Project to Product
Mik Kersten
18 min
6 Key Points
4.5 RateWhat's inside?
Discover the key to navigating the digital age by transforming your projects into products using the Flow Framework. Learn how to thrive amidst digital disruption and ensure your business's survival.
You'll learn
1. Turning your project into a product with Flow Framework2. Winning strategies for the digital age3. Making sure your software delivers business results4. Getting rid of roadblocks in your development process5. Tracking the value of your software delivery6. Building a product-focused organization for better business.Key points
01Understanding Digital Disruption and its Impact on Businesses
Digital disruption is like a tidal wave, sweeping across industries and transforming the business landscape. It's a phenomenon where digital technologies and business models upend existing markets and value networks, replacing old ways of doing things with new, more efficient, and often more customer-friendly alternatives. Consider the music industry. Once upon a time, we bought music on physical media like CDs or vinyl records. Then, digital technologies came along, and suddenly, we were downloading music from iTunes or streaming it on Spotify. The old business model of selling physical media was disrupted, and companies that couldn't adapt quickly enough found themselves struggling to survive. This disruption isn't limited to the music industry. It's happening across sectors, from retail and finance to healthcare and education. And it's not just about technology. It's also about changing customer expectations and preferences. Today's customers want convenience, personalization, and instant gratification. They want to be able to buy a product, book a service, or access information with a few taps on their smartphone. Businesses that can't meet these expectations risk becoming irrelevant. So, how can businesses survive and thrive in this age of digital disruption? The answer lies in adaptation and transformation. Businesses need to embrace digital technologies, not as an afterthought, but as a core part of their strategy. They need to develop a culture of continuous learning and innovation, where new ideas are encouraged, and failure is seen as an opportunity to learn and improve. They need to be agile and flexible, able to pivot quickly in response to changes in the market or customer behavior. This is where the Flow Framework comes into play. Introduced by Mik Kersten in his book "Project to Product: How to Survive and Thrive in the Age of Digital Disruption with the Flow Framework", this model provides a roadmap for businesses navigating the digital landscape. The Flow Framework helps businesses visualize, measure, and improve the flow of business value from the customer's perspective. It guides businesses in aligning their technology investments with business outcomes, ensuring that every project or initiative contributes to delivering value to the customer. In essence, the Flow Framework is a tool for managing digital disruption. It helps businesses understand where they are, where they need to go, and how to get there. It's not a magic bullet that will make all the challenges of digital disruption disappear. But it's a valuable guide that can help businesses navigate the turbulent waters of the digital age. In conclusion, understanding and adapting to digital disruption is no longer optional for businesses. It's a necessity for survival and success. And with tools like the Flow Framework, businesses can not only survive but thrive in the age of digital disruption.
02Why shift from project-based to product-based thinking?
In the digital age, the way we approach work is changing. The traditional project-based thinking, where we focus on completing tasks and ticking boxes, is being replaced by a more customer-centric, product-based approach. This shift is not just a trend, but a necessity to survive and thrive in the age of digital disruption. The digital age demands a more customer-centric approach. Customers today expect personalized, high-quality products that meet their specific needs. They want products that are continuously improved and updated to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. This is where product-based thinking comes in. Instead of focusing on completing a project, product-based thinking focuses on delivering value to the customer through a product. It's like comparing a chef who is focused on cooking a single meal (project-based) to a chef who is focused on perfecting a recipe (product-based). The latter is more likely to satisfy the customer's palate and keep them coming back for more. This shift to product-based thinking can lead to improved business outcomes. It encourages continuous improvement and innovation, leading to higher quality products. This, in turn, can increase customer satisfaction, which can ultimately lead to increased profitability. In "Project to Product," Mik Kersten presents the case of BMW, which shifted from project-based to product-based thinking and saw a significant increase in customer satisfaction and profitability. Transitioning to product-based thinking requires reorganizing teams around products rather than projects. This can improve collaboration and efficiency as team members become more familiar with the product and its associated processes. It also requires rethinking business processes to align with a product-based approach. This can streamline operations and reduce waste. For example, in the book, Kersten discusses how Microsoft reorganized its teams around products and saw a significant improvement in collaboration and efficiency. Reorganizing teams around products can also improve efficiency. As team members become more familiar with the product and its associated processes, they can work more efficiently. This was the case with Tasktop, a company Kersten discusses in the book. After reorganizing its teams around products, Tasktop saw a significant improvement in efficiency. Rethinking business processes to align with a product-based approach can also streamline operations and reduce waste. It can support continuous improvement and innovation. In the book, Kersten discusses how Nokia rethought its business processes and saw a significant reduction in waste and an increase in innovation. In conclusion, shifting from project-based to product-based thinking is not just a trend, but a necessity in the digital age. It can lead to improved business outcomes, including higher quality products, increased customer satisfaction, and increased profitability. It requires reorganizing teams around products and rethinking business processes. But the benefits, as illustrated by the cases of BMW, Microsoft, Tasktop, and Nokia, are well worth the effort. So, consider making this shift in your own organization. It could be the key to surviving and thriving in the age of digital disruption.
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03Understanding the Flow Framework for Effective Software Delivery
04Implementing the Flow Framework: A Step-by-Step Guide for Businesses
05How to thrive in the digital age: A guide for businesses
06Conclusion
About Mik Kersten
Mik Kersten is a technologist, entrepreneur, and author. He is the CEO of Tasktop, a company he co-founded, and has a background in computer science. Kersten is known for his work on the Flow Framework, which helps businesses innovate in the digital age.