1) Forgetting that your customer may use your product differently than you intended

It's great when customers find new uses for your product, unless that leads to product failure. A pocket knife used as a screw driver is a classic example. Think "outside the box" about other possible uses for your products and then test to make sure that they will work as expected.

Make exception testing part of your test plan, to uncover unique uses that your customers may find for your product. This can lower your return rate and lead to greater customer satisfaction.

2) Not knowing and testing for all the required test standards and applicable country regulations.

It's a lot easier and less expensive to design products to meet country-specific standards from the start than to attempt to retrofit products so you can ship them around the world. A wise product developer will determine where your product will (or could) be sold when defining your product specification and testing plan.

3) Testing with down level software or with a known hardware or software bug

Time is tight and you have to finish testing right away to meet your deadline to ship. This pressure may lead to a decision to test with a down level software version in test units, or with known problems in the hardware and software that your engineers assure you will be fixed in the next version.

Be careful here. Testing with less than the final production version of your product can mask other problems that the bugs will obscure. Often, fixes for known problems lead to even greater problems than the ones solved. Whenever possible, test with the latest version of your product .

4) Not testing beyond the spec limits to determine margins of performance

Your testing says the product works. Great! Now what will happen if someone uses it beyond it's design specifications? Some examples:

• During a power brownout
• Overseas with different voltage and frequency from the power grid
• In the rain, upside down, or after being dropped
• Using a different interface than the product was designed for
• With an obsolete Operating System (Win95?)

Understanding your product's margin, can help you head off potential problems in the field.

5) Only testing in ambient conditions

This is a classic mistake. Your product testing is done in your facilities and the product passes with flying colors at 68 degrees F. You ship hundreds or even thousands into the field. Suddenly your return rate skyrockets. Root cause analysis shows that your product is failing because it has been subjected to high temperatures. You investigate and find that it is being stored at your distributor's warehouse with no climate control. The high temperatures are causing your product to be DOA by the time it reaches your customers.

Always test across the full environmental spec that you product may be subjected during transit and in your customer's environment.

6) Not testing beyond the prototype unit(s)

Often prototypes built by your engineering or pre-production group are used for testing. This can be useful to determine basic design flaws and other obvious problems.

Unfortunately, testing only with early prototypes can lead to a false sense of security before production begins. Whenever possible, use products produced from your manufacturing production process for Design Verification Testing (DVT).

7) Unwillingness to accept that test failures may indicate a design deficiency

Once again, because of tight timelines, it may be tempting to ignore, charge off, or reduce the importance of a test failure, in the name of "meeting the schedule". Failure to address a problem during a testing cycle can lead to higher costs if the problem has to be corrected in the field.

As the old adage goes: It costs a penny to change in engineering, a dime in manufacturing and a dollar after it's shipped. Managers and engineers should always have the root cause analysis of all failures in order to make intelligent decisions on when to address problems during the product life cycle.

8) Unreliable methods for collecting and archiving test data

Even though proper documentation processes are essential, many firms do not record and track the issues and problems that are uncovered through testing in a thorough and consistent fashion. Common mistakes can include:

• Poor documentation of failures
• Log files, pictures, test setups, or observation notes lost
• Software & hardware levels not accurate
• Problem tracking without taking account of frequency and severity of problems
• Inadequate root cause analysis

A good problem (bug) tracking system can help track the specific problems uncovered, their severity, history and links to logs, pictures, and failure analysis reports, so that future problems can be compared throughout the entire life cycle of the product.

9) Poor Design For Test (DFT) Considerations

Often when testing begins on a product out of engineering, the testing process can become frustrated by the lack of "testability" in the product. Some examples include:

• Automated test strategy not defined relative to
  product design
• Capability for internal and remote diagnostics left out
• Simulated operation modes nonexistent
• Key test points not accessible

A thorough test plan including testability requirements should be part of the product definition process.

10) Ineffective Test Plan Design and Test Project Management

Launching a product can be an overwhelming task without a proper Project Management Process. Testing coverage and schedule is a integral part of this process. There are so many testing considerations throughout the entire product development cycle, and missing or discounting any one of them can lead to a delayed launch and significant expenses.

Underestimating what should or should not be in your test plan is a common mistake. A good test plan takes in to account the product specification, global compliance requirements, customer expectations and a realistic time frame to accomplish the necessary testing. This includes time for re-testing once problems are found and design refinements are implemented. Proper timeline management can insure that your test plan meets its schedule goals.

While your staff may have specialized testing experience, a comprehensive test plan created and implemented by an independent test lab can help you meet your quality, timeline and budget goals.

Brian Cleveland is Founder and President of Percept Technology Labs
Copyright 2003 by Percept Technology Labs

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By Kathleen Gogan, Vice President Marketing, Eloquent

Launching a new product is becoming more and more difficult. Not only are there more products to manage, but products are more complex, there is more competition and marketing struggles just to keep up. To make certain your next product launch goes without a hitch, follow these tips from Kathy Gogan, Vice President of Marketing at Eloquent, Inc.

Launch tip #1: It takes a village to launch a product.

What is a "product launch"? People often assume that a launch only involves the process of announcing the availability of a new product. A launch should be the process of ensuring the product's success in the marketplace. It starts with understanding your customer and channel requirements, includes the development of programs to ensure the market is ready for the product, and continues past the first product sale.

The Marketing organization is typically responsible for product launches, but a successful product launch is the result of sales, partners, support, marketing, development and even customers, working together to launch the product. For example, sales departments need to embrace the new offering; key customers can validate messages; and support needs to be equipped to handle customer calls. Finally, be sure to include all participants in your planning process as early as possible.

Launch tip #2: Get to the point - fast!

