Launching New Products In Companies Where It Matters Most by Product Director, Financial Times

1. Launching New Products In
Companies Where It Matters Most
by Product Director, Financial Times
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Act Like an
Owner,
Challenge
Like a VC
by former
CPO,
Tripadvisor

5. Launching new
products in
companies where it
matters most
Debbie McMahon, Product Director, Financial Times

6. Me and the FT
Debbie McMahon
Product Director for consumer subscriptions
business at the FT previously BBC and
Universal Credit
Financial Times
The FT has been around since 1888 - its 135
years old and intends to be around for at least
another 135 years

7. Do you recognise this feeling?

9. 80%
Of the work often isn't figuring out an idea or opportunity space

10. What you need to
launch your product
To find an idea that
the org buys into
To build it in a
way that meets
customer needs
Launch it to real
customers

11. Signs to look out for
• Confusion over learnings
• Requests to add more
features/functionality
• Risk being overstated or causing
major concern
• Desire to go back on some
fundamental aspects
• Timing pushback
• Challenge over team size/costs
• Unrealistic success measures
• Difficulty in getting key teams to
support you

13. 3 Lessons I have learned
Not a clear enough why Not Listening Not nailing the team

14. Lesson 1 - Figure out the why
Do you understand why you and/or the organisation
need to launch something new?
What is the wider strategy for the organisation that
your new product will be part of?

15. Having no strategy can become an
insurmountable struggle

20. Lesson 2 - Listen
No.....are you really listening?
Who haven't you spoken to?

21. New product development
requires extra empathy as a
Product Manager

23. Lesson 3 - It's all about the team
Well.....almost!
Can the team reach out across the organisation?
But on the other hand are there too many competing
voices?

24. With ambiguity comes
everyone's ideas!

27. What
about
you?
Make sure you understand what
you want to learn and get
exposure to as a PM

28. Thank you

29. Launching New Products In
Companies Where It Matters Most
by Product Director, Financial
Times
productschool.com