Details:

Cook & Archie’s
1a/4 Buckingham St, Surry Hills
Thursday, 25 Feb
From 8.30am onwards

Topic: Innovation – how (not) to kill it!

By now, most of you will be well settled into the new year, with new objectives, new recruits and new deadlines… but have you allowed time to really drive innovation? And if you are one of the lucky ones who have the time, where do you start?

Regardless of whether you are ‘naturally innovative’, it’s important to note that business innovation rarely happens in isolation. It requires teamwork. It requires key stakeholers to work together. And this is where it gets messy. Whilst you might be a natural innovator that doesn’t mean everyone on your team is. So how are you going to work together to innovate?

This is where your good friend PROCESS steps in!

I have to admit, at first, the idea of a ‘creative process’ seemed counterintuitive (perhaps because it sounded too much like an oxymoron).

But after delving deeper, I’m pleased to report to the naysayers that process can guide innovation – offering hidden pathways on an otherwise dead end road. For some, the creative process can be so dauntinging, it’s sometimes reassuring to know that at each step you have a little handy helper to set you on your way. It’s like your innovation GPS.

Here’s my tips for innovation (inspired by a recent Innovation workshop with Brainmates):

1. Know when you are in ‘innovation mode’ and when it’s time to knuckle down and focus on what can really be achieved.
2. Stay positive, listen and play nicely together.
3. Have an innovation plan so you know when you’re meeting your targets.
4. Get out of your meeting rooms, kick off your shoes & have some fun!
5. And… when it doubt – call in The Consultants (they really can be helpful sometimes!)

What works for you?

Looking forward to seeing you at #pmm

@mishymash

Ps. And for anyone looking for a great innovation workshop, keep an eye on Brainmates for more details.

PPs. For anyone interested, join me for Vindaloo against violence #VagainstVon Wed-24 Feb http://vagainstvsurryhills.eventbrite.com

I LOVE it there and would go back in a heartbeat. I love the food. I love the humidity. I love the people. And whilst I understand that Thailand isn’t for everyone, since our return in January, quite a few peeps have asked me for travel tips, so here it goes…

Where to go

Being a beach lover, I couldn’t resist the lure of the Andaman Coast in Southern Thailand. Whilst some parts are quite touristy and commercial, somehow it’s just tacky enough to work. As with most countries, the easier the commute, the more tourists go there, which is probably part of the reason why Phuket is so popular!

Koh Lanta, Krabi

Numerous friends of ours recommended Koh Lanta and I can’t say I was disappointed! We flew into Bangkok from Sydney, stayed overnight, then took the first flight out to Krabi. You can access Koh Lanta from Phuket or Krabi, but it’s a slightly shorter commute from Krabi. As we arrived on Christmas Day, I thought it best to organise a private transfer from Krabi airport to our hotel – and I have to say that I’m glad I did! It was definitely an easy way to travel. Our driver (orgnised by the hotel), met us at the airport, then we drove in an air conditioned mini-van for about 1hr, then the van boarded a ferry, then we drove for a bit, boarded another ferry, then we drove for about 10 minutes and were promptly deposited in our lovely room at Lanta Sand Spa and Resort.

We booked our accommodation about 48 hours before we arrived, and there weren’t that many options (being so close to New Years), but we figured it was a good enough place to spend a week or two!  I have to say, at first I wasn’t that impressed. The people were nice, the rooms are huge, but for a couple such as us, it seemed a little family friendly! That said, it was in a great location, on the best part of Klong Beach. As it got closer to New Years, a slightly more party friendly crowd arrived, but it still felt really safe and friendly. If staying there again, I’d book a room with pool access.

Pro’s: It’s quiet beaches are magical, it’s a great launch point to see the secluded islands of the Trang Province and Krabi. Much of the island is jungle, so you can still see elephants and the like. And… the food was AMAZING.

Con’s: It’s a bit too quite sometimes (eg. the hotels are a bit of a ghost town), there’s few long-tail boats from the beach, which means you have to rely on organised tours a little more.

