers, organizations can increase their chances of market success, attract more customers, and generate higher revenue, leading to a significant return on their investment in product strategy.
Data Visualization: Enlightening Insights for Informed Decisions
In an era of information abundance, it is strategic to harness the power of data visualization. Our experts masterfully design custom charts, interactive visualizations, and dynamic dashboards, artfully transforming complex data into clarity and meaning. By making data accessible and visually captivating, we empower users to unlock the full potential of your software solution, unveiling the pathway to informed decisions.
Customer-Centric Product Strategy: The Gateway to Real Value
At FortyAU, product strategy forms the bedrock of our success. We intricately weave your business goals with customer needs to ensure that we address the right problems and deliver true value to end-users. Our customer-centric approach, coupled with our prowess in product management, equips us to guide your vision through the product development lifecycle, from inception to triumphant market launch.
