media lab, has correctly predicted: “Effective prototyping may be the most valuable
‘core competence’ an innovative organization can hope to have.”^24 This has certainly
been true for software companies such as Microsoft, Netscape, and the hundreds of
Silicon Valley start-ups. Although Schrage says that specification-driven companies re-
quire that every “i” be dotted and “t” be crossed before anything can be shown to
the next level of management, prototype-driven companies—such as Yahoo!, Mi-
crosoft, and Netscape—cherish quick-and-dirty tests and experiments. See the Mar-
keting for the Millennium box, “Developing Products on Internet Time: The Story of
Netscape’s Navigator.”
Lab scientists must not only design the product’s functional characteristics but
also communicate its psychological aspects through physical cues. How will consumers
react to different colors, sizes, and weights? In the case of a mouthwash, a yellow
color supports an “antiseptic” claim (Listerine), a red color supports a “refreshing”
claim (Lavoris), and a green or blue color supports a “cool” claim (Scope). Marketers
chapter 11
Developing
New Market
Offerings^345Developing Products on Internet Time:
The Story of Netscape’s Navigator