Highlights:

• Boat trips to Koh Rok, and Koh Ngai (four island day trip) and to Phi Phi/Maya Bay (which all included amazing snorkeling), complete with hidden beaches inside Emerald Cave.
• 1 day cooking course – I booked through Lanta Thai Cookery School (Time for Lime was all booked out, but that’s supposed to be even better!).
• Jungle trek in Klong Jark (+66 (0) 84-7447060) – What we thought would be a stroll to a waterfall turned into a real jungle adventure, complete with monkeys, bats, secret caves and some other surprises! Our guides were great though they spoke little english. I would NOT recommend this unless you are feeling particularly fit and adventurous!
• New Years Eve beach party complete with fire-twirlers.
• Sizzle plates at Suza Hut restaurant.
• Amazing seafood by the restaurants at the pier.
• Massages by the beach (a first for me!)
• The amazingly clear, warm tropical water, perfect for lilo-ing.

Booking: We booked directly through the hotel, but Agoda had good rates too. You can book day trips via the hotels (more expensive) or in Saladin town.

Next time I would… Plan to have a few nights on Koh Ngai, or camp out at Koh Rok. I’d love to stay at Pimalae, and go to Same Same But Different (the restaurant there which is supposed to be amazing). I’d definitely go back, though I’d consider looking for different accommodation next time.

Koh Phi Phi

Ah… Phi Phi… my first true love. If I could buy a holiday home there, I would. Actually, if I could move there for a few years, I would be in heaven.

Whilst it’s far busier than Koh Lanta and Ao Nang, there’s a certain energy to the place that I just adore. Everyone, even the sunburnt British backpackers are smiling. The scenery is breathtaking and there really is something for everyone. The place can get really stinky (it’s a small island, that gets floods of tourists and let’s just say that the plumbing could do with an overhaul), but none of that seems to matter when you cast an eye across the beach, looking out toward the amazing green, jungle-like cliffs, whilst you sip your Mai Tai and eat a giant bowl of clams (all of which cost about AUD $6). It’s a fun tropical paradise, which caters for the party crowd, the romantics, the little kids, the big kids, the crazy kids and everyone in between.

I think the key to enjoying Phi Phi is to stay somewhere really nice (unless your a 20-something single that is, in which case, you should stay in the beach huts). The only place I can recommend is the Phi Phi Cabana. It’s one of the oldest hotels, the rooms are a bit crap but it’s worth it for the pool alone! It’s a little expensive, but you can get some great low-season rates.

Pro’s: It’s just a really fun place! Take a long-tail out for the day (ask for Chai – he sits just outside of the Phi Phi Cabana & is definitely our favourite).

Take a walk up to the lookout point and then wander through the jungle down to the other side of the island where you can stop for a cooling ale and a dip.

Con’s: It’s a bit claustrophobic during peak season, but I think that adds to the atmosphere. Definitely skip Maya Bay unless you are there in a lower season. The food is mostly very commercial (ask for Thai hot if you want anything other than extra mild!).

Highlights:

• Taking long-tails out to Monkey Bay, Bamboo Island, Koh Phi Phi Lay & many hours of great snorkelling in between.
• I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but it has burgundy tablecloths and is right near the beach past the main shopping area – they have the best food on the island. The crab and clams are particularly good!
• Pad Thai lady – all she makes is Pad Thai, but it’s great & a fun place to stop for a quick lunch.
• Sipping mango shakes by the pool at the Cabana, trying to decide if we should go for a swim in the pool or the ocean. Tough decisions.
• Watching crazy tourists play jump rope and limbo with fire (it’s right on the main beach and is VERY entertaining).

Booking: We booked directly through the hotel which was much cheaper, they’ll organise transfers etc for you too. Email info@phiphi-cabana.com (they sometimes take a while to respond!)

Next time I would… Stay an extra week, month or year & I’d get all my friends to join me there!

