Nearly 70% of companies are in the services business, including professional and business services, education, health, hospitality, and nonprofits. These organizations increasingly need to create digital products, to extend their core business with a scalable offering and consistent revenue stream. Often these leaders seek out a technical firm to build the software. But building software is the easy part. The Highland team has helped services companies launch over 260 digital products over the last 20 years. We’ll lay out our step by step process for how services companies—who have never created a digital product before--can go from idea to launch, all backed up by on on-going research with hundreds of digital product leaders. You’ll learn: - The seven steps—besides building software—in creating a successful digital product for the first time. - How to get accurate, early insight to shape your product idea. - How to avoid the mistake over 40% of new digital startups make.

1. September 30, 2020
How Services Companies
Launch Successful Digital Products
DIGITAL INNOVATORS’ GUIDE

2. 2
How we’ve planned this hour
● Intro to Webinar Series
● Mapping the Landscape of Innovation
● Charting Digital Innovatorsʼ Paths
● Steps along the Path of Innovation
● Q&A
● Mingling/Networking

3. 3
Housekeeping notes
● Thereʼs a lot to get through today! Donʼt worry, youʼll
get the slides and recording after.
● Share your questions throughout in the Q&A!
● Stick around after the presentation to video-chat
with attendees & Highlanders!

4. Who we are
At Highland, we research, design, and
build digital products and experiences
for mission-driven organizations and
customer-centric companies.
Over 20 years, our team of researchers,
designers, and developers has helped
organizations launch over 260 digital
products, turning their biggest uncertainties
into opportunities for growth.

5. Strategy Product Technology ROI
What we do

7. David Whited
Director, CX Practice
Amrita Kulkarni
Lead Experience Designer
Jeff Blanchard
Director, Product Design
With you today:

8. The Disruptive Digital
Innovators’ Path
For Services Companies

9. Building the tech
is the easy part.

10. So then what’s
the hard part?
Let’s take a look.

11. End Users’ Environment & Context
How people live
their daily lives
How people want to
make progress in life
How people experience
the solution

12. HMW find unmet
or unexpressed
needs that we
can serve into?
HMW design
something feasible
& viable that solves
for these needs?
HMW confirm
& enhance the
value we create
for users?
End Users’ Environment & Context
How people live
their daily lives
How people want to
make progress in life
How people experience
the solution

13. The Landscape for Innovation
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users live
their daily lives
How users experience
the solution
How users want to
make progress in life

14. A Common Innovators’ Path
How users experience
the solution
Design &
Prototyping
Product
Definition & Plan
6 7
8
0
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life
Organizational Goal
/ Product Idea
Build & Measure

15. A Common Innovators’ Path
How users experience
the solution
Design &
Prototyping
6 7
8
0
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life
Organizational Goal
/ Product Idea
Product
Definition & Plan
Build & Measure

16. A Failed Innovators’ Path
How users experience
the solution
Organizational Goal
/ Product Idea
Product Build
0
7
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life

17. Over 40% of start-ups
make this mistake.
How do we find and
address the right needs?

18. How users experience
the solution
0
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
Target User
Research
Analogous /Extreme
User Research Synthesis
& Principles
Strategy
Modeling
Ideation, Design
& Prototyping
MVP Definition
& G2M Plan
Pilot, Metrics,
Iteration
Definition
A More Reliable Innovators’ Path
Organizational
Goal/ Product Idea
6
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life

19. Definition
The Pioneering Innovators’ Path
How users experience
the solution
0
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
Analogous /Extreme
User Research Synthesis
& Principles
Strategy
Modeling
Target User
Research
MVP Definition
& G2M Plan
Pilot, Metrics,
Iteration
Organizational
Goal/ Product Idea
6
Ideation,
Design
& Prototyping
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life

20. The Disruptive Innovators’ Path
How users experience
the solution
1
2
3 4
5
6
7 8
5
7 8
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
6
Organizational
Curiosity
Analogous /Extreme
User Research
Synthesis
& Principles
Strategy
Modeling
Target User
Research
Ideation,
Design &
Prototyping
Loops
MVP Definition
& G2M Plan
Pilot, Metrics,
Iteration
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life

