From LEGO to Apple, community architect Jake McKee reveals how to transform product development through deep customer engagement. Learn his field-tested framework for weaving user voices into every stage, turning feedback into breakthrough innovations.
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Jake McKee, a pioneering community architect since 1996, reveals the hidden framework behind successful product development that most companies miss. Drawing from his groundbreaking work with LEGO, Apple, and Southwest Airlines, McKee unpacks his revolutionary "Community-Driven Product Development" methodology that transformed how industry giants build and launch products.
Through compelling case studies-from LEGO's Mindstorms revolution to a game-changing golf technology launch-McKee demonstrates how bringing customers directly into the development process creates products that resonate deeply with markets. Learn why traditional beta testing fails, and discover the counterintuitive approach that turns customers into product co-creators and lifelong advocates.
McKee shares his sophisticated "Big Four" framework for building effective community-product partnerships: finding the right voices, timing their involvement perfectly, focusing on concrete business outcomes, and designing engaging experiences that keep participants actively invested. Whether you're a Fortune 500 company or an early-stage startup, these battle-tested strategies bridge the crucial gap between product vision and market reality.
Jake McKee is a community strategy pioneer who has shaped how global brands like LEGO, Apple, and Southwest Airlines engage with their customers. He currently advises companies on building effective community-driven product development programs and hosts two exclusive monthly events focused on customer experience and AI innovation.
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00:00 Introduction to Community-Driven Product Development
11:19 Case Study: Golf Launch Monitors
20:25 The Importance of Relational Feedback
26:37 The Importance of Customer Feedback
32:43 Finding the Right People and Timing
42:48 Engaging with Existing Communities