Phuket

We planned a one night stopover in Phuket which I REALLY wasn’t looking forward to. I’d heard from friends that it was dirty, loud and full of drunk tourists. This may be true, but we still had a lot of fun there and I wish we could have stayed longer! We were fortunate enough to be staying in a great boutique hotel called Burasari, just off Patong Beach. We were upgrade to the Glam Splash room which had a private pool entrance. What impressed us, other than the location and the beautifully appointed hotel, was the friendliness of the staff.

Our overnight package included complimentary pick up (which sadly we forgot to organise!), breakfast, banquet dinner and an amazing room which cost us about $90 AUD (even without the upgrade, I’m sure the room would have still been ample). Whilst it is child friendly, it doesn’t have a kids club, so if you’re looking for a more resort experience, this is not it!

Pro’s: It’s dead easy to get to and getting around is a cinch – Tuk-Tuks, cars and minivans are everywhere and it is easy to beach hop to escape the crazier crowds, and there are huge resorts which offer services for adults and kids alike. If you’re trying to get away from Patong, Kata beach is a little further north and supposedly a little less drunkard, but hey – you’re in Phuket – you might as well just go for gold! From Sydney, you can fly direct to Phuket, or a flight from Bangkok is about 1 hour.

Con’s: It’s noisy and busy (think Bangkok on a beach) and the beaches are packed by 10am.

Highlights: Our dinner at Burasari!

Booking: We booked directly through the hotel’s online booking service, though next time I would contact Yavaveev (Jay) at the tourist information desk (he said he could help us out!).

Ao Nang, Krabi

I origionally wanted to go to Ao Nang so I could see Koh Panyee – the Muslim fishing village. I thought it looked interesting, and I was right, but it certainly wasn’t the highlight! There was so much more to see and do! Though, we were there in low season so it was a bit like a ghost town.

There are some great day trips and sight seeing. We stayed at the Krabi Thai Village, which was lovely and spacious though I’m not 100% sure I’d rush to go back, it’s worth a look.

Pro’s: It’s a good mid-way point, there’s lots of fun sightseeing and it’s nowhere near as busy as Phuket (plus it’s a little cheaper).

Con’s: It just lacks a bit of atmosphere.

Highlights:

• Day trip to the national park with Mel – we went to the mangroves, ate amazing food, visited an elephant sanctuary and just had a blast!
• James Bond Island trip, canoeing through caves, plus lunch at Koh Panyee

Booking: We booked directly through the hotel’s site.

Bangkok

I’d only recommend Bangkok if you’re a serious shopper or really love temples & big cities. Whilst I didn’t hate it, it’s just not my kind of holiday. When we were there in May we stayed at the Davis Hotel, which was nice, but it felt very much geared toward the corporate crowd and not in the best location for the average tourist.

In December, we stayed overnight at the Miracle Hotel, which included transfers to/from the airport. It was very reasonable, close to the airports and more than adequate if you’re just passing through.

Pro’s: The food, the chaos and the shopping (if you like that kind of thing!). It’s easy to get around on the metro & taxi’s are everywhere.

Con’s: It’s noisy and busy, the tuk-tuk drivers will literally take you for a ride (don’t take the tuk-tuk from the temples/palace – they will make you stop at suit shops which they exchange for fuel vouchers!).

Highlights: Pete nearly getting arrested for littering, the Ladyboy Cabaret Show, the reclining buddha at Wat Po.

Booking: We booked through Agoda, which had the best rates.

Next time I would… Try to plan my flights so that I can skip Bangkok.

Our next trip?

I know it might be a bit premature, but I already know where I want to go next time (and there will be a next time!). The plan is: Chiang Mai jungle trek  & elephant sanctuary, do one of the 5 day cooking courses, learn to dive in Koh Tao (near Samui) and return to the South, perhaps permanently.

Overall, @armyofdolls & I loved both of our trips. If you’re planning on going, feel free to take us along with you – we’re more than happy to offer our tour guide services in exchange for an all expenses paid trip.

So, what did you love/hate about your Thailand trip?

