At Rekor, a dynamic force in roadway intelligence solutions, I initiated a transformative project aimed at redefining its product portfolio and taxonomy. The overarching objective was to establish a cohesive ecosystem with clear and consistent terminology, fostering understanding among both internal teams and external stakeholders. This comprehensive case study delves into the challenges faced, the meticulous research conducted, the strategic naming decisions made, and the successful implementation of the new taxonomy.

Challenges

‍The journey began with a recognition of several internal and external challenges:

1. Internal Misnaming: Within Rekor, there was a prevalent issue of products being referred to by incorrect names, leading to confusion among team members.
2. Lack of Branded Names: Some of Rekor's innovative products lacked distinctive branded names, hindering effective communication both internally and externally.
3. Customer and Investor Confusion: External stakeholders, including customers and investors, expressed confusion regarding Rekor's diverse product offerings.
4. Misalignment with Company Vision: The existing product names did not necessarily align with Rekor's overarching vision, resulting in a lack of clarity.
5. Overlapping Ideologies: Platforms and markets exhibited overlapping ideologies, contributing to the overall confusion and misalignment.

Research and Decision-Making

‍Addressing these challenges required a thorough and strategic approach. The following key steps were taken:

1. Naming Conventions Exploration: Extensive research was conducted into various naming conventions, considering the pros and cons of each approach.
2. Competitive Landscape Analysis: Rekor's competitors were analyzed to understand how they named and organized their products, providing valuable insights.
3. Learning from Industry Leaders: Studying successful companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google provided benchmarks for naming and organizing products effectively.
4. Unifying Thematics Selection: After considering various themes, space exploration emerged as a powerful metaphor with broad appeal and a connection to transportation.

Naming Strategy

‍The culmination of research led to the establishment of a robust naming strategy:

1. Brand-Centric Approach: To strengthen Rekor's brand equity, it was decided that all products would lead with the brand name "Rekor."
2. Hardware Naming Convention: The hardware systems were introduced under the umbrella term "Rekor Edge Series," distinguishing them with the use of Edge AI, a clear differentiator for Rekor. Specific hardware systems were named Rekor Edge Flex, Rekor Edge Max, and Rekor Edge Pro.
3. Software Naming Convention: A suggestive naming approach was chosen for software platforms, with a theme of space exploration to unify them. The final software platform names were Rekor Command, Rekor Discover, and Rekor Scout, each tied to specific markets - Transportation Management, Urban Mobility, and Public Safety, respectively.

Taxonomy and Diagram

‍Creating a comprehensive taxonomy was crucial for visualizing the entire product portfolio. A detailed diagram was crafted in FigJam to showcase names, definitions, features, and sub-applications, providing a clear visual representation of how products interconnected and aligned within the ecosystem. This diagram also served as a resource for employees to bookmark or print and memorize.

Rollout Strategy

‍Implementing the new taxonomy required a well-orchestrated rollout strategy:

Internal Campaign

Ensuring internal alignment and understanding was a critical component of the rollout:

• Employee Email Campaigns: Regular email campaigns were crafted to keep employees informed about the changes, explaining the rationale behind the new names and the significance of the unified taxonomy.
• Op-eds in The Intersection: The internal Employee Newsletter, The Intersection, featured op-eds providing insights into the naming process, logo design, and the importance of consistency in internal communication.
• All Employee Town Hall Presentation: A compelling presentation was delivered by me at the quarterly All Employee Town Hall. Repetition was employed strategically to reinforce the new names in employees' minds, ensuring a smooth internal transition.
• Updated Documentation: Documentation was overhauled to reflect the new names and taxonomy, serving as a reference for employees to familiarize themselves with the changes.
• New Employee Onboarding Video: A comprehensive onboarding video was produced to highlight Rekor's Product Portfolio and Taxonomy, ensuring a seamless onboarding for new hires while keeping tenured team members updated on the latest product names and taxonomy.

