Week 4
Personal Lessons Learned
1. Being a new member in a team that has been working together for several weeks already is not very easy. The team already knows each other well, the members know how the others work and everyone had their assigned tasks according to their strengths. It is a big step for a total stranger to enter the circle of trust. This week we learned how to integrate our new team member, Konstantin.
It was important for us, that he immediately felt welcomed and not giving him the feeling that he is a total "outsider".
Therefore we explained him what we have done so far, who is responsible for what. But we also asked him what he likes doing so we can reorganize our processes so that everyone gets to do what he/she loves.
Open and clear communication is very important in order to integrate a new member!
2. We just can't say it enough: Go out and talk to EVERYONE because practical advises are the best advises. It is very important to get constant feedback of our future customers and really get to know what they actually want.
It was important for us, that he immediately felt welcomed and not giving him the feeling that he is a total "outsider".
Therefore we explained him what we have done so far, who is responsible for what. But we also asked him what he likes doing so we can reorganize our processes so that everyone gets to do what he/she loves.
Open and clear communication is very important in order to integrate a new member!
2. We just can't say it enough: Go out and talk to EVERYONE because practical advises are the best advises. It is very important to get constant feedback of our future customers and really get to know what they actually want.
Business Development Lessons Learned
This week we took a closer look at our key competitors. We came to the conclusion that we have to see the competitors strengths as inspiration and see their weaknesses as our opportunity in making it better.
Competitors are not just competitors. They are much more than that: they are THE opportunity!
But don't get us wrong! This doesn't mean that we want to maximize our feature set based on all the competitors strengths - NO!
More important is that we have to figure out what the real needs are from our potential customers. We could offer them the perfect product because we combine all the strengths of the competitors and improve the product/service even more...but will they use it, if it doesn't match their needs?!
If you don't know what features really matter to potential customers, then go out, talk and find it out!
Competitors are not just competitors. They are much more than that: they are THE opportunity!
But don't get us wrong! This doesn't mean that we want to maximize our feature set based on all the competitors strengths - NO!
More important is that we have to figure out what the real needs are from our potential customers. We could offer them the perfect product because we combine all the strengths of the competitors and improve the product/service even more...but will they use it, if it doesn't match their needs?!
If you don't know what features really matter to potential customers, then go out, talk and find it out!