Yeah. WorkFront has been very sensitive, in my opinion, on this point. They have a substantial customer base in non-Marketing domains and they wisely don’t want to create any concern or any distance between their product strategy and their existing customers. They are, however, trying hard to grow revenue. The way to do that in workforce management is to target a domain, like Manufacturing, Government Contract Management, Food Services, Marketing, Finance, and so on. If your product is tailored for that domain, well, you are going to do very well in that domain because the value proposition is manifestly obvious to prospects in that domain. You will more quickly appeal to Early and Late Adopters (Thanks, Geoffrey Moore) with a tailored value prop than a generic value prop. Had WorkFront not marched down a path to add Marketing-specific features, they would have only appealed to Early adopters, and that isn’t going to drive the kind of revenue growth they need (or could have). I think their strategy and execution is sound. Therefore, let’s face the fact that WorkFront feels they have a good grasp on generic workforce management (used in domains like IT/PMO) and are venturing out to other revenue opportunities, namely the Marketing Domain. Good on them. I’m all for WorkFront being a self-sustaining, profitable, stand-alone company. The more financially stable (profitable) they become, well, it is a good thing for all WorkFront users. I’m all for them making a modest, reasonable profit from a larger number of customers than a significant profit from a small number of customers. So, let’s talk about their Product Strategy. They have to refine their product so that they become the obvious choice for Marketing project and resource management. They have to do it without alienating the existing customer base. It is a fine dance they are engaged in, to say the least. I’m a cynical, jaded former marketing project manager, so I don’t listen to the “key messages” or “explanations of the roadmap”. I look at what the roadmap contains. The words are nice, but the roadmap speaks so loudly, I can’t remember their positioning of that roadmap. I see it and believe it is Marketing-centric, but I understand why. The impact for existing non-Marketing customers is necessarily that features we want/need won’t come as quickly as we like, as WorkFront resources are focused more, not totally, but more on adding Marketing features. When I started with AtTask back in 2013, we struggled with WorkFront’s lack of ability to appreciate that cost rates change over time. After meeting with Steve Zobell and Eric (the former CEO) back in 2015 and explaining why this lack of time-sensitivity in cost rates was limiting the expansion of WorkFront’s use where I work, I was assured we’d see something to address that need later in 2016. To Steve Z’s credit, they have/are rolling out time-, project-, and group-sensitive rates. Oh, they chose to add those capabilities to BILLING rates, not COST rates. When I asked about it in Best of LEAP in London, Steve Zobell said “Crawl before you walk” and gave some color commentary. I interpret that conversation to mean once they figure out how to get it working with Billing Rates, they’ll consider implementing time-sensitivity to Cost rates. The operative question is - why would they implement time sensitivity with Billing, not Cost rates? It is my opinion that Marketing organizations will get a lot of value from being able to have project, group, and time-sensitive billing rates. I get it. I just wish they had done Cost rates, but I understand why they didn’t. Keep in mind, no one from WorkFront said that was the reason they chose Billing instead of Cost, it is my opinion. So that is an example of how some non-Marketing needs fall in priority behind the need to add features that appeal to Marketers. Like I said, I get why they are doing it. I am hoping that WorkFront makes a massive splash in the Marketing realm, mops up the majority of the marketshare, and adjusts their Product Management roadmap to be heavier on generic project needs, and less on marketing needs. I’m optimistic like that. For those who manage Marketing work, you’re going to love what WorkFront is doing to address your unique, specific needs. Seriously. They’ve thought this through and are walking down a sensible path you’re going to like. Voice of Experience. How’s that for a proper ramble? Thanks, Eric
