EVQ II - Gumption

It has always been exciting and also daunting when you are given a blank canvass to draw. Where do you start when you do not have any precedents to fall on? First we just sat down and asked ourselves what is it that we want to achieve? We did brainstorming and came up with our wish list i.e. the functionalities and features we require out of the scorecard. There were no perceived notions as we did not even know whether we can deliver some of the items in the list let alone all of them. Slowly a picture emerged, and the pieces began to fit. We then had a prototype of the logics that we believed will serve our goals. Next, we methodically mapped the steps and the techniques required to link all the concepts together. We performed a walk through to stress test the model. Only when we were able to close all gaps i.e. that the steps are logical as well as within our capabilities to execute did we proceed to the next phase of scripting the algorithm.

Well, the software beneath this is the possession of gumption and we need plenty of it. It is the enthusiasm that team placed in the project. This assures that the outcome is of quality based on our understanding of the value system of the end users.

Corollary, there are also gumption traps i.e. value as well as truth. We were ever mindful of these pitfalls.

Like the saying goes, the rest is history. All in all, we came out with a quality product that we are proud of.

Some of the projects that we are working on and or have completed:
1. value based management - scorecard enhancements
2. asp.net 2.0,
3. reading: Lila - An Inquiry into Morals,
4. robotics - drawing up of a strategy roadmap with focus on scripting, analytics, sensors, and
5. integrating web-based intiatives into a coherent hub.

Individuals keen to collaborate are welcome to signup.


Keywords: quality, value systems,
trust, domain knowledge, technology, networking

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The ( Long ) Tail That Wags The Dog

Long Tail, infinite capacity, flexible pricing, micro markets(niches )... is it another form of disruptive innovation?
What is disruptive innovation? For one, it is the offering of products and or services at affordable prices with the aim of satisfying unmet needs. This is the white space that marketers covet.

When such service providers establish a toe-hold, invariably entrenched players tend to counter by adding more features, at same or higher prices thus alienating more and more of their customers at the lower tier of the market segment.

As the disrupter becomes more and more proficient, by virtue of economy of scale as more and more customers clamour for the services to the point where it is able to compete with the incumbent with features similiar or better and at more competitive prices.

It has been conventional wisdom to rely on the rule-of-thumb that 80% of one's revenue and or profit is derived from the top 20% of the customer base.

However as savvy players become more adept in managing the economics of competitive strategies, they are able to leverage on technology to deliver products and services at lower and lower costs. Hence products and services that can be digitized, can often be offered at near-zero incremental costs.

Such model in theory can target the remaining 80% of the customer base with impunity. Implementation of such strategies include content aggregation, contextualizing contents etc. As such, virtual communities are sprouting up everywhere, and this phenomenal - known as social networking is taking root albeit at its infancy.

Growth potential is expected to be tremendous. To reach out, one merely requires a web-based platform offering multitude of choices. Search engine optimisers can quickly steer customers to the right sites through filters and tags, and winners are emerging from this category. Supplemented by word-of-mouth marketing - recommendation by "trusted" parties offering different views and perspectives to different market segments yet viewing the same products and services will lead to tipping point.

The future in marketing is to provide measurement as oppose to prediction. As such, the space to to coveted will be provisioning of superior post-filter services. From this one can build healthy communities and viral marketing can gain traction.

For the model to succeed, we need to consider key success factors. Setting up communities of experts should be the starting point. Beyond that, the site should provide access to quality contents. We need to be aware as to what constitues quiality to the customers - they may include addressing interests, being well made, fresh, substantive, compelling etc.

So how do we execute our gameplan?

Interests have to be aligned, there must be incentives to motivate collaborators, careful selection of like-minded personalities who care and are enthused in their areas of work ( passion and gumption ) will go a long way to underpin the venture.

Additionally, the following marketing tips have to be considered in rolling-out your website if you are intending to take the first plunge:
1. One image, one message
This should extend to web site, blog, marketing materials. Make sure it is easy to recall and that it communicates one's key message.
2. Repetition.
It takes at least 6 times for a person to hear, see, or read something before it sticks. So make sure to gain mindshare to achieve strong message recall.
3. Promotion.


When launching a web site, have like-midnded bloggers to write about you. Acquire word clicks on search sites to direct customers to your web site. Consider using StumbleUpon and Reddit to obtain as many pages on your web site as you can "tagged" on social-networking sites. This helps direct users who have already expressed interest in a similar topic or product to your site.



Keywords: quality, value systems, trust, domain knowledge, technology, networking

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