What we did
PRG provided Roost with a roadmap to help them bring their product to market, as well as operations, business system, and product management support.
Results
Roost overcame key product introduction challenges, reducing risk and increasing product profitability.
Company: Roost
Headquarters: Silicon Valley, California, USA
What they do: Roost provides connected smart home devices that monitor and improve safety. Roost’s product leverages telematics and smart home devices. Connected smoke alarms, garage doors, and water leak sensors enable notifications and data analytics, which support insurance underwriting and risk assessment.
Challenge
Roost saw a market need for a connected smart smoke alarm device that was cost effective and easily managed by consumers. They decided to retrofit a 9V battery for use in existing smoke alarms, and needed a partner to help bring the device to market. They engaged with Product Realization Group (PRG) to construct a detailed roadmap for development of their battery.
Solution
Roost had received valuable product design and pricing feedback from an initial funding and market research campaign. PRG spoke with Roost about these details plus the company’s overall vision for their battery, then, deploying the NPI IMPACT solution, outlined a comprehensive plan to bring the device from concept to large-scale development.
PRG’s roadmap solution included
- Process definition and resourcing requirements
- Risk identification and mitigation recommendations
- Regulatory and compliance services
- Supply chain strategy including logistics and repair plans
- Budgeting strategies.
Another key component of the roadmap was tapping into PRG’s partner network to evaluate the product’s mechanical drawings and design for manufacturability, and how it could best be made compliance ready.
Identifying the unknowns
Like many companies, Roost entered the product introduction process without truly understanding where some of their most prominent challenges were. PRG helped the Roost team conclude that key areas of focus to get the smart battery to market successfully included operations, a PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) system, and supply chain.
As an outside partner, PRG had both the expertise and neutrality that were critical for us. They came in at just the right time for us to proactively address the key unknowns that were standing in the way of successfully launching our product.
— James Blackwell, CTO & Co-Founder, Roost
Accelerated time-to-market
Roost had an aggressive timeline of just four weeks to get their roadmap done. The key to a successful roadmap is to address tasks simultaneously. And by working with PRG, they were able to tackle deficiencies to quickly bring their product to market and scale up as the market demanded.
PRG’s ability to identify gaps such as design and contract manufacturing and helping us tackle them in tandem was instrumental. Without their ability to work with us on this, our production delays would have been significant and costly.
— James Blackwell, CTO & Co-Founder, Roost
The right systems, processes and relationships
Getting operations resources in place was key to managing the product launch process and identification of contract manufacturers. PRG initially supplied a hands-on operations expert to guide Roost. PRG also managed Roost’s later transition to a full-time in-house operations executive.
Contract Manufacturing (CM) done right
PRG and Roost worked closely together, developing a comprehensive list of target contract manufacturers (CMs) and a method for evaluating them. Within a month into the engagement with PRG, Roost was already in the CM evaluation process. This included travel to Asia to meet with nine contract manufacturers and selecting one that met their qualifications. Roost’s requirements have evolved over time, but PRG’s original roadmap continues to be a guide to onboarding new CMs.
Product and process management
Finding a way to organize product lifecycle planning and all its administrative components was critical. PRG recommended implementing a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to best meet Roost’s requirements. PRG also supported PLM system optimization and provided program management expertise.
Key benefits of engagement with PRG
- Roadmap of gaps and challenges, as well as finding opportunities to tackle tasks in parallel
- Speed time to market and profit by aligning tight timelines
- Meet deadlines managing resources and reducing risk
- Hands-on expert resources to get the job done
- Deep supply chain relationships and knowledge to manage contract manufacturing
- Achieve quality and reliability milestones.
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