Ten Tips For New Product Managers Presented by Jeff Lash [email_address] www.jefflash.com www.goodproductmanager.com

Four types of “new” Product Managers Your relationship to the organization Existing New Existing product, same organization Existing product, new organization New product, same organization New product, new organization Type of product Tenured New

Ten Tips Spend time with customers Ask “dumb” questions Let go of your past Surround yourself with experts Gather data Focus Concentrate on what, not how Communicate, communicate, communicate Sell your product internally Do whatever it takes

Spend time with customers

Ask “dumb” questions

Let go of your past

Surround yourself with experts

Gather data

Focus

Concentrate on what, not how

Communicate, communicate, communicate

Sell your product internally

Do whatever it takes

Spend time with customers The single most important thing a product manager can do is to understand the market The best way to understand the market is to spend time with customers Customer : Uploaded to flickr by David Kozlowski flickr.com/photos/traveller2020/539548225/

The single most important thing a product manager can do is to understand the market

The best way to understand the market is to spend time with customers

Spend time with customers: To Do Spend more time with customers than with colleagues Set goals for customer visits Establish a regular schedule for customer interactions Bring colleagues along with you Bring back information to share

Spend more time with customers than with colleagues

Set goals for customer visits

Establish a regular schedule for customer interactions

Bring colleagues along with you

Bring back information to share

Ask “dumb” questions “ Dumb” questions are really more about when they get asked than about what you are asking New product managers have the luxury of asking naïve questions Ask as many questions as possible as soon as possible Who to ask? Customers, colleagues, stakeholders, superiors, partners, competitors… sign - ? question mark : Uploaded to flickr by Leo Reynolds flickr.com/photos/lwr/12364944/

“ Dumb” questions are really more about when they get asked than about what you are asking

New product managers have the luxury of asking naïve questions

Ask as many questions as possible as soon as possible

Who to ask? Customers, colleagues, stakeholders, superiors, partners, competitors…

Ask “dumb” questions: To Do Develop a list of initial questions Generate additional questions each time one is answered Make note of interesting answers for future reference Ask the same question to different people and compare answers

Develop a list of initial questions

Generate additional questions each time one is answered

Make note of interesting answers for future reference

Ask the same question to different people and compare answers

Let go of your past What were you in your “past” life? Whatever it was, you’re a product manager now There is a natural instinct for product managers to gravitate towards the function of the business from which they came – resist it 141 Thursday - letting go : Uploaded to flickr by roujo flickr.com/photos/tekmagika/474086212/

What were you in your “past” life? Whatever it was, you’re a product manager now

There is a natural instinct for product managers to gravitate towards the function of the business from which they came – resist it

Let go of your past: To Do Audit the time you are spending on each area of the product Have an open conversation with colleagues in your former role Discuss experiences and establish boundaries Think hard before overruling decisions Review regularly to discuss progress

Audit the time you are spending on each area of the product

Have an open conversation with colleagues in your former role

Discuss experiences and establish boundaries

Think hard before overruling decisions

Review regularly to discuss progress

Surround yourself with experts Product managers can not and should not do it all alone Your success depends on others Do not try to be an expert in everything Leverage the expertise of others in certain areas Look for “formal” and “informal” advisors Experts do not just have to be within your organization

Product managers can not and should not do it all alone

Your success depends on others

Do not try to be an expert in everything

Leverage the expertise of others in certain areas

Look for “formal” and “informal” advisors

Experts do not just have to be within your organization

Surround yourself with experts: To Do Identify areas important to product’s success Identify internal experts in targeted areas Enlist experts as Trusted Advisors Utilize advisors for decision-making, planning, support and overcoming obstacles

Identify areas important to product’s success

Identify internal experts in targeted areas

Enlist experts as Trusted Advisors

Utilize advisors for decision-making, planning, support and overcoming obstacles

Gather data “In a truly consumer-driven company, decisions are based on data… so the person with the best data wins.” – Scott Cook; Founder, Intuit Lots of different types of data… Internal data External data Market data Product data Data : Uploaded to flickr by kokeshi flickr.com/photos/kokeshi/119345900/

