Comments on: How to Have the Worst Beta Ever http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/ Building Product Management from the Ground Up by Paul Young Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:21:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Beta Testing in a SaaS World | Cloud Computing & Bad Behaviour http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1902 Beta Testing in a SaaS World | Cloud Computing & Bad Behaviour Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:19:26 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1902 [...] read with interest a comment on one of the posts from the Product Beautiful blog.  The topic of the post was about the 5 types of beta programs that organisations commonly end up [...] [...] read with interest a comment on one of the posts from the Product Beautiful blog.  The topic of the post was about the 5 types of beta programs that organisations commonly end up [...]

]]> By: Eric Honda http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1750 Eric Honda Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:01:06 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1750 You should look at the company called VOConline You should look at the company called VOConline

]]> By: The Cranky Product Manager http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1648 The Cranky Product Manager Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:25:53 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1648 Apologies. The Cranky Product Manager did not realize you already had a post outlining and describing 5 types of Beta tests, including one called the Google Beta. Alas, the Cranky Product Manager posted her one too-similar list yesterday. She honestly was not aware of your article ahead of time and apologies for any overlap in content or concept. Apologies. The Cranky Product Manager did not realize you already had a post outlining and describing 5 types of Beta tests, including one called the Google Beta.

Alas, the Cranky Product Manager posted her one too-similar list yesterday. She honestly was not aware of your article ahead of time and apologies for any overlap in content or concept.

]]> By: Michael Fine http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1588 Michael Fine Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:29:17 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1588 Hilarious! As the author of "Beta Testing for Better Software" and one of the founders of the beta testing firm Centercode, I have to say these are just the tip of the iceberg. There is the "Process Demands It Beta" in which the company is committed to beta testing; includes it in the schedule but doesn't care what comes out of it. The "Good News Beta" is when the testing is done to just to grab marketing data and testimonials. Sadly, the bugs and issues get neglected to make a release date. The "Bed News Beta" is the opposite where they use the beta test to help EOL a product. The product manager thinks a new version is needed and ignores key data that could help future development. I could go on forever with examples of common beta mistakes, misuse and issues. I have conducted more than 500 of these tests and I have to say, it is one of the most undervalued processes in product development. Good product managers embrace beta testing and make the most of it. The results of a good beta test are invaluable in so many ways. Thanks for the fun read! Hilarious! As the author of “Beta Testing for Better Software” and one of the founders of the beta testing firm Centercode, I have to say these are just the tip of the iceberg.

There is the “Process Demands It Beta” in which the company is committed to beta testing; includes it in the schedule but doesn’t care what comes out of it.

The “Good News Beta” is when the testing is done to just to grab marketing data and testimonials. Sadly, the bugs and issues get neglected to make a release date.

The “Bed News Beta” is the opposite where they use the beta test to help EOL a product. The product manager thinks a new version is needed and ignores key data that could help future development.

I could go on forever with examples of common beta mistakes, misuse and issues. I have conducted more than 500 of these tests and I have to say, it is one of the most undervalued processes in product development.

Good product managers embrace beta testing and make the most of it. The results of a good beta test are invaluable in so many ways. Thanks for the fun read!

]]> By: Anthony http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1473 Anthony Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:47:02 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1473 “Why do you let sales sell anything that hasn’t been released yet?”

I’m sure several readers will empathise with me when I say that’s more easily said than done…

]]> By: David Locke http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1471 David Locke Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:06:17 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1471 Why do you let sales sell anything that hasn't been released yet? I've seen that one kill a company. It was like the current release had never been released. Everyone wanted the next release. In the meantime, we had to get more investor money. Why do you let sales sell anything that hasn’t been released yet? I’ve seen that one kill a company. It was like the current release had never been released. Everyone wanted the next release. In the meantime, we had to get more investor money.

]]> By: What does “beta” mean for Software as a Service? (Jarrett House North) http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1470 What does “beta” mean for Software as a Service? (Jarrett House North) Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:06:47 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1470 [...] Johnson at Pragmatic Marketing points to an interesting article on five different types of betas. One of Steve’s commenters suggests there is a sixth kind, the SaaS beta: …ratchet up [...] [...] Johnson at Pragmatic Marketing points to an interesting article on five different types of betas. One of Steve’s commenters suggests there is a sixth kind, the SaaS beta: …ratchet up [...]

]]> By: Michael Ray Hopkin http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1464 Michael Ray Hopkin Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:01:37 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1464 Here's a twist on the 'Google' beta: the SaaS beta. Develop or convert your products to a hosted/SaaS model, ratchet up your release cycles to monthly, then you can call it a 'release' or a 'beta.' Either way customers get their hands on the new functionality. The SaaS model is great in many ways, but the traditional concept of beta changes dramatically. -Michael Here’s a twist on the ‘Google’ beta: the SaaS beta. Develop or convert your products to a hosted/SaaS model, ratchet up your release cycles to monthly, then you can call it a ‘release’ or a ‘beta.’ Either way customers get their hands on the new functionality.

The SaaS model is great in many ways, but the traditional concept of beta changes dramatically. -Michael

]]> By: Gopal Shenoy http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1463 Gopal Shenoy Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:51:09 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1463 Hi Paul, Great article. In my previous company, to avoid confusion between alpha and beta internally, we had the following definition: Alpha is to find from customers whether you build the right thing to solve their problem - focus on functionality and not bugs (finding bugs is just a bonus) Beta is to find if you build the right thing right - the focus here is nothing but finding bugs and fixing them. Gopal http://productmanagementtips.com Hi Paul,

Great article. In my previous company, to avoid confusion between alpha and beta internally, we had the following definition:

Alpha is to find from customers whether you build the right thing to solve their problem – focus on functionality and not bugs (finding bugs is just a bonus)

Beta is to find if you build the right thing right – the focus here is nothing but finding bugs and fixing them.

Gopal
http://productmanagementtips.com

]]> By: Weekend Reader: 7June08 » The Productologist http://www.productbeautiful.com/2008/05/28/how-to-have-the-worst-beta-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-1462 Weekend Reader: 7June08 » The Productologist Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:56:41 +0000 http://www.productbeautiful.com/?p=107#comment-1462 [...] How to Have the Worst Beta Ever [Product Beautiful] [...] [...] How to Have the Worst Beta Ever [Product Beautiful] [...]

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