Description:
In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen welcomes Nick Jain, CEO of IdeaScale, to discuss the intricacies of introducing new features to established products. Kicking off Season 2, the episode shifts focus to the building processes behind enduring digital products and the innovation required to seamlessly integrate new functionalities. Through engaging dialogue, the conversation highlights how small, intentional changes and iterative releases drive big impacts in software development.
Nick elaborates on IdeaScale’s strategic approach to innovation management through software solutions, showcasing their success in balancing existing feature maintenance, major project developments, and quick, impactful updates. The episode uncovers the art and science behind user engagement, product optimization, and leveraging feedback systems. With vivid examples, including a simple feature redesign that drove a tenfold increase in user engagement, Nick shares actionable insights into product rollout strategies, user-centric design, and methods for measuring success. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the tactical and operational layers of building software and driving innovation.
Key Takeaways:
- Three-Pronged Development Approach: Nick outlines IdeaScale’s method for balancing existing feature maintenance, large-scale projects, and small but impactful quality-of-life updates.
- Feedback-Driven Product Design: Emphasizing the role of dynamic feedback platforms in driving continuous improvement and enhancing user experiences.
- The Art of Feature Removal: Insights into identifying underused features through analytics and removing them to streamline software and improve usability.
- AB Testing vs. Serial AB Testing: A discussion on the differences between simultaneous and sequential testing to optimize product usability while addressing security and infrastructure needs.
- Scalable Innovation for Large Enterprises: How IdeaScale empowers organizations like Comcast, Pfizer, and the U.S. Coast Guard to crowdsource ideas, prioritize effectively, and implement impactful changes.
Nick Jain
Nick Jain is the CEO of IdeaScale, the leading innovation software company. IdeaScale is the core of many leading global organization's innovation efforts including NASA, Comcast, NASCAR, Doctors without Borders and many others.
Nick graduated at the top of his class from Harvard Business School and holds a degree in mathematics from Dartmouth. He enjoys playing poker, running and travelling with his wife.
THE MEAT OF IT!
- Introduction
- Meet Nick Jain, CEO of IdeaScale
- Overview of IdeaScale’s innovation software
- Season 2’s focus on building processes
- The Building Blocks of Innovation
- Balancing existing features, major projects, and quick updates
- Leveraging feedback for dynamic product design
- How IdeaScale uses its own platform to innovate
- Small Changes with Big Impact
- The “Submit Here” button story: From concept to 10x engagement
- Lessons learned from iterative feature testing
- Listening to users to challenge assumptions
- Managing Development Processes
- Parallel workflows: Bugs, big projects, and quality-of-life updates
- Agile vs. Waterfall: Choosing the right methodology for the task
- Avoiding burnout with thoughtful project management
- Crowdsourcing Innovation
- How IdeaScale collects, ranks, and implements ideas
- The power of engaging employees and customers
- Driving better ideas and reducing churn through collaboration
- Conclusion
- Key takeaways from Nick’s approach
- Exploring IdeaScale for organizations of all sizes
- Closing thoughts on building with intention and iteration
Click To See Episode Chapters and Timestamp
| Timestamp | Summary |
| 0:00 | Serial AB Testing Balances Security and Infrastructure Needs |
| 1:18 | Building Innovation: IdeaScale's Journey and Feature Expansion |
| 6:29 | Balancing Feature Updates and User Data in Software Development |
| 11:43 | Improving User Engagement Through Simple Interface Changes |
| 17:10 | Maximizing Impact Through Small Website Changes and Testing |
| 21:19 | Balancing Software Development with Major Projects and Quick Updates |
| 29:04 | Balancing Agile and Waterfall Approaches in Project Management |
| 32:33 | Transforming Ideas Into Reality Through Crowdsourced Innovation |
| 34:30 | Empowering Innovation Through Engagement Software for Large Organizations |
Check out these related Episodes:
- Episode 199 – Edwin Carrion – Unlocking Growth & Scaling: Thriving in a Challenging Economy
- Episode 198 – Eric Burns – Firefighter to Real Estate Investor: Navigating Hard Lessons & Failing Forward
- Episode 196 – Brad Bucceri – Creating an Uncopyable Business Identity, Make the Competition Irrelevant
