This document discusses the evolution and complexities of product management roles, highlighting various frameworks and practices utilized in the field. It addresses common challenges such as the blending of responsibilities across titles and the need for clearer role definitions in differing product lifecycles. Additionally, it introduces the 'Chameleon' model for assessing skills and prioritizing product management tasks in alignment with organizational goals.

1. A New Model for Aligning Product
Management Roles and Priorities
Pat Scherer
pat@thedetailperson.com

2. Product Management Evolution
“Brand Man”
Neil McElroy
P&G 1931
Tech industry adoption:
Brand, Program & Product
Mgrs, Sr Staff
1980s
Inbound/Outbound,
Strategists, Technical
PMs, Evangelists. Product
Marketing Mgrs
1990s
Product Owners
2000s
Growth Hackers
2010s
+
+
+

3. The product manager title is often used in many
ways to describe drastically different duties and
responsibilities.
Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_manager

5. Product Management Frameworks
• Pragmatic Marketing Framework
• Association of International Product Marketing & Management
(AIPMM) Product Management Framework
• 280 Group Optimal Product Process Framework
• Sequent Learning Product Management Organizational Practices
• ISPMA Software Product Management Reference Framework
• Blackbot Product Management Framework and more…
Problems:
• Waterfall vs agile/lean
• Lack clarity on how product and business lifecycles influence
priorities
• Lack structure for defining specialized roles

6. READINESSMARKET BUSINESSFOCUS PLANNING SUPPORTPROGRAMS
Distinctive
Competence
Technology
Assessment
Product
Profitability
Distribution
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Buying
Process
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Competitive
Landscape
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Process
Collateral
Channel
Training
“Special”
Calls
Channel
Support
Program
Effectiveness
Buyer
Personas
Innovation
Win/Loss
Analysis
Business
Plan
PricingMarket
Problems
Market
Definition
User
Personas
Sales
Tools
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Use
Scenarios
Requirements
Status
Dashboard
Presentations
& Demos
TM
STRATEGY Pragmatic Marketing Framework (1993)
EXECUTION
STRATEGY & PLANNING
EXECUTION

7. TM
AIPMM Product Management Framework

8. TM
280 Group Optimal Product Process Framework

9. Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
End of Life
Planning
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
New “Chameleon” Model - Product Lifecycles
Ideation
Introduction
Growth
Maturity
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com,
SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment

10. SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment
Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
End of Life
Planning
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
Ideation
Introduction
Growth
Maturity
High Low
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com,
Chameleon – Priorities Heatmap

11. SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment
Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
End of Life
Planning
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
Ideation
Introduction
Growth
Maturity
High Low
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com,
Chameleon – Priorities Heatmap

12. SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment
Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
Ideation
Introduction
Growth
Maturity
High Low
End of Life
Planning
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com,
Chameleon – Priorities Heatmap

13. Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
High Low
Product Management Priorities
Identify task priorities by shading the grid below
End of Life
Planning
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com
SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment

14. SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment
Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
End of Life
Planning
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
Product Strategist Channel/Sales/Support Manager
Technical Product Manager Product Marketing Manager
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com,
Agile/Lean Product
Owner (core)
Chameleon – Product Management Roles

15. Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goal
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
Expert Novice
Product Management Skills Assessment
Identify your strengths and gaps by shading the grid below
End of Life
Planning
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com
SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment

16. Market
Research
Technology
Assessment
Competitive
Analysis
Goals
KPIs
Market
Sizing
Pricing
Strategy
Product
Portfolio
Buy, Build
or Partner
Product
Roadmap
Product
Rqmts
Positioning
Launch
Plan
Customer
Retention
Customer
Acquisition
Operational
Metrics
User
Personas
Buyer
Personas
Sales
Training
Sales
Process
Collateral &
Sales Tools
Channel
Training
Channel
Tools
Channel
Support
Market
Messages
Use Case
Scenarios
Core
Competency
Win/Loss
Analysis
Certification
Programs
Business
Intelligence
SWOT
Analysis
Business
Case
ROI
Targets
Trend
Analysis
Risk and
Recovery
Product
Schedule
Sales
Support
Sales
Strategy
Press &
Publications
Case Study
References
Event
Support
Marketing
Plan
Lead
Generation
Dev/Test
Mgmt
Test
Definition
Usability &
Beta Test
Partner
Portal
Strategic
Partnerships
Executive
Operations
Usage
Tracking
Expert Novice
Product Management Skills Assessment Example (Completed)
End of Life
Planning
© 2007-current Pat Scherer, pat@thedetailperson.com, m.(512)633-4850
SalesMarkets MetricsStrategy Production ChannelsDeployment

17. The Chameleon Grid allows us to:
Visualize whole product requirements,
lifecycles and organizational roles
Assess skills and skill gaps
Align priorities with your leadership and
teams

18. References
 www.slideshare.net/patscherer
 yoursproductly.com/2014/08/20/global-product-management-
frameworks/
 www.pragmaticmarketing.com/about-us/framework
 aipmm.com/pmf/AIPMM-ebook-v2a.pdf
 280group.com/product-management-methodology/optimal-product-
process-framework/
 sequentlearning.com/files/templates/PM_Organizational_Framework
_2015_1.2.pdf