Korb koon ka,

Mishy

Ps. I’m still uploading photos, but as soon as they’re online, I’ll add links here. You can check out some of the videos at

Pps. I used TripIt to put together my itinerary and it was really helpful! Highly recommend it.

Here’s a few things I’ve learnt over the past few years in product management:

• Responding to the community is not the same as reacting to the community
• Good communication does not mean ‘I sent you an email’
• ‘Agile’ does not have to be fragile
• ‘Now’ means ‘now’, not later
• Managing remote teams is difficult, but it is a great way to learn about another culture
• If you’re not failing somewhere, you aren’t trying hard enough
• Extreme programming does not require a crash helmet
• Team bonding often occurs late at night (usually coinciding with server meltdowns or releases)
• ‘Ruby on Rails’ is not a new Mattel product (nor a porno)
• Just because you can use Photoshop, it doesn’t mean you know good design
• Metrics and site statistics are only part of the story
• People can hear when you are smiling
• When communicating with your legal team, the term ‘privileged’ comes in handy
• Sometimes it’s helpful to be a ‘jack of all trades’
• A ‘no-one leaves the building’ policy is handy around release time

So, before I sign off and head to #shtbox for drinks, a huge thanks to the following people:

Rob & Nick – Thanks for all your support. I appreciate the confidence you have in me and look forward to working with you again in the future.

To the team at Pollenizer… You know I love you guys (esp. Jon, Mick & Phil – but the rest of you rock too)! Thanks for all your wise words and advice. And Mick – thanks for ensuring focus and helping me define my path.

To the X-Minds team… It’s been a fun journey and I appreciate all your hard work over the last 2 years.

To the Exist/Sydneo team… You guys are truly awesome! Jason Torres – it was such a pleasure working with you and getting to know you! I hope to meet you and the team F2F one day

To @armyofdolls … Thanks for supporting me through the craziness. I hope to return the favour one day.

And to all the people I met with, leached ideas off, explored new ventures with, and especially to all the Product Mavens… you really inspired me to do so many, many, many things (not least of which included setting up Product Mavens and taking a last minute holiday to Thailand over Xmas!).

So who’s joining me for drinks?

Over and out.

Mishy

Ps. If you’re thinking that this post was inspired by @dekrazee1 then you are 100% right! Rai, you are the community queen & I wish you the best of luck for the future!

I have no idea if this is actually how you are supposed to make this dish, but it tastes perfect to me! This dish is all about the tofu, so don’t clutter it with too many veges (though, if you’re not into tofu, I’m sure a fish version of this would be delicious – though you might need to reverse the cooking process and cook the fish before the vegetables).

Like most Thai food, this dish is best cooked just before serving, and of course it needs a very generous portion of unsalted, medium or long grain rice to accompany it!

Ingredients:

• 1-3 red Birdseye chili, sliced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, thick slices (if it’s too thin it will burn)
• 1/2 cup of diced vegetables (I used a mixture of long beans, capsicum and baby corn, but if you have a sweet tooth, add some chopped pineapple)
• 1 ripe tomato, diced
• 2 cups silken Tofu, chopped into large cubes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon of peanut or sunflower oil (or a mix of both)
• 3/4 cup hot vegetable stock
• 1-2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1-2 teaspoon sugar
• 1-2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• large handful of coriander (separate leaves from stems, roughly chop stems)
• 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
• rice to serve

Method:

Basically, you’re going to cook the veges, add the tofu, season the sauce and then eat it!

