Rob's TIMSS Blog

My discoveries and ramblings of TIMSS/Personify.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Meeting Packages

When we setup the TAUG08 meeting product, we wanted to automatically include some sessions on the order like the Welcome Reception, Ask TMA Resources, A Night at the Races, etc. To do this, we created a package with all the sessions we wanted to include on the order.

Then we included the package on the rate codes for the meeting.

And since it's done for the rate code, different components can be added depending on the rate you get. So members (who get the Member rate) can get one package of included sessions, and non-members (who get the List rate) can get a different package.

Applies to: TIMSS6 & Personify

Friday, February 08, 2008

Personify Enhancements

Now that I'm on the "inside" I can tell you a bit about how product marketing works to get new features into the product. If you have heard of Pragmatic Marketing, that is the methodology we are following.

We are using a product called FeaturePlan to collect data about what should go into the product. Enhancement requests that are submitted though the customer service portal, items you tell your PM about, things our sales people hear from prospects, market reserach and competitive analysis are all entered in and linked to problem statements. Problem statements receive a score based on all those inputs.

Problems statments that have high scores then get requriements gathered by product marketing, and designs are created from these requirements to go into the product.

How can you help? Tell us what you want.

Not only by submitting enhancement requests, but also volunteering for customer reserach. In many cases we will send questions to the Yahoo Group and/or ask for input from customer directly. Please help us make a great product.

Most recently we launched a new and improved the Notifications module for Personify. I sent an email to the Yahoo Group asking for information on notifications used and wanted. Those who responded had input into how the design was done and were invited to see a prototype and give more feedback. Then when the design was done, they were invited back to view the finished product and see if we got it right.

Applies to: Personify