Welcome to this Zwiftcast Special Episode, an extended interview with the company’s first Chief Product Officer.
YuChiang Cheng, known to all as YC, was appointed in January and the move was hailed as “critically important” by Zwift’s CEO, Eric Min.
YC was put in charge of what seemed like almost everything . . . .from game design and art, engineering, research and development through content programming and live operations, plus a bit more.
It was clear that YC, whose background includes the development of the 28 million-player World Tour Golf game, was going to be hugely influential in Zwift’s continued growth and development.
So what does he have planned? Was the rapid deployment of the much-requested Return To Home feature soon after YC joined a mere co-incidence or a sign of things to come? Is Zwift working on a brand new platform architecture? Will new features roll out faster? So many questions.
Simon sits down with YC to see if the Zwift community can get some answers to these and lots of other questions.
We hope you enjoy listening.
00.00-02.10: Intro, including rules of engagement
02.30: What was your last decision in your last meeting?
02.50:Give us your 60 second career resume? (SPOILER: It’s longer than 60 secs)
04.45: How did the opportunity at Zwift come about?
06.46: Do you ride a bike?
08.00: Have you identified areas where Zwift needs to change the way it works?
10.00: The Press release on your arrival stressed “accessibility” and “innovation”. What did that mean?
13.58: In seeking to widen accessibility there’s a feeling that the hard core cyclist will lose out to the casual fitness crowd. You are prioritising growth over development. How do you respond to that?
17.20: The last couple of updates have included “crowd pleaser” features. Is that your doing?
19.50: Is the company developing a Zwift 2.0? A new games engine?
21.50: So is Jon Mayfield, in his new role, working on a new game engine?
22.15: The golf game you were involved in featured performance improvements in exchange for payment. Will this ever be the case on Zwift?
23.10: Zwift Running has not been a conspicuous success. Is Zwift’s future multi-sport?
24.00: Why is hardware development so critical?
25.55: Zwift is neither agile nor nimble. Do you feel the need to address this?
29.10: Has recruitment of talented development people improved? Why not offshore development?
32.20: Tell me about your working relationship with Jon Mayfield?
34.30: We see a number of big projects announced - then grind to a halt. Why?
37.50: Pace Partners, as an example, were a huge hit. But development of them has been glaciallly slow. Why?
40.15. Racing: At pro level, it serves Zwift marketing well. At community level, tools, features and functions are slow to roll out.Fair point?
43.30: Why are some Zwifters on very high end machines seeing low frame rates on Makuri? Is this directional, or a glitch?
48.00 Will Zwift ever lock down certain features to its own hardware?
51.00: Zwift hardware. When are we going to see something?
51.20: What has surprised you, both upside and downside, since you joined Zwift?
52.35: Golfers or cyclists. Which is the most demanding community?
53.00: Does Zwift have a proper dialogue with its community?
55.10: Thanks and goodbye.
Episode 44 - Zwift Run reaction, Strava's data surprise, junior racing . . . and cheese
Episode 43 - Zwift Run Launch, the Rocker Plate Revolution and CoachPod
Episode 42 - World Switching, the Zwift Light Show, Cloud Gaming and Rehabbing with a Broken Neck
Episode 41 - Zwift Grows! The coming club portal and trainers sound tested
Episode 40: Lotto Soudal launch on Zwift, Academy Winner, Zwift Insider and more . . .
Episode 39 - Rocker plates, virtual Everesting and all the latest Zwift news
Episode 38: The price rise and much more
Episode 37 Zwift CEO Eric Min Special
Episode 36 AUDIO
AUDIO - Episode 34
AUDIO Eurobike 2017 Special
ZC Espresso - Chatting with D C Rainmaker
Episode 32 AUDIO
Episode 31
Episode 30
Episode 29
Episode 28
Episode 27 ZC Feminine
Episode 26
Episode 25 - Jon Mayfield Special
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