Shipping ..

We are in the last phases of a major project at work, and the launch date is fast approaching. Shipping a new product is tough. You always have so many details that have to be completed near the time of launch. I was reflecting about one of my all-time favorite movies, “Back To The Future” and the screen in that 1st movie where Marty McFly is in the DeLorean, speeding toward the movie theater and the wire that is going to allow him to return home. Doc Brown is on the clock tower, trying to connect the wire that will allow natures High Voltage source to power the journey home. Sadly, and to Doc’s surprise, he comes up short. A tree branch is impeding his ability to make the connection. I love the look on his face as he recognizes the problem, and the potential implication. Marty is speeding forward and things look bad. Doc’s tug breaks the connection at a different point, allowing him to make the connection. At that point, he slides down the wire, and somehow makes enough of a connection to allow our young Marty to return home. 

Doc Brown, saving the day .. shipping!  

Shipping a new product feels a lot like this sometimes. The schedule gets messy .. shipping a new product can get messy. You have to stay after it. I have found that a lot of the effort required to ship a new product is about keeping the team focused on the goal. When things go wrong, pulling the team together, and focusing on the goal.  

And if you are a Back To The Future fan, as I am, watch the clip I tried to describe above here.   Better yet, go and watch the entire movie. 😳