Executing

Ideas are often difficult to capture, cultivate, mature, and turn into a reality even when you have the Ripple Manifesto and its 6 phrases. Sure, they represent a sold philosophy, but knowing the path and walking the path are two different things. You can write down notes, track tasks on paper or using a computer, but it is not easy to shepherd an idea to success when it is scattered all over the place.

We believe a key aspect to success is the process through which ideals flow and become reality. This does not start nor finish at the "working" phase, where we actually put forth energy and effort, such as delivering a service or product (like a Website), but rather the process spans concept to completion. At the same time, process does not necessarily mean everything has to following some rigorous and uncompromising set of rules ­ it just means there is, even if only in our mind, some method to our madness.

For those of you in the software development world, the idea is somewhat of an Extreme and Agile Programming (80/20 rule applies - be quick and fast) approach with short Waterfall sprints (2 - 3 week tactical milestones), but in an ongoing Spiral (iterative) manner. As such, we opporate in a manner where this process is broken down into 5 key Phases:

• Innovate: Ideas are brainstormed, white boarded, and researched. Technology, raw materials, people, etc. are evaluated and there could be prototypes or drafts created in this Phase.
• Create: Once an idea, product, service, or whatever your deliverable maybe is understood enough to start creating it changes hands (or at least frame of mind).
• Manage: During this Phase, progress needs to be tracked, tests and evaluations need to be created and made, and the overall project needs to be managed. This is where we, internally, "complete" the offering, or at least a initial version of it that we think we can put in the hands of actual customers.
• Test: The step is designed to see how well you hit your mark. This may be evaluating the customer's happiness when delivering your product or it could be determining how successful a service or campaign is you created. We like to have 5 or 10 customers using the product during this phase.
• Live: The final phase is where the idea, concept, or product is baked enough that we feel comfortable releasing it.