Evolving Desirability, Viability, Feasibility Framework for Changing Markets
The D, V, F Framework needs to evolve to account for the demands of an everchanging and complex market.
In a stroke of brilliance in innovation by legendary design firm IDEO more than two decades ago, the Desirability/Viability/Feasibility framework made prominent strides in reducing the risk of bringing ideas to market. The framework, while instrumental in catapulting numerous products and services from mere concepts to reality, now faces a question of its adequacy in navigating the labyrinthine challenges of today's VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) world. How do we evolve this consistently successful formula into something that not only survives but thrives amid the contemporary waves of uncertainty?
No doubt, you have been inundated with the point that the times companies find themselves in currently is disruptive and unpredictable. The velocity at which companies penetrate markets, paired with globalization's magnanimous capacity to usher ideas into the marketplace at an unparalleled scale and reduced cost, marks just the starting point of this transformation. Consider the ramifications of consumer technology redefining business models, persistent fluctuations in regulations, and the abrupt emergence of new use cases within audience segments. The undeniable truth resonates to successfully implant new ideas into this fertile yet unpredictable market, a discerning awareness of how market shifts will impact a product or service’s success is paramount.
Navigating through this VUCA world demands not only seasoned expertise and fortitude but the premonition to anticipate and maneuver through impending storms. This could take the form of regulatory shifts, industry-disrupting entries by giants like Amazon, unforeseen calamities like a pandemic thwarting sales channel, capital market alterations, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) awareness redirecting consumer sentiment, the erosion of logistics advantages through transparent supply chains, or mass migration reshaping customer markets.
So, how does one armor new ideas against such tumultuous tides? The key lies in evolving the tried and tested approaches of the past to sense for adaptability across distinct phases of development and product/market fit. Across every stage of the lifecycle of a new digital product or service concept, you can bring an intentional focus to how you evaluate and account for the need to build resilience into a new value proposition.
In the early days of opportunity definition, it’s pivotal to probe beyond the superficial needs of customers. Going beyond market research and desk learnings to explore secondary and adjacent customer segments, additional Go-To-Market (GTM) channels and crafting thoughtful partnership strategies for commercialization. Recognize the majority, yet find value in the fringes, ensuring that as you progress validating and refining your concept you have initially identified potential pivots to adapt to oscillations in the market.
As your team progresses into the concepting phase, clarity of customer needs and where the underlying Jobs-to-be-Done point to new solutions spaces. To build resiliency, understanding and capturing edge cases becomes a unique way to diversify bets in the value delivery solution. However, at this phase it is essential to not be enveloped by them, keeping a tenacious grip on deciphering a clear customer need, a discernible problem, and a valuable concept. Identify options and capture them clearly but keep a laser focus on getting to Problem/solution fit. As they say, when you design for everyone, you design for no one, and that spells doom for this early stage of validation.
Once you get clear on the customer problem and an acceptable solution, you are moving to an Alpha phase of development. Commercialization strategy at this point in the product lifecycle should be understanding what the capabilities are to deliver on an acceptable value offering to customers consistently. This is where Product/Market fit in this process, understanding the capabilities needed are across people, process, technology, data, and services is the foundation. The adaptability at this phase is by evaluating alternate value delivery capabilities, to understand where you can partner or what SaaS capabilities you can pay for to replace your built capabilities.
Beta phase scrutiny pulls adaptability into the limelight, especially when plotting routes towards profitability. This includes the strategic alternation of channels, astute pricing strategies, and the nimble manipulation of business model value exchanges. Data monetization, secondary marketplaces, and end-of-use circular business models all become pivotal players to identify new valuable revenue channels. Partnership strategies must be molded with a lens of service delivery and scale that stays both resilient and relevant amidst changing market winds.
To make this simple and usable, here is an easy way to think about the goasl and focus across the product lifecycle.
Ultimately the goal is to deliver sustained customer and business value. And while you may be able to achieve this initially, the shifting sands of an unpredictable market require you to be thoughtful about how you can effectively pivot at each stage to stay relevant and alive. This requires the same focus on initial success with the rigorous and intentional testing to stay resilient. Through a methodical approach to validation, exploring the many avenues in which a product can be adaptable to market fluctuations, the value proposition elevates itself. It is this intricate dance of art and science that digital products and services find their rhythm, navigating and indeed, reveling, in the complexities of the modern business world.