Product innovation is complex. Simple practices and linear processes don’t do it justice – they regularly lead to false assessments, failure and frustration. Product Thinking is a mindset and methodology that addresses this situation. It treats product innovation as a complex system and aims to maximize its positive impact on all stakeholders. The Product Field helps you with that: It’s a model, a canvas and a toolbox to develop better products and increase your capacity for innovation. In this workshop, you will be introduced to its core ideas and use the Product Field (http://productfield.com) itself to create shared understanding. You’ll learn how to use the Product Field, to – navigate the context a product is build and used in – hone a value proposition – identify potential for improvement Links: https://paper.dropbox.com/doc/Hands-On-Product-Thinking-with-the-Product-Field-GlUV0NYEwOT1kG67Ouv7d

1. HANDS-ON
PRODUCT THINKING
WITH THE PRODUCT FIELD
@theproductfield
WORKSHOP
NEXT CONFERENCE 2016
HAMBURG

2. PRODUCT INNOVATION
Products take time and need great
ingredients. One of them is Active Love.
@tariqkrim · #NEXT16

3. 01 FRAME01 FRAME
Before any further introduction the first action at the workshop was to frame the thinking and discussion space. All
participants were drawing the Product Field together.

4. AMBITIOUS GOALS
1. Understand Product Innovation better
2. Know more about Bicycles
3. Lost Fear of Empty Canvases

5. The workshop was presented by Michael Schieben, precious design studio. Precious helps its clients to become
better in shaping meaningful products and services that people love to interact with. Through craft, teaching and
active love. michael@precious-forever.com · http://precious-forever.com

6. The Product Field is a close collaboration of Wolfgang Wopperer-Beholz (mindmatters, Betahaus Hamburg), KP
Frahm (newsaktuell, dpa) and Michael Schieben (precious design studio). It was premiered in June 2015. We have
worked with the Fields for accelerator programs, big organizations, (N)GOs and startups. http://productfield.com

7. HANDS-ON THINKING
– Frame 10 Min · Draw the Product Field
– Introduction 10 Min · with Slides
– Map 30 Min · Act in Groups
– Check & Find 20 Min · Think all together
– Wrap-Up 15 Min · Discussion

8. THE PRODUCT FIELD
The Product Field is a cognitive medium for
product innovation.
A tool to help us think about products.
Excerpt from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

9. PRODUCT THINKING
Product Thinking is a a mindset and a
methodology for the design and management
of product innovations.
It treats product innovation as a complex
adaptive system.
Excerpt from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

10. PRODUCT INNOVATION
Product Innovation is the realization and
introduction of new, redesigned or
substantially improved products.
Excerpt from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

11. PRODUCT INNOVATION IS COMPLEX
http://www.gianlucagimini.it/prototypes/velocipedia.html

12. PRODUCT INNOVATION IS COMPLEX
When problems are really difficult and
complex, the solutions come from the insights
and capabilities of people
working together.
Douglas Carl Engelbart
Early Computer and Internet Pioneer

13. Jason Cale · #NEXT16

14. PRODUCT
MarketibilityFeasibility
Viability Desirability
Product
Management
Engineering Marketing
UX
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

15. PRODUCT
MarketibilityFeasibility
Viability Desirability
Product
Management
Engineering Marketing
UX
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

16. Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

17. THE PRODUCT FIELD AS COGNITIVE MEDIA
Once you start to materialize you and your co-
workers thoughts about different aspect of
product innovation on the product field you
establish a shared big picture that helps you
all time on a long journey building a new
product.

18. THE PRODUCT FIELD AS COGNITIVE MEDIA
The Product Field is a tool to help us think
together, and while we continue to use that
tool to facilitate our communication, the Field
becomes a medium that extends our and
other peoples mental faculty.
It changes the way we see the world.

19. MEDIA AND TOOLS
The workshop participants watched a short excerpt of a highly recommended talk by Wilson Minor
https://vimeo.com/34017777

20. COGINITVE MEDIA
All media are extensions of some human
faculty. Mental or Physical.
The extension alters the
way we think.
Marshall Mc Luhan
Author of The Medium is the Massage

21. Efficiency for locomotion
for a man on a bicycle: A
human on a bicycle, blew
the condor away.
Completely off the charts.
”
Steve Jobs
Recommended Talk: Wilson Minor, When we build · https://vimeo.com/34017777
WE ARE TOOLBUILDERS

22. Video: Wilson Minor, When we build
https://vimeo.com/34017777

23. Penny Farthing Bicycle
1880
The Rover Safety Bike
~1896

25. 01 MAP
At this part of the workshop participants worked together. They did research and collected all aspects of the
innovation of the Safety Bike on the Product Field. http://productfield.com/safety-bike-research

26. Map before any further
action and strategic
decision.
DRIV-
ENABLERS
DISTRIBU-
USERS
CUSTOM-
PRODUC-
MOTIVA-
problem
solution
uniqueness
competition
Tips
02 MAP
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

27. CHECK

28. PRODUCT
MarketibilityFeasibility
Viability Desirability

29. VIABILITY
to shape productdriver uniquenessGoal leads differentiatesthat
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

30. FEASIBILITY
productproduction solutionEnabler empowers to build realized in
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

31. MARKETIBILITY
replaces productcustomers alternativeDistribution reaches withwho
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

32. DESIRABILITY
impedeswhich usersproblem motivationsProduct solves movethat
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

33. Eliminate conceptual flaws,
gaps or mismatches before
execution.
DRIV-
ENABLERS
DISTRIBU-
USERS
CUSTOM-
PRODUC-
MOTIVA-
problem
solution
uniqueness
competition
Tips
03 CHECK
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

34. 04 FIND

35. 04 FIND
At this part of the workshop Michael demoed the Force Field. Unfortunately, there was no projection device
available, to overlay the Force Field on the canvas · http://productfield.com/force.html

36. Evaluate the strengths and
weaknesses. Get to know
the character of innovation.
04 FIND
Tips
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

37. 01 Frame
02 Map
03 Check
04 Find
Tips
Illustration from The Product Field Reference Guide · productfield.com

38. THE PRODUCT FIELD
Reference Guide
October 2016
App (Early State)
2017

39. THE PRODUCT FIELD
– Puts the Product in the Center
– Helps to Maximize Impact Towards All
– Takes Complexity Serious
– Facilitates Emergent Practices

40. THE PRODUCT FIELD
→ Shared Commitment
→ Aligned Action
Shared Understanding

41. The Product Field has
become a bicycle for my
mind, when thinking about
product innovation,
together with other
people.
Go, take a ride.
”

42. THANK YOU
michael@precious-forever.com
productfield.com/guide