Improving a Product in an Alpha Release

You can effectively improve a product definition during its alpha release—an early version of the software created and released specifically to solicit customer feedback. You can identify cooperative customers who know that the alpha software is not ready for production use but want to contribute to its definition. Choosing existing customers who are enthusiastic about your product will minimize your risks and improve your results.

Success with an alpha release requires that you actively drive the client's evaluation. A passive alpha release, in which you send clients the software and then wait for their evaluations, will not produce the feedback you need. Instead, schedule an evaluation time with your alpha ...

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