Learning by Doing

Old Journal World

ReaderJournal

Text

Line Art

New Journal World

UserJournal

Text

Line Art

Animation

Audio

VideoMeta-data

Databases

XML

Facing the Future

• Users control more of the value equation• Workflow is king• Computers are disappearing into the role

of a utility• Differentiation is vital to an online brand• Cycle times for innovation are shrinking

– Adoption rates are very fast for most users

The Existential Question

“If something isn’t where I am and in the things I use, then it’s not cool, and it might as well not exist.”

22-year-old reflecting on how brands stay relevant

Yoda Knows Beta

“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.”896-year-old reflecting on how a Jedi stays

relevant

Beta Than the Real Thing

• Eight development initiatives on NEJM in mid-2006

• No way to identify them as a theme• No way to get audience input or insights• No way to coalesce brand equity of innovation• No indication that this was part of our plan

• July 2006 – Launch beta.nejm.org

Beta Carrot Team

• Google Labs• Yahoo! Beta• Fidelity Beta• MyTimes Beta (NY Times)

Beta Aspirations

1. Increase the pace of innovation

2. Create a more cohesive development team

3. Find ways to highlight new items online

4. Integrate customer feedback into development efforts

5. Become more agile in our development

Past Poll Questions

• Do you currently use an electronic medical record?

• If NEJM were to begin a blog, what topic would be of greatest interest?

• Do you own an iPod?• Have you used Wikipedia to find medical

information?• Which general search engine do you use

most?

Beta Measures

• July 2006• 4 New Projects, 2 Graduates = 6

• June 2007• 8 New Projects, 4 Graduates = 12

• July-August 2007• 8 New Projects, 8 Graduates = 16

How It Works Technically

• Two-tier architecture – home page and individual feature pages

• Polling tool using Flash• Hosted in-house• Designs to populate Beta features to main

site• Features built case-by-case, architected

similarly

How It Works Logistically

• Weekly 1-hour meeting• Team includes: Product Development, Operations,

IT, Designers, Editorial, Artists• 6-10 people in the meeting usually• Two key decision-makers – publishing and editorial• Projects are updated, launch plans made,

handshake with operations• New ideas have a quick intake process, goal is to

“do it”

What I’ve Learned

• Technology doesn’t beat ideas• Users are way ahead of us• Interfaces make a huge difference• Content can be in many forms• Making stuff means rolling up shirtsleeves• Risk is often overblown by the skittish• Making it in beta teaches us a great deal

Beta Report Card

A Increase the pace of innovation

A Create a more cohesive development team

A- Find ways to highlight new items online

A Integrate customer feedback into development efforts

A Become more agile in our development

Brand New

“. . . leading brands constantly maintain their relevance to a targeted set of customers and sustain their credibility by increasing customers’ trust of and loyalty to them”

“[a leading brand] fosters innovation and brings new products and line extensions into its value proposition.”

What Makes Brands Great? by Chuck Brymer

The EndKent R. AndersonExecutive Director

International Business & Product Development

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