Unique And Elegant

The discipline of Product Management is fascinating. Great Product Managers are both analytic and creative. Analytic skills are required to understand and prioritize customer requirements, perform competitive analyses, and understand R&D budget constraints. Creativity is needed to determine cost-effective features that address the user's requirements. A recent experience with a Bosch appliance caused me to label one of their features as one of the most creative I’ve ever seen in any product.
 
My wife and I are in the middle of a kitchen remodel. Bosch dishwashers, as you may already know, are known for being exceptionally quiet. In fact, they are so quiet, Bosch received “complaints” that users couldn't tell whether the dishwasher was running or not. It is an odd conundrum: Users want a quiet dishwasher, but they also want to know the dishwasher’s status.
 
Bosch’s answer? The Product Management and Engineering teams enabled their dishwasher to project onto the floor (via light) the dishwasher’s status, including the time left in the cycle. Such a brilliant idea!  It doesn’t change the outward look of the unit at all, yet it conveys the unit is running and when it will be done.
 
Is there some sort of Product Management “Gold Star” award for incredibly unique and elegant solutions to customer problems? I doubt it. But if there was, and I had a vote, Bosch would win it hands down!
 
What product feature would you award a “Gold Star”? I’d love to hear what has impressed you in the products you use.
 
Jim