April 2-3, 2013 Cambridge, MA

Background and Overview

The world of product development and innovation is undergoing a profound change. A traditional approach is no longer adequate to compete in a fast-shifting global economy — savvy organizations are redefining their entire strategy to thrive in the instantaneous digital landscape. Big Data, the Cloud, Mobile, and Social Media are revolutionizing what products are, how they are defined, and how organizations compete.

On April 2-3, 2013, industry leaders at the forefront of this revolution will gather at Management Roundtable’s groundbreaking conference The Next Product Development Revolution at the MIT Faculty Club in Cambridge, MA, to cut through the hype and discuss what is really happening and what is necessary to stay ahead.

Top experts and leading practitioners from Phillips Research, Dell, GE, Saucony, Google, MIT Digital Business Center - and more - will share the most effective techniques to enhance customer experience, develop deep customer insight, and create exceptional products – in both B2C and B2B domains. The purpose is to help unify Product Development, Information Technology and Marketing for success in the increasingly digital, social and mobile future.

Why this conference is important

“…technologies are emerging amidst a nexus of converging forces – social, mobile, cloud and information. Although these forces are innovative and disruptive on their own, together they are revolutionizing business and society, disrupting old business models and creating new leaders.” Gartner

“Social platforms can unlock $900 billion to $1.3 trillion in value.”–McKinsey

Few companies are leveraging the full potential of social media, big data, and digital technologies — especially in B2B. Those that do will have a huge and early advantage in understanding what customers want – what makes products go “viral,” how information/IT and mobile technology are becoming integral to products themselves (think remote monitoring medical devices, accident-avoiding cars, etc.).

Growth into new emerging markets requires a deep understanding of customer needs – social networks have become one of the most powerful means to gaining this understanding. Influence is also determined by social factors.

To differentiate your offerings and stand out in the sea of look-alike commodities, total customer experience will become more critical than products themselves. At this conference you will learn how to ensure your customers’ experience is exceptional and that word-of-mouth leads to “must-have” widespread adoption.

Lastly, given the massive amounts of data – both about customers and for customers (to compare products/pricing/user feedback) – it is crucial to have an effective Big Data strategy and for managers of R&D, Marketing and IT to collaborate. Silos are not only detrimental inside an organization, they will hurt you in the marketplace.

How this conference is unique

• The focus is on Innovation, New Product Development, and Digital Business — not just Social Media or how to better market existing products and services.

• Examples of implementation and results will be shared. You will learn directly from industry leaders and receive practical advice on what specific steps to take.

• You will learn about the real-world use of new technologies and how R&D, Marketing and IT can collaborate to harness them.

This event is designed for established and traditional organizations that recognize the imperative of digital innovation as the new way of doing business. Case examples and how-to’s are implementable by product development teams from all industries.

Takeaways & Deliverables

1. Candid Q&A with industry leaders — discuss experiences and challenges

2. Peer network – stay connected even after the conference has concluded

3. Uncover new opportunities and resources

4. Receive advice from experts regarding your specific situation

5. Build your competitive strategy – attend as a team

6. Full set of reference materials including complimentary copy of Joe Pine’s latest book, Infinite Possibility: Creating Customer Value on the Digital Frontier

7. Competitive insights and benchmarking opportunities

8. Visionary thinking for the road ahead