There are plenty of ways companies choose to handle the product development process, especially when it comes to tech and software products.
But bug testing and other forms of testing aren’t just necessary in order to find problems; they’re actually a great avenue through which you can gather insights and improve your product in a variety of ways. Here are three of the methods we’ve found that can help you get the furthest fastest with product improvements.
Deep and Wide Testing
Basic testing is the bare minimum for any sort of tech product, but you need more regular and extensive testing in order to improve and innovate. If applicable, have team members wear and continuously test your product. The software can also easily be tested by the agents working with the product and its audience (e.g. push notifications, test for bugs). Even a team of 20 people testing just a few hours a day on a wide array of devices can clue you into important issues that need to be fixed, as well as user experience insights that can help you better serve your customers.
At Conectys, we do a lot of work toward identifying and replicating bugs and reporting them via the platforms our clients are using. We always aim to go even more in-depth and cross-platform with our testing, so we can uncover everything from the big kinks in the product to the small nuances that must be tweaked in order to make the customer experience better.
Public Relations (PR) Feedback Loop
Oftentimes companies think of their PR team as completely separate from their product team. But some cross-pollination and information exchange between the two can actually really strengthen your business. The PR team should notify the product team about any international incidents and global events that might be relevant to your product, company, or audience. The product team also needs to be in regular communication with the PR team about product releases, news updates, and future plans that might impact your customer base.
When you have an intentional feedback loop between your PR, product, and other departments, you increase collaboration and deepen insight. The PR folks keep their fingers on the pulse of your industry, which enables them to provide you with timely, relevant perspectives that can shape future product iterations. They can also help you understand how your audience at large, as well as journalists, might perceive new releases or product changes. Your product perception, after all, is paramount to your success.
Extended Training Libraries
Training libraries are great for equipping new employees with a better understanding of the skills and processes your company has in place. Many companies create these for customer service departments but fail to do so for other departments. However, one of the best training tips for the product development process is to create training libraries for the product team as well.
At Conectys, we go beyond providing the usual presentations and training materials and create video training libraries, for complex processes, accompanied by an explanation from the most experienced agent. You can replicate this type of process, and use it in product development and other areas. Once you have your procedures defined and every aspect of a role able to be easily repeated, your employees have more freedom to focus on innovation and product changes.
Looking for help with your product development process?