“In a truly consumer-driven company, decisions are based on data… so the person with the best data wins.” – Scott Cook; Founder, Intuit

Lots of different types of data…

Internal data

External data

Market data

Product data

Gather data: To Do Gather existing market research and industry data – primary and secondary Identify information gaps and develop plans to fill them Gather existing product performance data Identify missing and desired information and leverage colleagues to obtain If desired data is not available, quantify the value of it in order to obtain support for projects to gather it

Gather existing market research and industry data – primary and secondary

Identify information gaps and develop plans to fill them

Gather existing product performance data

Identify missing and desired information and leverage colleagues to obtain

If desired data is not available, quantify the value of it in order to obtain support for projects to gather it

Ten Tips Spend time with customers Ask “dumb” questions Let go of your past Surround yourself with experts Gather data Focus Concentrate on what, not how Communicate, communicate, communicate Sell your product internally Do whatever it takes

Spend time with customers

Ask “dumb” questions

Let go of your past

Surround yourself with experts

Gather data

Focus

Concentrate on what, not how

Communicate, communicate, communicate

Sell your product internally

Do whatever it takes

Focus It will be overwhelming You will not know where to start It is better to do one thing well than to do a lot of things poorly irony ; Uploaded to flickr by mrpattersonsir flickr.com/photos/mrpattersonsir/30325860/

It will be overwhelming

You will not know where to start

It is better to do one thing well than to do a lot of things poorly

Focus: To Do Make a list of all of the “internal” and “external” priorities Determine timelines, relative levels of effort, and resources required Pick a few quick wins and focus initial effort During that time, develop longer-term focus Get agreement on focus, communicate, and reiterate it

Make a list of all of the “internal” and “external” priorities

Determine timelines, relative levels of effort, and resources required

Pick a few quick wins and focus initial effort

During that time, develop longer-term focus

Get agreement on focus, communicate, and reiterate it

Concentrate on what, not how It will be tempting to control “how” things get done with your product Resist the temptation Product managers should define “what” needs to happen… … and others should define “how” those things happen

It will be tempting to control “how” things get done with your product

Resist the temptation

Product managers should define “what” needs to happen…

… and others should define “how” those things happen

Concentrate on what, not how: To Do Clarify roles and responsibilities with team members Engineering Design Marketing Get regular feedback on whether you and others are keeping with the agreed-upon responsibilities

Clarify roles and responsibilities with team members

Engineering

Design

Marketing

Get regular feedback on whether you and others are keeping with the agreed-upon responsibilities

Communicate, communicate… Do not underestimate the importance of communication in all forms Informal, formal, written, verbal, unspoken, method, timeliness, frequency, tone Calling_all_Flickrs ; Uploaded to flickr by carf flickr.com/photos/beija-flor/5011611/

Do not underestimate the importance of communication in all forms

Informal, formal, written, verbal, unspoken, method, timeliness, frequency, tone

Communication Source: Seven Traits of Successful Product Managers; Michael Shrivathsan michael.hightechproductmanagement.com/2006/12/seven_traits_of_successful_pro.html

Communication Product Manager Engineering Sales Marketing Manager

Communication Product Manager Engineering Design Finance Legal Project Management Sales Marketing Manager Executives Other PMs Customer Service

Communication Product Manager Engineering Design Finance Legal Project Management Sales Marketing Customers Investors Industry Analysts Manager Executives Other PMs Customer Service Partners

Communicate, communicate: To Do Audit current communications (if any) Get feedback from stakeholders on preferred communications channels and frequency Develop communications plan; type and frequency Email newsletter Intranet site “ State of the Product” presentations Set reminders about communications and stick to schedule!

Audit current communications (if any)

Get feedback from stakeholders on preferred communications channels and frequency

Develop communications plan; type and frequency

Email newsletter

Intranet site

“ State of the Product” presentations

Set reminders about communications and stick to schedule!

