2008: Video-Audio Headset
VIDEO-AUDIO HEADSET
Executive on Demand Position:
TBA
Project Outline:
TBA
Project Outcome:
A fellow hockey player approached me one day and informed me that he and a friend were pursuing a new idea in the technology field. They had worked together and created several internet based programs for clients in the past however their latest client required a piece of hardware that could revolutionize the customer service industry. The hardware request was for an audio and video headset as a single unit. At the time headsets were audio based only and video cameras were usually part of or mounted on a screen as a separate unit. I was approached by the group because of my knowledge, understanding and experience in the development and implementation of technology projects as a well as my experience in locating and working with China based companies to have products designed and manufactured to a customer’s requirements.
A specifications document was provided which included several generations of releases to differentiate the individual products with upgraded features. Since the upgrades were in the hardware it was apparent that the headsets were built with a definite obsolescent timeline, providing ongoing opportunity for developing and growing products sales. We have witnessed this type of strategy time and time again with the most successful being the iPhone releases during the past few years.
After locating and evaluating several potential manufacturing candidates in China, a factory travel and visit schedule was planned for me to meet, evaluate and qualify the company best suited to work with on this project. After qualifying a manufacturer, the specifications were released and a schedule for a set of handmade prototypes was agreed upon. Within 30 days the first generation of the audio/video headset was created and 12 sets were sent to the client for field testing and evaluation. Within 10 days of the testing the field testing reports were evaluated and from this a new set of specifications were generated to ensure that the next prototypes would meet the market requirements.
A month later another 12 audio/video headsets with the upgraded specifications was received and handed to the client for further field testing. The client was pleased with the outcome and the first generation headset was ready for the market. At this point the project was deemed successful and the manufacturer relationship was passed on to the client for their mutual manufacturing, marketing and sales development of the product strategy.