The document provides an overview of Agile product management. It discusses the problems with traditional waterfall methodology, introduces Agile concepts like short iterations and frequent reassessment. It outlines Agile roles like product owner, scrum master, and product manager. It also discusses characteristics of effective product managers, including being customer-driven, responsible for product success, and having a positive reputation among coworkers. The document aims to educate others on fundamentals of Agile product management.

1. ambreenshussain
Fundamentals of Agile
Product Management
Ambreen Hussain, Product Manager, HDM ahussain@hearst.com

2. Agenda
• Intro
• On Agile
• The Role of Product
Management in Agile
• Product Process & Lifecycle
• Characteristics of a Product
Manager

3. Background
BA, English,
The University of Texas at Austin
MFA, Design & Technology,
Parsons New School for Design

4. Background
Front-End Developer,
NBC, elle.com and Sony
Product Manager,
Sony, General Assembly, Hearst
Instructor,
Thinkful, Parsons

5. What I Thrive In
• Beautifully Designed Products
(that I use)
• Inspiring Co-Workers
• Solving Problems
• Process That Allows For
Innovation & Iteration
• Open and Transparent
Dialogue

6. Soo… Agile.

7. Why is it
such an
obsession?

8. Here Was the Problem…

9. Things were slow.
There were so many
layers.
It took forever to start
and approve anything.
PEOPLE.WERE.
ANNOYED.DYING.
LOSING IT.

10. Agile Manifesto
1. Individuals and interactions over processes
and tools
2. Working software over comprehensive
documentation
3. Customer collaboration over contract
negotiation
4. Responding to change over following a plan

11. Waterfall vs Agile
Conception
Initiation
Analysis
Design
Construction
Testing
Deployment
Conception
Initiation
Analysis
Design
Construction
Testing
Deployment

12. Waterfall vs Agile
Agile
Methodology
Waterfall
Methodology

13. FEATURE 1 FEATURE 2 FEATURE 3
FEATURE 3FEATURE 2FEATURE 1
DEPARTMENT 1
DEPARTMENT 2
Agile Team Structure

14. Agile Team Structure
7 (+/- 2) Cross
Functional Team
Members
Product Owner Scrum Master
(Tech Lead)

15. Agile Software Development
• Division of tasks
• Division of teams
• Short phases of work
• Frequent reassessment on specified features
• Adaptation of plans

16. It works!Waterfall vs Agile

17. It works!Agile Assessment
1. The team knows, for sure, that at any given time they are working on
deliverables that have the greatest value for the business.
2. When the implementation team claims to be Done with something,
the business stakeholder usually agrees that it is, in fact, done and
Accepts it.
3. When something is Accepted, it is sufficiently well-built and well-
tested that it would be safe to deploy or ship it immediately.
4. The team delivers Accepted product increments at least monthly.
5. When the product increments are shipped or deployed, the users
and customers are generally satisfied.

18. It works!Agile Assessment
6. If the business stakeholder changes the priorities or the requirements,
the implementation team can adapt easily, switching gears to deliver
according to the updated business needs within the next iteration.
7. The business stakeholders express confidence that they will get the
capabilities they need in a timely manner.
8. The business can recognize real value from the deliverables: each
product increment ultimately has a positive impact on the bottom line.
9. The team has been working at the same pace, delivering roughly the
same amount every iteration, for a while.
10. The people on the implementation team agree that they could keep
working at the current pace indefinitely.

19. Product Vision
Conception
Initiation
Analysis
Design
Construction
Testing
Deployment

20. Conception / Initiation

21. Conception
• What design problem are you trying to solve?
• What could be your initial success metrics?

22. Conception
• Who are your competitors?
• What is your competitive advantage?

23. Analysis

24. Conception
• Market Size
• Marketing Tactics
• Possible Business Models

25. Design

26. Design

27. User Stories

28. Agile Workflow

29. 1. Backlog Grooming
• What do we need to
prioritize or re-prioritize?
• What’s coming up next?

30. 2. Sprint Planning
• Here’s what we
committed to
completing in our
upcoming sprint!

31. 3. Daily Stand Up
• What did you do
yesterday?
• What are you doing
today?
• Is anything blocking you
from continuing your
work?

32. 4. Sprint Review
Show ‘em what you got!

33. 5. Retrospective
• What made you happy?
• What was eh?
• What made you upset?
• What should we do about it!?

34. Product Owner
• user stories
• creates mock ups
• leads backlog grooming
• demos feature or product

35. Product Manager
• supports marketing and sales groups
• channel support

36. Product Lead
• roadmap
• P&L

37. Product Owner
Product ManagerProduct Lead

38. Cool.
So what are the characteristics
that make someone a great
Product Owner / Manager / Lead?

39. History of Product Management
• Branding //
Marketing &
Ethnography Degree
• understand user
needs
• understand where
light sales can be
improved
• be the voice of the
brand
• try new things
You need to empathize.
1930’s Proctor & Gamble
Discipline:
Ethnography,
Marketing & Branding

40. • place, where to
sell
• price, for how
much
• promotion, and
how to market
• product, develop
History of Product Management
You need to strategize.
1960’s Harvard
Discipline:
Business Administration

41. • Prototype
• MVP
• UX Design
• User Testing, A/B
Testing
History of Product Management
You need to build.
2000’s, Web 2.0
Discipline:
Computer Science
Design

42. Today’s Trifecta
Design
Tech Business

43. • I think a good product manager is Customer Driven. — Jason Evanish,
Founder of Get Lighthouse, Formerly at Kiss Metrics
• I’m from the Ben Horowitz school that a Product Manager is the CEO of
their product…you’re ultimately responsible for having a winning
product. No excuses. — Sara Mauskopf, Director of Product at Postmates.
Previously Twitter, YouTube, Google
• A positive net promoter score from the engineers and designers you
have previously worked with.” — Dave Morin, CEO Path, Formerly
Facebook
What Makes a Good PM?

44. • http://pragmaticmarketing.com/resources/expand-
your-comfort-zone-a-product-management-quiz-to-
point-you-in-the-right-direction-
• http://www.brainsnackscafe.com/
Product_Manager_Aptitude_Quiz.php
PM Test

45. Future Quad
Design
Tech Business
Data

46. ambreenshussain
Thank you!
Ambreen Hussain, Product Manager, HDM ahussain@hearst.com