This blog is the third in the “Walk in Your Shoes” series. lt highlights 
the importance of field testing our products with first responders before launch to ensure quality. Read the first two blogs Walk in Your Shoes – The Foundation of Customer-Focused Software Applications and Walking Alongside Law Enforcement – I’ve Learned So Much.
Engaging Fire and Law Enforcement officers from product inception through launch is important to creating the right products for the Public Safety Market. This is also the most enjoyable part of my role. Pre-release testing is a vital step that ensures quality and usability of our product offerings when launched. Receiving direct feedback and end-user interactions in the station, in the vehicle and in the field during the pre-release cycles allows us to better meet first responder needs and expectations when we go to market. It also provides valuable insights about how the product performs in the customer’s environment.
In preparation for the PremierOne Handheld iOS launch, I recently completed three on-site customer field trials observing hands-on use, seeking expert input and performing integrated testing. During these field trials, System Administrators, Firefighters, Medics, Police Officers and Sergeants engaged with me and our Engineering Team for interactive road testing of PremierOne Handheld on iPhones, iPads, and Android Smartphones. Walking responders through features like Responder and Unit Location Tracking, Emergency Activations, Real-time Incident and Unit Status Monitors and Dynamic Incident Updates was the focus of these trials. Watching as responders navigate through and use our application in the field helps us understand if the application is as intuitive as we designed it to be. Side-by-side testing to ensure that all the features deliver the intended benefits without technical glitches is a vital step to ensuring product quality.
Observing customer reactions during the field trials helps us gauge
how features will be received when launched. For instance, during our field trials for PremierOne Handheld, the application’s ability to scan a driver’s license to auto-populate incidents with personal details was received with great enthusiasm. The application’s ability to automatically query Records, State and NCIC databases, and return all prior incident details based on this scan was also a key highlight. Our customers’ reaction to PremierOne Handheld, our smartphone and tablet application, proves the value of time in the field and the benefit of walking step-by-step beside our first responders from product inception through launch.
Receiving inputs from first responders never gets old. If you are going to be at at IACP, 2017 please stop by the Motorola Solutions Booth #3037 and try out our newest applications. My colleagues and I would love to hear your opinion about our products so we can continue to meet and exceed your expectations.
