Design you product based on your believe and point of view

 This January, Ubuntu had just released their new OS, to everyone surprise, its not the new desktop operating system (that they usually released in April), but this time a smartphone OS. It is still based on Ubuntu core technology and design philosophy, but tweaked and redesign to fit smartphone screen and usage pattern.

And I like to mention again about the core technology. It is important for us to select (the right) and develop our core technology (especially if you are work or own a technology company). If you doing it right, you can expand your product portfolio easily, well at least, you already has all the need to create a new product based on it. This Ubuntu case is another perfect example of having the right core technology that can be adapted and expanded into another product/form.

Anyway, I would like to talk about another thing in this share.

As you all know, today, there are so many smartphone on the market. In term of platform, today we have 3 major smartphone platform.

They are Apple iOS, Google Android and RIM Blackberry OS. But, there are other less popular platform. They are Microsoft Windows Mobile 8, Jolla Sailfish OS and of course Ubuntu.

Before moving on, lets see the home screen of these Smartphone OS/platform.

 

Jolla Sailfish OS

 

Ubuntu for smartphone

 

Windows Phone 8

 

While, we might can't get the real feel how each of the work just by seeing at the home screen, at least we can see that each of the are quite different (okay, some of them also have similar UI with the other, but we will let the lawyer deal with that).

The question is, how they could come with so many different user interface for the same product called smartphone OS/platform. And..if you want to create another one smartphone OS, how can we design another one that would compete, robust, easy to use but quite different?

Different is something that marketing guru always said all the time. But, how can we make differentiation? Just make it different from the rest?

Ok, lets find out more about our case this time.

Back to the smartphone OS/platform.I think you must already know that each of these smartphone OS/platform is come from different kind of company, with their own history, focus, core (again), previous product (some of them is not event a cellphone company) and services.

This background makes them have different point of view when considering a perfect smartphone OS. In my humble opinion, their different point of view is the main basic enabler to make different product and services for them. Their point of view is one of the main key for delivering unique product.

Lets talk about them one by one. We look again who they are, their history, main product (past or present) and their character.

Apple

Apple started as a computer/PC manufacturer. They are famous with their good quality and ease of use. Apple also known as one of a view PC manufacturer that also develop their own OS, the MacOS.

In the early 2000's, they develop a portable music player that will change the world, the iPod. But, if you closely, its not the iPod that ill change everything, for me its actually the iTunes. iTunes marks the beginning of a new era, where a hardware is closely match and tight with a special locked services system. This combination later on, will be known as an ecosystem.

In Apple case, this ecosystem (for them) is an extension of what they believe, to deliver best possible user experience and ease of use. No wonder, today we see that the iPod-iTunes ecosystem model is used in all their product, ie iPhone, iPad and even Mac PC.

Google

Google is an advertising agency that looks like a search engine company :) well, at least that is what we know right now.

I think their goals is to provide search (or we might says, information that matters, related and needed by its user) that as easy as possible, as quick as possible and as accurate as possible. And in the dawn of PC era, they try to bring "the search" to all modern computing platform.

This is why, some says, is real the reason they develop Android in the first place. To deliver search to the most personal computing platform, your smartphone or tablet, first hand without other party as a conductor (Apple launch Siri in 2011, eliminate the need for iOS devices to go to Google for any information you needed).

 

If you follow Google movement, they recently release Google Now and Google Glass. This two product will mark another step to bring related information (tailored just for you) first hand, up and center that almost automatically and feels like magic.

 

This is Google. From helping you when you want to know something, to have bring something you want to know or needed before you know it.

Blackberry (previously known as RIM)

Yes, these is the one that actually a smartphone company. And they are quite unique actually. They are among the first to offer you both the hardware (the actual cellphone) and the services (email and BBM). It something now we know in fancy world as “ecosystem”.

Blackberry core is text communication – email and bbm. Today when text based communication is available in various new medium (twitter, facebook, path, whatsapp, line etc) they embrace them. If you happen to try or have their new Z10 with Blackberry OS 10, you cloud see all the text massage is placed into one accessible interface.

 

 

In Blackberry OS 10, there is a Blackberry hub that contain all your text based communication

They also known for very good quality (physical) keyboard, something that very logical for a text based communication devices. But, in todays screen only smartphone, the need a better than the rest on screen keyboard.

 

This is what Blackberry is. this is why their product looks and behaves that way.

Microsoft

They once ruled the world with their Microsoft Windows OS and Microsoft Office while back in the PC era. Today, the world have shifted, people tend to spend more time and to do more on mobile devices such as smartphone and tablet.

For Microsoft, they think that your smartphone and tablet is a PC too, but, generally, we think a PC is that old big beige box or your heavyweight laptop. And they losing the market mindshare.

Today they try to repositioning their Windows OS to make it relevant with todays mobile devices with touchscreen trend. All that devices is a PC, but with a new kind of interaction and form factor, so they should run on top of Windows OS. They result, you can look and feel it on new Windows 8.

Jolla

Im sure almost no one know about this company. This is a new smartphone OS/platform company, build by ex Nokia engineer (that once work for Nokia killed Maemo/Meego Linux based smartphone OS) that got fired by Mr Elop (Nokia current CEO).