Develop a meaningful theme for internal and external messages, with no more than three key sub-messages. Keep your message simple, customer-focused and consistent. Reinforce it in all your communication vehicles: slides, collateral, Web sites, etc. Save important details for supporting documents. Use creative approaches, such as mnemonics, wherever possible to help people retain key concepts.

Launch tip #3: One size does not fit all.

Tailor your message for each audience - whether they include different functional areas, industries, or geographies. The information for your technical sales organization is typically a little different than what's needed by your inside sales reps or your channel partners. Give people only what they need to do their jobs, rather than expect them to sift through a lot of data. As mentioned in Tip #1, leverage your team resources as much as possible to validate which messages and which content is most appropriate for each audience. For example, ask sales reps in other geographies to validate the messages and sales tools needed for their regions before you start to develop them.
In addition, adapt your information delivery to the different audiences you want to reach. Make sure you understand how users like to receive their information and deliver it accordingly. For example, I have found that many people would rather receive information by email or via the Web as opposed to face-to-face meetings or hard copy materials. In addition, in today's just-in-time climate, make all information easily searchable.

Launch tip #4: KIS - Keep it sane (for the launch team)

Today there are many ways to communicate with your sales force and channels - Web, CD, PDA, hard copy, email, over the phone, etc. Managing multiple messages and multiple communication vehicles independently can be a real challenge. Think about communications as an integrated process -- flowing one set of messages to multiple, yet related, audiences using several communication vehicles. For example, I have found that starting with the corporate presentation and spending the time to gain consensus upfront will help to shorten the cycle for updating the Web site and creating product fact sheets.
There is more and more technology available today to help companies manage the overall information flow. Given the instantaneous nature of the Internet, when a product is announced, it is assumed to be available worldwide. This makes face-to-face meetings and other traditional product announcement approaches less and less practical. The use of on-demand presentations as well as online meetings can help you communicate specially tuned presentations to various audiences quickly and cost effectively.

Launch tip #5: Learn from your experience.

Launching a product isn't a one time event; it's an ongoing process. Don't forget about the support the launch team needs to provide after the public announcement is made. Think about how to minimize the inevitable last minute phone calls to your marketing team from the sales channel. Anticipate that your content will become outdated and plan for refreshing it. Make sure to conduct launch debriefings right after the public announcement is made, as well as 60 days and 120 days later to ensure the product is being accepted in the marketplace.
Find out what people are using and what they aren't. Then, take action based on actual usage, performance, and audience feedback. Also, keep your eye on individual performance. Are there certain sales people who seem to be successful upgrading their customers to the latest products? If so, share their best practices with the rest of the organization.
Lastly, Marketing should use the same communication tools they've created for the rest of the company; there shouldn't be a "secret stash" where they keep the best stuff. When the launch team uses the same tools, they are in a better position to understand what works best and when content needs to be refreshed.

Kathleen Gogan is the Vice President of Marketing at Eloquent (www.eloquent.com). Founded in 1995, Eloquent is a leading provider of sales effectiveness solutions to Fortune 1000 companies enabling organizations to increase the productivity of their sales and marketing functions, accelerate new revenues and reduce sales and marketing expenses.

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Percept Technology Labs Offers
Safety Testing Services

Percept Helps Companies Fulfill
Safety Requirements For U.S. and
Worldwide Product Launches

Building on its product test and compliance expertise, Percept Technology Labs has expanded its worldwide Compliance Testing & Certification services to include Safety Testing in its specialized Boulder-based safety test lab.

As technology firms introduce new products in the U.S. And abroad, they are required to meet recognized electrical safety standards. These companies usually send their products to a testing lab to determine if they meet these safety standards. However, most test labs simply run safety tests and give either a passing or failing grade for a product's safety performance.

Percept goes further by working with firms to identify and solve potential problems and enhance performance until the product fulfills every necessary safety requirement. Then Percept completes all of the necessary documentation and certification requirements to prepare the product for export, including UL and TUV certifications. This higher level of service shortens time-to-market and enables companies to reduce the significant costs associated with testing failures.

For more information visit percept.com/pages/safety.html.

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This year’s Spring Awards will be held on May 29, 2003 at the Raintree Plaza in Longmont. Doors open for registration at 7:30 am and the event begin at 8 am.

During the last year, there have been many things Good, Bad and even Ugly in the news. Come and help CTEK as we honor and celebrate the Good in business from 2002, and learn from the Bad and the Ugly.

For more information go to www.ctek.biz/events/spring_awards.shtml

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Thursday June 12, 2003  9am - 6pm
Friday June 13, 2003  9am - 3pm
1601 Dry Creek Drive, Suite 2000
Longmont, CO 80503

Join APT for Food, Fun, Games, and Prizes!

Find out what Storagetek's Advanced Packaging Technology lab is about, and discover how we and our partners can provide solutions for all your testing needs. See simulated conditions on site, such as altitude changes, temperature extremes, rain, and dust storms. We can also simulate train wrecks, truckload deliveries, earthquakes, or just the total mishandling of products.

Tour the facility and visit other exhibiting companies including Percept Technology Labs, AccelRel Engineering, Environmental Test Systems, Hobbs Engineering, Packaging Resources, and PCA . See how we can provide you with viable solutions and a fast route to market for your product. Solving the challenges facing our customers has saved long hours of expensive troubleshooting time. We have helped prevent long delays in getting a product to market. The Advanced Packaging Technology Lab conducts confidential testing that addresses every design consideration - on products and packaging ranging from microchips to cruise missiles.

For more information see www.storagetek.com/prodserv/services/apt/openhouse

Agenda for Sessions: http://www.storagetek.com/prodserv/services/apt/openhouse/agenda.htm

Directions to Open House: http://www.storagetek.com/prodserv/services/apt/openhouse/directions.htm

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