If you are new to product management, or a product person starting with a different or brand new product - here are 3 pointers to help you succeed. First delivered at ProductTank Bristol March 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgQg5HDn6GY

1. Three P’s
for PRODUCT PEOPLE
Phil Osmond
Product Consultant & Coach PGO Product Consulting

2. Who am I?
● 20+ years in technology — started created websites pages in late 90’s
● Spent last ~10 years in product management working with eCommerce,
start-ups, agencies and individuals
● Currently helping individuals and business focus on the right thing at the right
time to maximise value
○ Working with startups to learn and validate
○ Coaching individuals to improve their product skills and presence

3. This is for product people
starting a NEW POSITION
● Therefore relevant for ALL of us!
○ We’ll all be starting work on a new product at some point
○ Could be a brand new product
○ Or just new to us!

4. Start with PEOPLE
Get stuck into the PRODUCT
Never forget PROCESS

5. Start with
PEOPLE

6. Begin with your TEAM
● Who are the people you’ll be working most closely with?
● They are your partners, your allies!
● Get to know them, go out for lunch with them, join them for beers.
● You are part of the team — you are not the ‘customer’!1
○ Together you succeed or fail as a team.
● These people will also know the product WELL — embrace their knowledge!
1. Jeff Patton — https://www.jpattonassociates.com/5-things-youll-need-fix-agile-product-ownership/

7. Find your USERS
● If your are fortunate to have internal users — get to know them too!
○ Spend time with them in the trenches understanding their pains and gains
● Otherwise ‘genchi genbutsu’ — or ‘get out of the building’1
○ Go and see for yourself — actually MEET your users and customers in the wild
○ What are the underserved needs? What is their story?
● Of course in B2B this might be slightly harder — but don’t hide behind your
sales team...
1. Steve Blank — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-J_SwmMJyo

8. Seek out the STAKEHOLDERS
● Do go back to the office — there are people you still need to meet!
● Who are the stakeholders, leaders and interested parties within your org?
● In a start-up or SME this is easy, but in larger companies ask your team
● Can also be uncomfortable — esp. If politics are involved!
● But persevere — you will need leadership support...
○ At any rate it’s probably best not to make enemies!
See Emily Tate at MTP Engage MCR 2020 — https://www.mindtheproduct.com/stuck-in-the-middle-mastering-stakeholder-management-by-emily-tate/

9. Get stuck into
the PRODUCT

10. What PROBLEM are you solving?
What does SUCCESS look like?

11. What PROBLEM are you solving?
● What is the goal of the product? Who does it serve?
● How does it fit into the mission of the company — does it help them sell more
units, produce more widgets or make the life of someone better in some way?
Can you try using it — sign up and have a play?
Or get a demonstration — perhaps combined
with a sales call?

13. What does SUCCESS look like?
● What is the VISION? How does it fit into the vision of the business?
● What advantage does it give you customers?
● How is success measured? How will YOU and your team be measured?
What metrics do you need to pay attention to?
Is there a North Star Metric which “best captures the
core value that your product delivers to customers”?
Sean Ellis — https://blog.growthhackers.com/what-is-a-north-star-metric-b31a8512923f

14. Never forget
PROCESS

15. Hey, why don’t you start with
PROCESS?

16. Process should serve, not be
served. People are key to a great
product — not process!
This requires TRUST.

17. The cost of poor process must
not be underestimated...
...especially where people are
involved!

19. How do we approach process in
its crucial, yet servant capacity?
Open-minded but critical.

20. Keep an OPEN MIND
● It’s good to stand back, watch and observe. How does it currently work?
● Even if it’s a blank sheet be eager to hear what others have to offer
○ This could be your opportunity to learn and try something NEW!
Resist the urge to jump in a change things on Day 1
— or even Day 30! Watch, listen, learn and digest...

21. Be a constructive CRITIC
● You may see many bad things — which produce waste, encourage toxic
behaviour or throttle constraints...but wait!
● Be sensitive and empathetic to the people you work with before jumping in
● Use opportunities provided in lean / agile cultures such as the retrospective to
provide feedback, recommend ideas and experiment with change.

22. This is not always easy. In fact it
can be VERY HARD.
No one-size-fits-all. There is no
silver bullet!

23. Experiment, assess, learn and
repeat. It’s just like product
development!

24. Trust by default.
Keep it transparent.
Put people FIRST!

25. Put your PEOPLE first
Love your PRODUCT
Grow your PROCESS

26. Thank you!
/phil-osmond
medium.com/@philgosmond
www.pgoproductconsulting.co.uk