1. Pat the tofu dry with a towel, then lightly coat the cubes in cornstarch and set aside (the tofu MUST be dry else the cornstarch will go gluggy). If you can’t be bothered to do this step, I’m sure it will still work out just fine (though the sauce might be a little thin and the tofu might break apart a little – don’t say I didn’t warn you!).
2. Add the oil to a hot wok.
3. When the wok begins to smoke, add the vegetables and stir for 1 minute on high heat, then push the veges to one side of the wok.
4. Add the tofu to the empty side of the wok – do not stir it immediately, wait until the tofu is sealed (otherwise it will fall apart)
5. After about 1 minute, the tofu should be heated through, lightly browned on 1 side and juices should be releasing from the tomato & other vegetables. You can stir it gently now!
6. Add 1/4 of the stock and let it bubble away for a few seconds, then add coriander stems, sugar, salt, pepper, fish sauce & soy, stir gently, and switch the wok to medium heat.
7. At this point, I’d recommend you taste your sauce. It should be spicy, a little sweet and quite salty (but don’t worry, the rice and tofu should mellow it out). If you need to re-season the dish add more stock and season to taste (but remember, the stock is salty too!). Once you’re happy with the flavours, it’s time to plate up! The seasoning might need to be adjusted depending on which vegetables you are using (if you want more sauce, add more vegetable stock, but be careful not to overcook the veges).
8. To serve, pile the tofu over hot rice, top with coriander leaves, peanuts and a generous splash of fresh lime.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: approx 4-5 minutes.

Project Management Tip: A little planning goes a long way.

Ps. @Ycnt_ibdonlyjen – You’ll have to let me know how it turns out!

Throughout 2009, I struggled to find the right tool set for the product development and roadmap planning. I was mostly working with external resources, with limited budgets and I also made the switch from PC to Mac, so there were a lot of adjustments.

I moved from Visio to OmniGraffle and from MS Project to Omni-Plan, but what I found for the most part, was that there are a lot of tools out there that achieve similar results, so it’s not the ‘technology’ that’s important, it’s how you use it.

My advice? Have a plan in place, not only for ‘project management’, but for yourself personally, as a Product Manager. Know that for internal concept work, you are only going to use quick and dirty tools like Skitch, and you’ll only consider wireframing tools once you know the concept is solid. Have a plan, and be brave.

Here’s some of my favourites from 2009 which I plan to continue using in 2010…

Planning tools
OmniPlan for roadmaps and Green-hopper/Jira for issues management and sprint planning

Wireframing tools
OmniGraffle for basic wireframes (recommend the Pro version only), Skitch for super quick mark-ups, Jing for video screen captures, and Photoshop for more detailed designs. I also find Formspring (and similar form creation tools) useful – it’s particularly helpful for demos, so you can actually show your colleagues/clients a working prototype of your forms (with conditions etc).

Document management
Confluence for ‘wiki’ style communication, GoogleDocs for document collaboration (not the most advanced tools, but they are reliable and easy for everyone to access) and drop-box for file sharing.

(I can see a pattern emerging in my personal usage with OmniGroup and Atlassian products, but I’m no loyalist, so if you have any other recommendations, I’m open to ideas!)

I’m also keen to try Google Wave as a collaboration tool for product planning. After all, it’s been designed as a collaboration tool, so it will be interesting to see the uptake in industry.

The other tool I’d like to use more in 2010 is my voice. In 2010, I’d like to have more phone calls, more skype talks, more face to face meetings, more voiceovers on my videos, more informal chats and overall, more vocal communication. Tone conveys so much, and without it, so much is lost. Emoticons just don’t cut it anymore.

In keeping with my voice-activation aspirations for 2010, I’ve arranged a F2F meetup for Product Mavens – our first meetup for 2010!

When: Thursday, 21 Jan, from 8.30am onwards (til about 10am)

Where: Cook & Archie’s 1a/4 Buckingham St, Surry Hills

Topic: What tools or frameworks will you be using to plan your product roadmap and related activities for 2010?

Hope to chat with you soon!

Here’s the insights:

Employ processes that work for you. Everything will work a lot better if everyone is on the same page – with the same expectations. Having solid processes (be it ‘agile’ or whatever works best for your team) can be a lifesaver, especially around stressful times like releases when you don’t want to be thinking about how to administer the project, you just want to be thinking about all the individual tasks that need to be finalised!

Get into a routine and stick to it. If it doesn’t work, make small changes every few days/weeks until you get it right. Making radical process changes can be very confusing, so take baby steps and get everyone’s input and agreement before implementing the changes.

