Trends Report

For Developers, Dog Food And Champagne Can't Be The Only Items On The Menu

Internal Pilots Are Vital, But They Have Their Limitations

May 3rd, 2011
Tom Grant, Ph.D., null
Tom Grant, Ph.D.
With contributors:
Mike Gilpin , Adam Knoll

Summary

Internal pilots are a necessary part of nearly every development effort. Therefore, "eating your own dog food" and "drinking your own champagne" are phrases familiar to even software development "newbies." However, internal pilots are not perfect instruments for catching every issue. The more that the issue rests on customer characteristics that technologists do not share, the harder it is to catch them in a pilot. As elusive as these issues can be, it is possible to craft a new strategy for internal pilots that increases the odds of identifying and addressing them. The right strategy for a team depends on several factors, including the organization's approach to innovation.

Want to read the full report?

Contact us to become a client

This report is available for individual purchase ($1495).

Forrester helps business and technology leaders use customer obsession to accelerate growth. That means empowering you to put the customer at the center of everything you do: your leadership strategy, and operations. Becoming a customer-obsessed organization requires change — it requires being bold. We give business and technology leaders the confidence to put bold into action, shaping and guiding how to navigate today's unprecedented change in order to succeed.