DNA wanted to unify its product development so they asked Contribyte, now part of Eficode, to organize product development training for DNA’s employees from various units of the organization. It was just the right type of training package for DNA’s needs.
“We offer equipment, services and related additional services,” says Mikko Saarentaus, Director at DNA Entertainment Business. Cedric Kamtsan, Vice President, Handset Business at DNA explains, “We have an extensive organization and our employees come from very different backgrounds. We wanted to unify our product development in practice and to form a certain structure for our activities.”
The training focused on the beginning part of the product development process
Eficode organized product development training for DNA with approximately 30 participating employees from various units across the organization. The employees were divided into two groups to ensure both groups would have as many people from various units of the organization as possible.
“The training focused on the beginning part of the product development process, i.e., on innovation, gathering ideas and validating them. The training also focused on teaching us how to recognize ideas which are worthwhile to transfer into the product development process,” Mikko Saarentaus says.
The focus on agile operations
The training started in autumn 2017 and lasted more than six months in total, ending in spring 2018. One of the main focus points of the training was agile operations. In practice, agility means that something is developed and tried following a quick schedule. The required changes are done on the basis of the trials, and then tried again.
Mikko Saarentaus emphasizes that this ideology is important for them, so that they don’t end up following the traditional waterfall model. “In the waterfall model,” he says, “something will be completed, for example, after six months only for us to realize that the result was not what the customers were asking us for.”
Mikko Saarentaus noted that “Working with Eficode has felt very flexible,” and adds, “Their trainers have been very professional, and they have been able to offer us a tailored training package which is exactly what we wanted.”
Cedric Kamtsan concludes, “I was satisfied to see that we engaged in concrete exercises in the training. This is really important. This will allow the subject under processing to really sink in with the people, because they can then apply it in their own work. This will hopefully make the issue also stick in their minds.”
