Testing
Function testing the product within engineering is the clearest form of testing needed to prove out the success of a new product, however there are additional tests that need to be performed to further prove if the product is viable. This includes testing the supply chain, messaging, and customer experience.
When building new products, it is critical to work with suppliers that are quick and high quality. The result of needing both is that the prototypes will be expensive. Communicating with vendor and planning for production quantities will provide guidance on cost and delivery when full scale manufacturing is needed.
With the product in hand and lab testing completed the Product Manager can develop the messaging that the sales team will use to garner interest from the customers. In the initial meetings with customers the Product Manager can test different approaches to determine what message will resonate the best with the customers. Recognizing the features and benefits the customer values most will aid in the development of the most impactful messaging.
Optimizing this time while testing will set the stage for success across all aspects of the business.