an introduction to product development for book publishers

A BRIEF INTRODUCITON

TO DIGITAL PRODUCT

DEVELOPMENTIN TWO PARTSTHIS IS PART I

very

v

FEB are a digital product development consultancy.

We conceive and create innovative digital strategies and products that have a material business impact for our clients.

STOP THINKING ABOUT BOOKS!

DIGITAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT is really just a way of working out (and testing) what you should build to achieve what you want, in the most cost effective way.

THE LOCH NESS MONSTER OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTThe importance of test and learn.

Time ->

Effort

Thinking about Products

Building Products

Have an idea and

make sure it will work

Decide on the specs

Design the experience

Build it and launch it

1 2 3 4

WHY?

Make more money?

Save more money?

OR

Build a new revenue stream?

Grow an existing revenue stream

From the same

audience?

From a different

audience?

OR

OR

YOUR VISION needs to state what success will look like for your and your organisation. It will be the framework for all your product decisions.

Have an idea and

make sure it will work

1

THE PRODUCT MIX

YOUR CAPABILITY

THE AUDIENCE

THE MARKET

What have you already got that you can leverage from a digital point of view?What publishing skills have you got?What content? What routes have you already got into the market you’re targeting?How about the expertise and technology needed to create your digital experience?

YOUR CAPABILITY

The revenge of the burning

mouse: EVERYTHING is new the first time you read it.

The reader becomes a USER who INTERACTS with your CONTENT.

Who is this for? How might they use it?When will they use it? Where are they likely to use it? Who will pay for it? How will you reach them?

THE AUDIENCE

iPAD or iPHONE?

Source: Flurry User Research, May 2013, 44,000 users.

New Mums 91% 9%

Bookworms 55% 45%

Home Design Enthusiasts

43% 57%

Pet Owners 31% 69%

Mums 41% 59%

iPhones go out, iPad stay in.

Education, Newsstand, Travel, and Games - are iPad prefs.

SOME TECHNIQUES

PersonasUse Cases User Journeys

Can I start asking for features yet?

No!

THE MARKET

What other experiences are out there for your customers?Are they paying for those experiences? How much?How are your audience discovering digital products and experiences?

What else is going on in this space?

You can’t just Google it anymore. You need to take a serious look at the market

and conduct some guerilla research!

CONCEPTINGBy now you’ve probably got lots of ideas. Which one’s are the strongest?

Choose those and add some detail – describe what they are, write out the idea and possibly some high level features but NOT how it will look or work.

TESTING YOUR IDEAPutting the concepts in front of people. Remember you’re testing the idea and whether it’s a viable business proposition. You’re not testing the actual app.

SOME MATHSHow much money do you think you can realistically make from your product? And what does that look like over time?

How much will it cost you to build it? How much will it cost you to produce it and publish it and market it?

DOES YOUR IDEA STILL MAKE SENSE?Great! See you in Part II.

Have an idea and

make sure it will work

Decide on the specs

Design the experience

Build it and launch it

1 2 3 4

www.febdigital.co.uk

sally@febdigital.co.uk