Because the marketplace is so highly competitive, companies wanting to get ahead and stay ahead have to find ways of rapid development within the company.  However, the first step is to identify what exactly needs to be changed.  Many people realize that they need a way to become more successful with faster development but have no idea what needs to be changed.

Therefore, if you know that you need rapid development but are unsure what part of the business needs to be impacted, start with the following considerations.

• Are there constraints on a product’s schedule and if so, how big is the problem
• Are there any weaknesses in the project that could cause rapid development from succeeding
• Is the reason for the focus on schedule for the right reason or is there another area that is actually the challenge

Obviously, rapid development allows companies of all kinds to get products and/or services out to the customer before that of the competitor.  However, the challenge comes into play in getting things rolling fast while not spending a fortune or giving up on quality to the consumer.  The truth is that while cost and predictability are important, speeding things up is even more important.

The best solution is a perfect combination of scheduling performance and cost.  However, sometimes, rapid development is simply not an option.  For instance, a company may have a new product that they want to rollout but one week before launch date, a new law was passed that puts things on hold or perhaps an unexpected layoff was announced, which cut back on the labor needed to execute.

However, even with challenges, rapid development has to weigh the odds of good versus bad.  Again, people need to consider whether it would be okay to leapfrog a competitor, beating that company to the punch with a new product and/or service, knowing there could be change, or is it better to wait and get a near-perfect or perfect product/service out the first time.

If you look at computer software companies, they launch early to stay competitive all the time.  Then, when a flaw is discovered because of rapid development, they release a patch or new version of the program.  This happens all the time and in today’s society, it is not only expected, but actually accepted by most people. Of course, there will be some that find rapid development a negative thing.

One of the demands associated with rapid development comes from business owners or top management who push to get things out the door.  The key here is that the people, developers, manufacturers, engineers, and technicians doing the work, need to communicate better with company management.  For instance, the owner may be saying to get the new product out the door but after having a conversation with the developer of that product, they realize it would be a much better option to wait until the product is perfect, ultimately saving the company money.

Therefore, while there is ongoing pressure for rapid development, the team working the project needs to be able to stand up and show business owners and top management the reasons it makes more sense to take a little longer for rollout.  Known as “lookalike rapid development”, this reference is one where a specific product/service appears at first glance to need a quick launch but then after careful consideration, it is found that speed is actually the secondary priority.  To ensure rapid development occurs the right way, the following factors are crucial.

• Schedule – It is important to determine the actual schedule for a product and/or service rollout.  Obviously, if the request is to get it done “ASAP” or “as soon as possible”, then the date needs to be identified.  Having the ability to understand why something needs to be moved quickly can help set better schedule.  After all, there is some risk with rapid development but even more when it comes to controlling management, estimating projects, or managing risk.
• Predictability – Customers looking for products and/or services often want to see predictability more than rapid development.  It is important to remember that the customer is using what is being sold to enhance and grow their own company, meaning they need to schedule marketing and advertising, look at revenue projections, and plan for man hours needed so rather than having something thrown at them with rapid development, they would much rather have the predictability factor.
• Cost – Sometimes, cost gets tossed out the window when it comes to rapid development.  One common mistake seen in the business world is people assuming that the fastest development time would be the least expensive.  In reality, cost savings can be seen when the project takes a little longer.  This allows fewer people to work on the project, other projects to be worked simultaneously, and the elimination of having to clean up messes when a good product or service is launched, based solely on rapid development.
• Deadlines – For some types of products and/or services, rapid development is absolutely necessary.  After all, there are things that will begin to lose their value over time.  Therefore, if the product or service has a drop deadline, then rapid development would be vital.  For instance, getting a product out for the Christmas holidays would need to hit hard deadlines.  Otherwise, the entire purpose of the development is wasted.