External Campaign

Effectively communicating the changes to external stakeholders was equally vital:

• Website Revamp: The Rekor website underwent a complete revamp, featuring the new product names and logos. Website navigation was updated to align with the taxonomy, providing a seamless user experience.
• Press Releases with Customer Deals: Press releases announcing the new names were strategically timed to coincide with new customer deals, maximizing visibility and showcasing Rekor's commitment to innovation.
• Drip Email Campaigns to Customers: Current customers were engaged through drip email campaigns, providing them with information about the name changes, emphasizing the company's evolution, and offering support for any queries.
• Social Media Blitz: Countless social media posts across all channels highlighted the new names and provided direct links to product pages on the website. This created a buzz and drew attention to the revamped product portfolio.
• Promo Videos: Engaging promo videos were created for each software platform, further enhancing the visual representation of the products and emphasizing their unique value propositions.

Results

‍The impact of the project was nothing short of transformative:

1. Internal Alignment Achieved: Within weeks, employees consistently adopted the new names, significantly reducing internal confusion and misnaming.
2. Clear Definitions: Product definitions became crystal clear, providing a shared understanding across teams and external stakeholders.
3. Framework for Future Naming: A standardized framework for future product naming was established, ensuring scalability and coherence in future product developments.

Conclusion

The strategic initiative to redefine Rekor's product portfolio and taxonomy successfully addressed internal and external challenges. The adoption of a unified naming strategy, supported by extensive research and a well-executed rollout, resulted in improved clarity, internal alignment, and a strong foundation for future product development and marketing.

Product Definitions

Hardware

• Rekor Edge Series: Rekor Edge Series is a family of smart devices that seamlessly capture and transform roadway data using advanced optics, edge computing, and proprietary AI algorithms. Both portable and permanent configurations are available depending on use case, duration, traffic speed, and lane coverage needs.
• Rekor Edge Flex: Rekor Edge Flex is a non-intrusive, portable data collection system that captures and transforms high-speed roadway data into ground truth traffic insights. Edge Flex captures up to 12 lanes of traffic and analyzes it using the embedded Edge Processing Unit (EPU) and proprietary AI algorithms. Vehicle category classification, vehicle counts, and speed reports are made available in web-based dashboards or extractable in .TMG and .PRN formats. Powered by swappable, long-lasting batteries, the system can be installed quickly, easily, and safely and is best used for temporary traffic studies lasting between one and three days.
• Rekor Edge Pro: Rekor Edge Pro is a plug-and-play license plate and vehicle recognition system developed in conjunction with Ability Enterprise Co. in Taiwan. Engineered for public safety missions and roadway speeds under 55 mph, the system can be deployed in neighborhoods, campuses, business directs, and also be used for parking and access control. It captures and processes data on-device within a durable enclosure and comes preconfigured to easily connect to the Rekor Scout platform.
• Rekor Edge Max: Rekor Edge Max is a permanent roadway data collection system engineered for high-speed primary roadways and highways. Edge Max seamlessly captures HD video from advanced distances and analyzes it locally using the embedded Edge Processing Unit (EPU) and proprietary AI algorithms. The parsed data is then sent to a cloud-based software platform for a variety of traffic analytics and insights. The system, which is best used for continuous traffic studies, features a durable enclosure, onboard modem, easy mounting, optional solar power, and can even be configured with two cameras for increased capture range.

Software

• Rekor Command: Inspired by the critical coordination of mission operations from launch to success, Rekor Command proactively prepares transportation departments for the unknown. By fusing machine learning and predictive analytics with rich third-party data, Command automatically identifies effecting events and highlights roadway zones at risk to safeguard those that navigate our roads everyday.
• Rekor Discover: Inspired by the fearless challenging of the status quo in pursuit of observable growth, Rekor Discover uncovers illuminating insights by transforming roadway data into measurable, reliable traffic knowledge that paints a full picture of how vehicles move and the impact they make. Discover empowers users to envision a sustainable future with calmer traffic and cleaner air.
• Rekor Scout: Inspired by the pioneering spirit to confidently explore ahead and gather intel, Rekor Scout automatically detects license plates and vehicles to resolve key characteristics and pinpoint coordinates. Proprietary license plate and vehicle recognition algorithms alert on vehicles of interest in real-time, constructing a shield of safety around our communities.