Sell your product internally Be the champion for your product “Sell” your product to executives, team members, other departments Will help gain resources, funding, support for issues and new initiatives

Be the champion for your product

“Sell” your product to executives, team members, other departments

Will help gain resources, funding, support for issues and new initiatives

Sell your product internally: To Do Regularly communicate good news Don’t go overboard Don’t ignore or try to dismiss bad news Make sure your communication plans include all the necessary audiences Get others to help sell your product Explicit “enlistment” Find good supporters and keep them happy

Regularly communicate good news

Don’t go overboard

Don’t ignore or try to dismiss bad news

Make sure your communication plans include all the necessary audiences

Get others to help sell your product

Explicit “enlistment”

Find good supporters and keep them happy

Do whatever it takes “ Be willing to do whatever it takes. … I know of many cases where the product manager needed to help out with deliverables for customer support, sales training, technical writing, QA, engineering, and marketing. You may need to just do it.” Source: Thriving in Large Companies; Silicon Valley Product Group www.svproduct.com/blog/files/thriving_in_large_companies.html

Do whatever it takes: To Do Learn about as many areas of your product as possible The more you know, the more you can help Help out at the right time Don’t start too early, but don’t wait too long Don’t complain about having to help out But make sure to discuss it later if there are skill or resource issues that need to be addressed

Learn about as many areas of your product as possible

The more you know, the more you can help

Help out at the right time

Don’t start too early, but don’t wait too long

Don’t complain about having to help out

But make sure to discuss it later if there are skill or resource issues that need to be addressed

Bonus tip #11 Learn from other product managers There are plenty of great (and often free!) resources available Books, blogs, newsletters, webinars, conferences, training, professional associations, local groups, mailing lists, social networking sites…

Learn from other product managers

There are plenty of great (and often free!) resources available

Books, blogs, newsletters, webinars, conferences, training, professional associations, local groups, mailing lists, social networking sites…

Resources How To Be A Good Product Manager 2) Ask dumb questions www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/02/09/ask-dumb-questions/ 3) Let go of your past www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/01/30/let-go-of-your-past/ 4) Surround yourself with experts www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/02/22/dont-do-it-all-or-do-it-all-yourself/ 7) Take responsibility for what, not how www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/02/14/take-responsibility-for-what-not-how/ 10) Do whatever it takes www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/04/04/help-out-in-areas-outside-of-product-management/ More topics at www.goodproductmanager.com

How To Be A Good Product Manager

2) Ask dumb questions

www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/02/09/ask-dumb-questions/

3) Let go of your past

www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/01/30/let-go-of-your-past/

4) Surround yourself with experts

www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/02/22/dont-do-it-all-or-do-it-all-yourself/

7) Take responsibility for what, not how

www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/02/14/take-responsibility-for-what-not-how/

10) Do whatever it takes

www.goodproductmanager.com/2007/04/04/help-out-in-areas-outside-of-product-management/

More topics at www.goodproductmanager.com

Resources Brainmates: So You’re a New Product Manager… Part 1: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=165 Part 2: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=153 Part 3: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=159 Part 4: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=166 Part 5: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=169 Part 6: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=172 On Product Management: How to be a Great Product Manager onproductmanagement.wordpress.com/2007/08/14/how-to-be-a-great-product-manager-boxed-set-with-bonus-features/

Brainmates: So You’re a New Product Manager…

Part 1: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=165

Part 2: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=153

Part 3: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=159

Part 4: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=166

Part 5: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=169

Part 6: www.brainmates.com.au/?p=172

On Product Management: How to be a Great Product Manager

onproductmanagement.wordpress.com/2007/08/14/how-to-be-a-great-product-manager-boxed-set-with-bonus-features/

Resources Lots of other great Product Management blogs www.goodproductmanager.com/resources/ These slides are available online www.jefflash.com/work/ Interested in getting your feedback [email_address]

Lots of other great Product Management blogs

www.goodproductmanager.com/resources/

These slides are available online

www.jefflash.com/work/

Interested in getting your feedback

[email_address]