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One way in which a number of companies have successfully innovated is to take a fast, iterative approach to designing and rethinking their products and services. This article from User Interface Engineering describes how it is standard operating practice at Netflix and Google to constantly improve their websites and to launch new services, then quickly learn from user feedback. These continual experiments result in many failures, but also some notable successes. In both cases, this approach to design has catapulted Google and Netflix to the top of their niches.
This article outlines a number of benefits of fast iteration, which I will summarize here, but which I suggest you read about by clicking through to read the full text:
- Fail fast
- More experimentation
- Learn quickly
- Provide continuing interest for users (who will appreciate your ongoing efforts to improve)
In addition, the article summarizes several side effects of adopting a fast iterative approach:
- A culture change toward ongoing change and improvement
- Design determinism - ongoing testing, improvement, not the occasional "redesign"
- A new focus on managing designers - if they develop get too emotionally invested in their designs, that's a problem...
While both of these examples are web services, there may be some lessons that you can take away from Google's and Netflix's fast, iterative environments and adapt to your own needs. How can you put this strategy to work in your organization? |
