Alpha>Beta>Production Pipeline

The Process [Getting from Ideation to Implementation]

Innovation vs Tradition

There are a lot of great ideas out there. Some great ideas can add value in ways we’ve never dreamed of while some great ideas although smart and insightful might end up doing more harm than good. Ideas live on a continuum. Some are just dreams and thoughts in someone’s heads and others are fully implemented and making things happen for good or for otherwise. New things take a lot more energy to get started and Old things take a lot more energy to change.

Defining Innovation + Tradition/Legacy

Innovation is the process of doing something that’s never been done by us or anyone else that creates meaningful improvement over the current ways that things are being done.

Tradition is the way that things have been done or at the least the way that they are being done right now. The Legacy Method if you will.

Not all Innovation is helpful and Not all tradition/legacy is bad.

Without innovation and new ideas we’ll be stuck where we’ve always been but they have to be tested, refined, executed well and implemented consistently. R+D is an expensive and exhausting process. Implementation is a difficult discipline. It had better be worth it.

On the flip side, engaging in traditional or legacy activity can require very little energy and overhead. Because we know what to expect and already have the systems and paradigms in place to

Stage 1. Dreaming. The Natural Start

Most Innovation starts as speculation. A conversation. An idea to explore or ignore. Meaning it doesn’t work well to try and fit it into a mold right as it’s being formed and explored.

There does however come a point where the hypothesis needs to reach a formal testing stage.

Stage 2. Deciding. To Move Forward or to Move On

Answering all of the right questions

When we’re making the decision to move

Stage 3. Alpha. Make something viable but rough

Once the decision to move forward has been established. It’s time to figure out how to create an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Prove that the key elements are workable.

3a. Set Timeline for Alpha Proof of Concept

Set Scope and Timeline of Alpha Test

Demonstrate to Stakeholders (Date of Meeting is _______________)

Establish Testing Baselines (Who will test, where will it be tested)

What are our Metrics for Success. (How do we decide if we’re willing to push to beta)

3b. Proceed with Beta Decision Point

Is the project

Stage 4. Beta. More stable but imperfect. Eye on Production

4a. Scope and Timeline

Decide on key features to improve

Stage 5. Production. Implemented. Solid. Scalable + `Sustainable

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