How to launch software in New Zealand? Drive to Bluff?

New Zealand's small population and geographic spread presents a problem for launching products, even software. This has resulted in some varied approaches.

A couple of years ago Salesoft team toured the country in a specially equipped bus to show the nation Revit 9 & Robobat.

For a couple of years Autodesk NZ ran a session which combined dealer/customer sessions with a, CAD related, “Design Masters” Quiz night based on the new releases. It was a great attempt to get beyond the dreaded, now passé, PowerPoint + Demo which was the accepted format for software launches.

Last month Microsoft’s Darryl Burling tagged along with Chris Auld and Jeremy Boyd as they presented Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 from Auckland to Bluff (well nearly Bluff).

I think it’s great that this sort of info is seen beyond the usual main centre locations and believe the traditional “big demo launch” is dead. Since you can learn all about, sometimes even use, the software months before it’s “launched” there seems little need for a new feature demo.

The question is how/what to replace it with? Hit the road and meet the community on their turf or bring them together, but for what?

I’ve got no firm idea but think it’s more about the “real world” application of the new technology. Perhaps a little AU where you get a look at the current applications, a peek at tomorrows and “the vision”, but where the real benefit is meeting, and learning from, other users. Is that what you’d want from a launch? I’d be interested to hear what you think.

2008 Summer Road trip | Darryl Burling @ Work
Today we are in Invercargill. Today is the last day of our Road Trip. Today is kind of a sad day. We've had a great time driving around the country presenting on Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008…

Tags:  2008SummerRoadTrip