Use your tools effectively. There’s loads of ways to communicate with your remote teams without investing in huge overheads. I find that (like with processes) it’s best to stick to a few tools and use them effectively.

My favourites are:

• Skype – This is the best replacement for face to face that I’ve found. I use this for our daily scrums/huddles or any other chit-chat that would usually occur F2F. Call costs are cheap, though we stick mostly with chat (so we have records of our conversations).
• Jira – Issue management tools are a must! It forces you to put in place a workflow – just make sure everyone is aware of the process (ie. who to assign tasks to, what is a bug versus an improvement etc). Jira starer licenses are only $10 so it’s worth a try! If you’re into agile, it’s worthwhile checking out Greenhopper while you’re there.
• Confluence – This is like a wiki, and it’s handy for text/documents. For me, it’s where documents go to die, but it’s useful for record keeping. For example, we put all our test cases there  so it’s easy for everyone to access (and yes, we could use google docs or similar, but I found it too confusing – it was better to have a dedicate space). Starter licenses are also available for $10.
• Email – This is really one of the last resorts for communication. It’s too clumsy and things get lost. Plus, a lot of people don’t effectively manage their Inbox (eg. ‘Inbox Zero‘), so it can just turn into a hairy mess! That said, it is of course an essential communication tool – but just make sure everyone uses it in the same way (eg. if you’re using a bug tracking tool, make sure you don’t report bugs via email – it confuses everyone and it’s just likely that the issue will not get fixed!).
• Phone - What else are you meant to do when skype fails?
  
• Text – Have a text policy (or at least acknowledge an agreed protocol). Use text sparingly for blockers only eg. the site is down. Reserve it for the really important issues and you’ll find you get a much better response!

Embrace the cultural. Often working with an outsourced team means working with another culture – one which may or may not be similar to your own. Without harping on about it too much (I’m a student of sociology, so I could rattle on about this forever… buy me a drink and I’ll talk your ear off about this topic!), there are a few basic things to watch for:

• Respect the local age/gender roles – some countries have very strict rules about this and it can impact the structure of your team
• Be mindful of the local festivals and holidays and try not to schedule your major releases around these times if at all possible
• Be aware of the politeness rules that many cultures adopt (eg. always saying ‘yes’ to a superior)
• Be aware of the company’s hierarchy when dealing with conflict resolution / HR issues

Play nice. Without having ever met face to face, and with only a handful of skype calls each week, it’s easy to forget that it’s real people, not magical freaking pixies, who are completing tasks. Treat outsourced developers as you would your in-house developers, invest some time in small talk, say ‘hi’ once in a while and (without being too naff) make sure they know ‘you’ are a real person’. It makes late night releases and problem solving a whole lot easier if you understand the personalities you’re working with!

Tip: Fusion food is tricky and knowing which spices work well together is an art. Does szechuan and fennel work together? How about turmeric and oregano? It’s worth a try, but always be sure to taste it before you serve it to your loved ones.

In keeping with all other social gatherings at this time of year, we’re moving from the cafe to the bar (tis the silly season after all!)

Here’s the details…

When: Wednesday 16th December, 12.30 for lunch (or just drop by).

Where: Trinity Bar, Corner Crown Street & Devonshire Street, Surry Hills (meals from $15)

What to bring: A $5 present (wrapped) for Kris Kringle (See Thieving Secret Santa for details).

RSVP: By 14th December (just add a comment here, or DM @mishymash or @schmediachick)

Hope you can make it!

Be kind to each other,

@mishymash + @schmediachick

It’s a casual coffee catchup – nothing planned… just an opportunity to chinwag with product peeps.

When?
Wed 18 Nov, 8.30-10am

Where?
Cook & Archies, 4 Buckingham Street, Surry Hills map

For more details, click here.

See you there?

@mishymash

#pmm

And worse still… selecting the ‘wrong’ name can make someone else’s life hell! (you’ll see why in a minute).

