Lesson: Features

Products are characterized by their set of features. As consumers, we are often bombarded by marketing features whereas we usually end up becoming familiar with a subset of functional features. Sometimes we focus on the specifications-type features (eg, number of megapixels in a digital camera). Here are a few exercises to get students familiar with the product development process:

(1) Understanding competitors’ features. Give $x to each team and have them purchase a product. They can research the product then create a feature list. Prioritize the feature list and put them into categories such as (a) ok to drop, (b) optional, (c) nice-to-have, (d) must-have and (e) deal breaker.

(2) Improve on a product. Have students create the feature list for the next generation of the product, and have them work out the prioritization and categorization. Students can wear different hats: (a) design, (b) marketing, (c) engineering, (d) manufacturing, (e) legal…for example. Each team member must evangelize at least one old or new feature.

(3) Have students name their product as if (a) they worked for the company making the original product, and (b) they worked for a competing company. Optional: Have students create a basic positioning statement that describes the scope (who, what , where, why, how?) of the product.

(4) Tell team they must eliminate one top tier feature (eg, because of cost over-run). How does the decision get made?

(5) Tell team that one feature (pick it at random) and tell them to put together a plan to take care of it (or not!?)

Just thinking about the Singapore Polytechnic group who may be interested in architectural design, we could focus on the Y2E2 building and have them apply this exercise.