21. Let’s talk about services
companies for a minute.
The risk is greater here.

22. Let’s think through
the steps
Getting to Dependable Innovation

23. Steps Along Digital Innovators’ Path
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7
Project
Definition
& Clarity
Target
User
Research
Analogous
& Extreme
User Research
Synthesis,
Insights,
& Principles
Strategy &
Business
Model
Ideation,
Design, &
Prototyping
MVP
Definition
& G2M Plan
Uncover the
heart of the
problem or
opportunity
for the firm
Observe
user behavior
to discover
motivations &
unmet needs
Learn from
workarounds,
hacks, and
behaviors in
other realms
Enable
answering the
ʻwhyʼ; forge
a direction
forward
Define a
feasible
and viable
model for the
opportunity
Brainstorm
possibilities,
co-create and
prototype
with users
Establish
product
roadmap
with desired
growth

24. Step 1: Project Definition & Clarity
Triggers that get projects
going may or may not reflect
the root cause of the
circumstance; it is important
to take a step back and get to
the core of the situation.
Whether relating to a problem
space or an opportunity space,
this phase is about setting the
right direction for the work.
Issue
Problem
Possibilities
Opportunity
Trigger

25. Step 1: Project Definition & Clarity

26. Step 2: Target User Research
Observe and understand
the actual circumstances
of your user.
Solve a problem or address
an opportunity that exists
in the real world.
Aim your solution at the
right user—and in a way that
doesnʼt make things worse.
User
User’s Circumstances

27. Step 2: Target User Research

28. Step 3: Analogous & Extreme User Research
Extreme users are typically
outside the target market,
but their behaviors help
make visible unmet needs
shared by all: through hacks
and workarounds.
Analogous research brings
a refreshed point-of-view to
the project, inspiring new
perspectives and meaning.
Extreme Users Extreme Users
Target Users

29. Step 3: Analogous & Extreme User Research

30. Take the time to let the
thoughts and perceptions
that arise out of the
research to mature.
Find simple ways to express
your insights visually so
that you can see all the
connections.
Maps and models help us
connect the dots.
Step 4: Synthesis, Insights, & Principles
Analyze
Examine
data against
assumptions
Conduct
Research
Synthesize
Form a theory
explaining
the ‘why’

31. Step 4: Synthesis, Insights, & Principles

32. Having a design direction that
delivers on an unmet need is
not enough. Considering the
practical circumstances of
feasibility in design & build,
along with viability in
financial planning is crucial.
Innovation is often to be found
in the business models around
the products or the value chain.
Step 5: Strategy & Business Model
Need
Solution
Viable Feasible

33. Step 5: Strategy & Business Model

34. This divergent phase begins
with big, unhindered ideas
that are quickly mocked-up
for testing. Nothing is precious
or final—start with many.
When prototyping early ideas
with users, the goal is to check
for desirability, not usability—
itʼs about the holistic solution,
not this feature or that button.
Step 6: Ideation, Design & Prototyping
Desirability Usability
Does the solution
resonate w/ users?
Can users accomplish
their goals?

35. Step 6: Ideation, Design & Prototyping

36. Step 6: Ideation,
Design & Prototyping

37. This step is about the discipline
of refining the product concept
into key features that will make
it initially viable. It isnʼt trying
to satisfy the vision; the vision
could be 2-5 years away.
This time is about specificity,
prioritization, and a vigorous
intent to connect core value
with core users.
Step 7: MVP Definition & G2M Plan
First
Users
Future User Segments
Feature 1
Feature 2
Feature 3
Feature 4
Feature 5
Feature 6
Feature 7

38. Step 7: MVP Definition
& G2M Plan

39. Scaled Product
Growth Product
Step 8: Pilot, Metrics, & Iteration
This step is about staying
close to usersʼ actual product
experience while adapting,
growing, and pivoting based
on learnings.
Sometimes user contexts,
motivations, or needs evolve,
and our product must listen.
Interpreting feedback
loops—both qual & quant—
help shape a living roadmap.
Validated MVP
MVP

40. So how does one
begin innovating?
By figuring out a path.

41. Where are you today? Where are you off to?
In existing markets,
when you already have a
relationship with users
In new markets, when
you donʼt yet have a
relationship with users
How users experience
the solution
How users live
their daily lives
How users want to
make progress in life

42. Wrapping Up
A few housekeeping items

43. Check out
our podcast
series:

44. Trying to launch a new digital product? Webinar attendees
are eligible for a free 45-minute consultation from Highland.
Email David with the subject line:
Digital Innovatorsʼ Guide Webinar
Let’s Talk

45. We’d love to talk more!
David Whited
Director, CX Practice
dwhited@highlandsolutions.com
Amrita Kulkarni
Lead Experience Designer
akulkarni@highlandsolutions.com
Jeff Blanchard
Director, Product Design
jblanchard@highlandsolutions.com