Solving the prioritization puzzle – a case study with Hudl

Our approach.

Hudl realized there was a missed opportunity at stake: to help customers quickly experience the full value of its platform. Their previous approach to customer research was focused on gathering micro-anecdotes about different aspects of the product. This, however, lacked the ability to help them see the bigger picture and dig into the reason why customers were doing what they were doing.

We had a good microscope but no 10,000 foot view type research going on.

They partnered with The Re-Wired Group to help understand the ‘why’ behind their customer actions. By doing so, they were able to increase the success of product launches in new markets by developing features that mattered. 

Bob Moesta, Greg Engle, and the team ran interviews across multiple types of programs, focusing on core audiences in local communities, high schools and colleges. From this research, a number of patterns emerged, with an emphasis on saving time for coaches and players. 

Four new jobs were identified. The first two, which focused on supporting new coaches and establishing experienced coaches within their roles, were ‘jobs’ already being doubled down on. The third job was centered around parent volunteers. 

Then a fourth job emerged: Athletic Directors and the progress they needed to make was a completely new opportunity for Hudl. 

This last job illuminated an additional opportunity to accelerate the company’s growth. Whereas Hudl had been primarily sold to coaches in the past, the Jobs to be Done (JTBD) work helped identify this new customer. And whilst Hudl continued to sell to coaches, this process of reframing who their customer was meant they were able to serve an additional segment with a related but different set of needs from coaches.  

The approach employed by The Re-Wired Group focused on demand-side selling.

Demand-side selling is understanding what progress people want to make, and what they are willing to pay to make that progress. Hudl’s products were merely part of their solution. The Re-Wired Group showed them it was really about creating pull for your product by focusing on helping the customer.

Demand-side selling starts with the struggling moment. It’s the theory that people buy when they have a struggling moment and think, “maybe, I can do better.”

The impact.

I remember thinking as we began to see interview results and see some of the patterns,  I was like… woah, you can actually build whole businesses and whole new products around this research

Kyle Murphy, VP Design

By focusing on the job of supporting Athletics Directors, Hudl’s teams were given a focus – a struggling moment. This unlocked new positioning which had an tremendous impact on their growth. This then accelerated Hudl’s path to capturing maximum wallet share while identifying new revenue streams from existing customers. 

New product development was orientated around the struggling moments for Athletic Directors.
– Each sport required different requirements, different camera angles and high quality footage. With this renewed focus around the progress customers wanted to make, product teams came together to develop and build new cameras to help customers live stream and create better video. Good bye, feature sprawl. 

New positioning was developed around the Athletic Directors’ struggling moment.
– It also opened up a new set of opportunities around engaging parents and fans, which saved time on the operational side of running sports programs. This involved centering marketing and sales teams around demand, unifying the teams and providing clear strategy and direction, not to mention new ways to package its products. 

The sales process was streamlined.
– Before, high schools would have multiple points of contact within Hudl depending on the sport. Now, customers are supported by one sales person who looks after the region, who’ll enlist the support from sports specialists when needed. 

Every change Hudl made was centered towards flipping the lens. This involved looking at the progress the customer wanted to make, not internal features and resources and capability. 

Today, 200,000 teams globally use Hudl’s software to build their programs and be as good as they can be.