Product Based Customer Focus,
by Donald R. Libbey
Begin evaluating
every product development, product extension, product enhancement, and
product revision activity in terms of actual customer purchases those
activities will create. If you are developing new products without a
precise linkage into the purchase potential of the customer, why are you
wasting time, talent, energy and resources to develop something that you
aren't even sure customers want? A product is only a product when many
people are lining up to buy it; until then it is only a risk. Every
activity in product development must begin and end with live customer
experience, input, and design assistance. You cannot even begin to think
about a new product until your customer base tells you what the product
is, how it is to be positioned, priced, packaged, and delivered.
(Taken from Libey
on Customers, by Donald R. Libey.)