Guys and girls at Jolla believe in Maemo/Meego mobile Linux platform, and the Qt based core technology. So, they continues the development of the platform, and build the company for it.

 

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a company build by Mark Shuttleworth, he is a self made millionaire and private astronaut from South Africa. He found Ubuntu base on believe that Linux (or opensource software ) should be part of everyday lives. We also heard they said that Ubuntu is a Linux for human being.

It started as a Linux distribution company for server use (much more like Redhat or Suse), but along the way has transform beyond that with their own unique technology and approaches. Now they produces Linux based desktop operating system for your PC or laptop (that you can download and install for free) and offer various cloud based services.

Part of their believe that Linux is for human being and be part of our everyday lives, as of last year (if im not mistaken) Mark Shuttleworth proposed that Ubuntu will expand their presence in todays computing devices or smart devices. The first product that shows up is the Ubuntu for smart TV, then for smartphone and the last one Ubuntu for tablet.

Ubuntu will soon have OS for every new generation of computing devices, and so does Microsoft (and Blackberry too says some rumours)

Now, can we see it?

Their different point of view and believe makes them have different product for the same product.

Is this the same as differentiation?

Not quite. I think there are some similarity with the concept of “product differentiation”, only that product differentiation usually came from marketing team. They tend to look at the market, measuring, mapping,talked with people of some product good, bad and preferences. After that, they try to find a “hole” in the market, and filled it with a new product.

I don't says that this approach is bad or not working. This approach actually works for many company. But, from my limited exploration, I see that this approach usually came up with product variant (style, material or sets of feature) or try to enter a new segment (price point) for the same product.

On the other hand, the company with strong believe and have unique point of view for something, usually can came up with more original product. They can even bring a totally new kind of product that never exist before.

But of course, like all product and invention, for one to success, there are more variable that the two approach i write about. The history is full of a product that came up from the founder believe and point of view, and some of them fail, just like any other business.

So, do you have your own believe and unique point of view?

Collective Innovation

About a week ago, when i watch TVOne, a local news channel, i see something unsual that day. That time, they had a interview with some college student who build a small car (about 1:5 of normal car). And there is something special about this car, it use..i dont know it in English..bleach? that solvent that we use to whitening our clothes..? ya, that one.. They use it as a fuell of the car.

image courtesy of okezone.com

I personally salute them for what they've achieve..then, it makes me thinking..

Maybe i don't understand completely the concept behind the car..but, i can't imagine the practical use or even the future direction behind this innovation.
Why would we use bleach as a fuel?..well, i sure they know why..

Then again, this makes me think again..this time about innovation and our understanding about the future direction.

Today, one of the fastest innovation happens in mobile devices industry. I like to take some example, Android. Android innovation goes so fast, very fast..this year alone we've seen 2 major release, the honeycomb and tomorrow Ice Cream Sandwich.

But, if we look deeper, Android is actually made from other separate innovation. There are parts that (maybe) in the beginning develop separately. Android is build on top of other innovation like Linux kernel, Dalvik virtual machine, some Java and many other.

So, what is this Android has to do with the car a tell you before?

Maybe "Smaller" innovation, if we, as a society can figure it out whats next, can be use to build a "bigger" one in term of complexity and impact.

In case of cars..or maybe we can say automotive. "Smaller" innovation can be better hydrogen container, social traffic system, foam from natural fiber and so on. This can help us achieve whats next in automotive industry - in this case cheaper, smarter and more green personal transportation.

Designer and Businessman

Today at bisnis-smart maling list at Yahoo groups, i read Mr Sangadi posting about his will to start making a kid furniture.
This post quickly had my attention. So i reply to him, and offer my services to help him to design a better kid furniture.

Soon, i had his response to my offer.

To my surprise, i had a very positive response from Mr Sangadi.
But bellow that firstline, there is a statement that i already hear from time to time.
People is still wasnt sure to work with product designer.
And one of the main cause is the price they had to pay for the design services.

How we can solve this problem.
And i think we all have to.
Because this is for the sake of all product designer and the product owner too.

If the product owner cant have a innovative product, theirs wont sell good.
Or they have to spend more money on the production because their product doesnt developed properly.
This two things is really important these day, when we all over flooded with product, from many kind of design and function that are so cheap (relatively).

So they key success is a very well designed product - Because good design means good business !

On the other way around, if everything continue this way, things will get bad for product designer.

So what is the solution?
To be honest i dont have one.
But maybe first thing to do is both side must try to understand each other.
Businessman must respect designer work and the value of their concept.
Designer must understand businessman fear, thus they must create an exellent concept and more flexible when negotiate about fee.

Base on this, i have a tought about colaboraton concept between bothside.
Im thinking, maybe designer can give their concept for free at first.

And then, let the sales talk.

Maybe after some quantities of the product sold, then designer may earn his money in.
This could be royalti base or pay per concept base.

Is a win-win solution right.?

Businessman can have a good product with great value.
Designer can have more product portfolio, recognation dan at last something do keep their
lives going,eg, money :)


Well, it just a tought anyway.

But it could be work somehow.


What do you think?