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A number of executives and investors are skeptical about the fact that software products can be developed using outsourcing. There is more skepticism at the idea of outsourcing version 1.0 of a product. We need to find out the secret for using outsourcing for developing a software product.
Actually time is the essence when developing a new software product but before the development process starts one must have some idea of what software would do. It is important to find this out from the prospective customer. But how can one involve customers early and in a collaborative process when both of them are not sure of what they require? Another question that comes up is what it has to do with outsourcing.
According to Steve Blank, lecturer at the Haas School of Business at Berkeley, one does not need a product development process but a customer development process. One needs a process to discover what ornery problem a potential customer can have that would cause them to part with their hard earned money to solve that problem by buying the software.
The various steps of customer discovery are:
- Creation of a product or product demo
- Meeting with customers and answering and asking questions regarding customer
- Changing product to reflect what one learns
- Iterate until all questions are answered positively
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