IMS Insider

Expectation shock: Young Customer Hothousing

Hothousing is BT’s way of kick-starting IT products and services development. It brings together customers, BT business experts and technology developers to work in competing teams in an intensive, competitive, yet fun environment over three consecutive 12-hour days. The objective is that this ‘hot’ environment fosters creativity and energizes teams to come up with a prototype, accompanying specification and plan to develop the product or service over the subsequent 90 days. The key question is:

Can the Hothousing approach be successfully adapted for young customers (the 'digital kids', our future customers) and with what benefit (to the students themselves, BT and telcos more generally)?

In his presentation, Dr Houghton will look at:

• Why young customers are telcos' best technology advisers
• How Hothousing works in practice as a collaboration technique for (young) customers and BT
• Some 21CN Next Generation Convergent Solutions that have emerged from this approach, for example:

‘Classroom is not four walls’ – virtual classroom (fixed mobile, video) with community collaborative learning.

· Active Supermarket Trolley – featuring LBS shopping support, entertainment, advertising and reward points-based community build up.

· iVine intelligent technology that grows - Multipurpose Handheld device meeting the KISS needs of a 14-16 year old customer

· Driving Force – in-car service featuring LBS push entertainment, route information, road pricing, vehicle security

• Why the approach works and why do top BT people and teachers like it?

Tony will also show some video clips of the process in action, showing how Hothousing supports and energises the development of the prototype deliverables.

# posted by Editor@IMS-Insider.com : 9:23 PM