Comments on: Pick the right name for your projects http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/ A blog with tips on product management and related topics. Written by Jeff Lash, a product manager in St. Louis, MO Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:55:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kotler http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-46661 Kotler Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:53:25 +0000 http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/#comment-46661 I am a sincere reader on this post from last year to this year,Thank everyone of course including Jeff, honestly speaking, Jeff made huge effort I am a sincere reader on this post from last year to this year,Thank everyone of course including Jeff, honestly speaking, Jeff made huge effort

]]> By: Livia Labate http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-2537 Livia Labate Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:59:54 +0000 http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/#comment-2537 As a team member, my big pet peeve with product managers and naming of product versus project is when half-way through the project (let's say it's called Project X), the product team starts working on the product naming. (let's say they decided on "product Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"). The product manager then announces that the project name is switching from X to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious with the justification that it is not consistent with the product. (That is also often poorly communicated). Now not only it is a mystery why X became Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious but introduces a layer of confusion across the team that ads NO value to the product or the intended outcome. Project names should NOT change until the project is complete, even if the name is bad. That's why it IS important to pick a good name. As a team member, my big pet peeve with product managers and naming of product versus project is when half-way through the project (let’s say it’s called Project X), the product team starts working on the product naming. (let’s say they decided on “product Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”). The product manager then announces that the project name is switching from X to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious with the justification that it is not consistent with the product. (That is also often poorly communicated). Now not only it is a mystery why X became Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious but introduces a layer of confusion across the team that ads NO value to the product or the intended outcome. Project names should NOT change until the project is complete, even if the name is bad. That’s why it IS important to pick a good name.

]]> By: Roger L. Cauvin http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-1831 Roger L. Cauvin Wed, 05 Sep 2007 13:05:42 +0000 http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/#comment-1831 Ah, yes, I had forgotten about that Wikipedia entry. While it contains some interesting and though-provoking information, I find that the entry contradicts itself a bit. I just added to the discussion page for the entry a blurb pointing out the inconsistency. Ah, yes, I had forgotten about that Wikipedia entry. While it contains some interesting and though-provoking information, I find that the entry contradicts itself a bit. I just added to the discussion page for the entry a blurb pointing out the inconsistency.

]]> By: Jeff Lash http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-1830 Jeff Lash Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:30:36 +0000 http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/#comment-1830 You're right, and thanks for catching it. The purpose wasn't to focus as much on what the external name should be so much as to point out the external name has a different purpose than the internal name. As you noted, descriptive names may not be the best choice for many situations. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_naming" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia has a good overview of the different categories of product names</a> as well as links to other resources. You’re right, and thanks for catching it. The purpose wasn’t to focus as much on what the external name should be so much as to point out the external name has a different purpose than the internal name.

As you noted, descriptive names may not be the best choice for many situations. Wikipedia has a good overview of the different categories of product names as well as links to other resources.

]]> By: Roger L. Cauvin http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/comment-page-1/#comment-1820 Roger L. Cauvin Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:21:47 +0000 http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/09/04/pick-the-right-name-for-your-projects/#comment-1820 You did write that product naming would not be covered in this entry, but then you also wrote: "External names need to communicate the value proposition, benefits, and features to a variety of different types of customers." Scientific studies and some branding gurus (e.g. Al Ries, Laura Ries, and Seth Godin) have come to the exact opposite conclusion (at least for some kinds of products): descriptive names are not as effective as abstract ones. More <a href="http://cauvin.blogspot.com/2005/11/why-nondescriptive-naming.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. You did write that product naming would not be covered in this entry, but then you also wrote:

“External names need to communicate the value proposition, benefits, and features to a variety of different types of customers.”

Scientific studies and some branding gurus (e.g. Al Ries, Laura Ries, and Seth Godin) have come to the exact opposite conclusion (at least for some kinds of products): descriptive names are not as effective as abstract ones.

More here.

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