In one web page, we are able to see all the problems with HP vs. a start-up's minimal viable product:
* Employees used to make HP webpage: 1. Web Designer for responsive web page, 2. Industrial Designer (Printer Design) 3. 3D Graphics for video 4. Audio Editor for video 5. Audio Talent for video, 6. Copy editor for corporate speak (probably one for video and one for webpage) 7. Legal department for footnotes. This is all before a single product can be purchased. Compare this to an MVP where there is a video demonstration of the product and how you fit with it.
* Video does not show a single printing machine doing just an imagination of what can be, suggesting this is a corporate video for shareholders instead of users.
* The product is not available for purchase and there is no time line to expect purchase. There are a number of 3d printers available to purchase right now, no need to wait for this printer to come out.
* From the paper and soggypenny's quote: "shortcomings of the STL format..." is a great reason to introduce an AutoCad / Microstation / Sketchup plugin software to easily render for a 3-D format.
* Call to action "Connect with Us" takes you to a multi-line e-mail form for their internal databases. Compare this with an MVP that just wants your e-mail and your name.
HP, great step forward in your effort to try and recover from potential insolvency. Please look at your competition before getting my hopes up and dashed in one web page.
They're doing MVP a bit better than you think. They start with the sales pipeline and if they don't get the number and quality of prospects up to where they want it they can adjust their vision before they go through expensive builds. On top of that they are heading off a whole pile of would-be-buyers who will now postpone their 'brand-x' purchase until they see what HP really has to offer.
You bring up a good point jacquesm. When you think of it as HP trying to identify market segments, the connect to us form includes company information and position. You could database possible applications.
I do not feel they are stupid, just noting the amount of monies poured into this website for a non-functional product for a company that is desperately seeking revenue. Can HP R&D make it to 2016?
You're assuming that the people who built the site could be working elsewhere in HP producing revenue. HP already employs the content creators and lawyers, so they are already spending the money whether this site is created or not. HP has a huge sales engine and customer base, so marketing new products like this is perfect for getting feedback while producing the product.
I agree with you. The level of waste from these large companies just makes me even more angry that they're able to persist at these rates. However, money is power is money is power is money is power is money is power...
Before the split they where easily making 5+ billion profit per year and had 317,500 Employees. So, while I don't know all the numbers post split I doubt there having many issues right now.
* Employees used to make HP webpage: 1. Web Designer for responsive web page, 2. Industrial Designer (Printer Design) 3. 3D Graphics for video 4. Audio Editor for video 5. Audio Talent for video, 6. Copy editor for corporate speak (probably one for video and one for webpage) 7. Legal department for footnotes. This is all before a single product can be purchased. Compare this to an MVP where there is a video demonstration of the product and how you fit with it.
* Video does not show a single printing machine doing just an imagination of what can be, suggesting this is a corporate video for shareholders instead of users.
* The product is not available for purchase and there is no time line to expect purchase. There are a number of 3d printers available to purchase right now, no need to wait for this printer to come out.
* From the paper and soggypenny's quote: "shortcomings of the STL format..." is a great reason to introduce an AutoCad / Microstation / Sketchup plugin software to easily render for a 3-D format.
* Call to action "Connect with Us" takes you to a multi-line e-mail form for their internal databases. Compare this with an MVP that just wants your e-mail and your name.
HP, great step forward in your effort to try and recover from potential insolvency. Please look at your competition before getting my hopes up and dashed in one web page.