Customer Centered Products: Creating Successful Products Through Smart Requirements Management
Author: Ivy F. Hooks, Kristin A. Farry
List Price: $35.00
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0814405681
Publisher: AMACOM (11 September, 2000)
Sales Rank: 50,338
Average Customer Rating: 4.85 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
Practical, To-the-point Requirements User Guide for Managers
Ivy F. Hooks and Kristin A. Farry give their audience a clear methodology about how to eliminate rework and unnecessary features rooted in poor requirement definition for making product development or procurement faster and cheaper without sacrificing the better. Good requirement definition is more important than ever to especially fast-paced high-tech companies for which researching, developing, and commercializing products on schedule and within budget is key to be, become, and remain competitive. Interestingly, Hooks and Farry explain to their readers the profound impact that culture, education, and management have on requirement definition. Their critical examination of the "seven cultural forces that define Americans" in chapter 2 helps their (foreign) audience better understand why some (American) marketers have no time to do it right the first time, but endless time and a company bankroll to do it wrong over and over again to quote Kevin J. Clancy and Peter C. Krieg in their excellent Counter-intuitive Marketing. Hooks and Farry remind their audience that nothing can change for the faster, cheaper, and better without a management commitment. Management must make very clear through their entire organization that quality products begin long before design and manufacture. These products find their genesis in quality requirements. To summarize, Customer-Centered Products is a must read for anyone involved/interested in product development or sourcing. The only weakness of the book lies in the concentration of examples from a few industries about which Hooks and Farry are very knowledgeable.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Very good book on Requirements Engineering and Management
I have recently read a remarkable book titled "Customer-Centered Products: Creating Successful Products Through Smart Requirements Management" by Ivy Hooks and Kristin Farry. The book deals with Requirements Engineering and Management from the management perspective. The book points out that "better, cheaper, faster" is possible with good requirements management...indeed, it may ONLY be possible with good requirements management. Unfortunately, problems that affect the cost, schedule and performance of a project cost more the later they are discovered, and the earlier they occur. Because requirements problems tend occur early in a project's history, and tend to be discovered late, they tend to be the most expensive to correct. Definitely a keeper!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Good primer on product development
A thorough and straight forward primer on developing new products. Where it lacks creativity and a wealth of examples, it provides a solid understanding and approach. Recommended reading, but I would check your local library before shelling out money for this book. A good read but not one that I would necessarily keep on my shelf for future reference. Similar Products
Product Strategy for High Technology Companies
The Product Manager's Handbook : The Complete Product Management Resource
Book Index