So, here’s a few things to think about when it comes to product names (especially products you plan to market online, which is pretty much every product):

• Don’t use the word ‘Free’ or ‘Cash’ or any derivatives! Why? Because the minute you try to do any direct marketing via email (eDM) you’ll discover that all your emails will get blocked and end up in SPAM/Junk folders. Similarly, don’t use the word ‘Cash’ or symbols like ‘$’. It might sound obvious, but in the past year, I’ve worked with two brands who had this exact issue (they shall remain nameless… for now). So, if you would ever like to deliver eDM’s to anyone using Outlook, check out the Microsoft junk email filter list for words to avoid. (Note, these words are also pretty terrible for SEO).
• Keep it short. No one likes a long domain name! Plus, unless you have an exceptionally talented designer, when you shrink it down to 50×50 pixels no one will be able to read it. If you’re stuck with a long name, try shortening it (use acronyms, initials etc) so you have something to put on your favicon!
• Make sure all alias’ are available. Don’t just grab the .com and run for the hills! Make sure you grab the twitter account and any other tools you think you’ll use for marketing in the future. Also, if your hunting for a domain, do it all in one sweep or else domain stalkers will get it before you dive in.
• Make sure people can say it and spell it. This is a somewhat important point, but there are exceptions to this rule (for instance, no one knew how to spell or pronounce ‘Kazaa‘, but that was part of the appeal). If you’re starting out, you want people to be able to find you. In the olden days, if you sent a letter to Mrs S. Fry in Newcastle, the letter would more than likely find it’s way to Mrs S. Fry. However, these days, it’s a little harder. One key stroke can be the difference between your potential customer finding you or landing in the abyss. Weird spelling of wordz for the most part should be left in the 90’s (unless you are particularly linguistically talented).
• Make sure the name can grow with the business. Made up words are great for growth. Google have proven that! With a made up word, your product ‘can’ be anything. But there is a word of warning here too… if you have a simple product and you’re pretty confident that your product is going to stay the same way for a while, then name it appropriately! OzWeather (an iPhone app that tells you the weather in Australia) is a good example. At first, when it was launched I thought “what a shame they didn’t give it a more generic name like ‘WeatherMate’ or something that could go global”. But then I realised that (for now) OzWeather is focused on the Australian market, so it’s a great name! If it grows to New Zealand or any other country, I assume the name can be tailored to the target market. Customising the name for the specific market can also have it’s advantages, and big brands do it all the time – especially when dealing with differing cultural or sporting terms (think Soccer v Football). That said, the majority of products out there are not instant global hits, and it’s important to keep that in mind when naming your product! But remember, names aren’t entirely static – performers change them all the time!

So, this post was really written in the hope that one day I’ll be naming a new product at which point I can refer back to this post and then thank myself for the timely reminder.

Thanks for reading and if you have any hints or tips I’d love to hear from you!

Mishy

ps. For the foodies out there, when it comes to understanding the importance of a name, think about a word like ‘Gelatin’. If they called it what it really is (collagen from animal skin & bones), would vegetarians take more care to exclude it from their diets? Or better yet, if ‘Rennet’ was called ‘Baby Cow Stomach’ would you still find cheese as appealing? Probably, cos it’s delicious, but it might put a few people off!

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini (aka courgettes)
• 1 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 4 eggs (lightly beaten)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essense
• 3 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175^oC
2. Grease and line 2 x loaf tins (or grease & dust with flour)
3. This is where it gets tricky… Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add all the other ingredients
4. Mix to combine, then pour into the prepared loaf tins
5. Bake for approx. 1 hr in a fan forced oven
6. Leave in tin for a few minutes, then turn onto wire to cool completely

Experimental variations

Carrot, beetroot, sweet potato & corn

Project management take-home

As mentioned, this recipe makes 2 x loaves and whilst you could half it, I never have.

“Why?” you ask…

Because, as anyone who’s hard-drive has failed will know, it’s always good to have a back up!