I'm a SWE and I got the opportunity to start a project on my own for a new product idea. However, the product idea does go against company strategy. Therefore I find it hard convincing people and find support in the company. I at least have my manager's and his manager's limited buy-in. Over the past time I've read a couple of startup books. What I miss is more insight how to make a product idea successful when you start off alone in a large corporation and go "against the stream". Any recommendations on books, resources? TC: 134k/3yoe
Never Split the Difference!
Read how Kodak collapsed while holding onto film camera market even if it was the first company which invented digital camera. It was too afraid that digital camera will eat into its film sales.
Personal opinion: I don’t think you can “make” a product idea successful - it will only be successful if the idea itself makes sense. I guess you are trying to ask how to navigate the politics and successfully launch your product without much support?
Firstly why are you even bothering with all that with 134k tc? That’s the bigger issue.
Have a clear explanation of the problem you want to solve, who you’re solving it for, how your solution is better than how they’re currently dealing with it, how and why they will adopt your solution, and at least some basic napkin math on revenue projections vs cost. Figure out the absolute smallest possible scope you can ship to solve that problem and put wireframes, paper drawings, or whatever (as long as it’s simple and doesn’t take a lot of time for you to produce... don’t waste your time investing heavily in something that might not work) in front of people who have that problem today with three key questions: 1) does this solve your problem, 2) do you understand how to use it (observe them talking through it and don’t guide them), and 3) ask if we offer this to you as a completed product in X timeframe, will you buy it from us for $X? Better yet, bring a basic contract with you. Prove to yourself that what you think will work will actually work and people will buy it. If you’ve already started building it and you don’t have a strong sense of the above, that’s a lot of risk you’re taking on wasted time and effort. If you get yourself into a good spot with the above 3 items, build that smallest possible scope and ship it and see if it performs like you think it will before investing any further time or effort. Put a plan together incorporating the above and anything else that’s important and be prepared to speak to it both at a high level and in detail and hopefully people internally take you more seriously. If you can’t walk people through the problem, a proven market for the solution, etc then nobody is going to take you seriously.
Also, there are people with a little bit of free time who are bored as hell with what they’re currently doing all over the place. Sell them on what you’re doing and why and see if you can get some help from them on the side.
That's a good idea!
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