A virtual roundtable discussion for product leaders and C-level roles.
We’ll be discussing:
how to measure product manager performance;
how to provide opportunities for career growth; and
the challenges of managing teams of product managers and product owners.
“Hi Jock, What’s the difference between a product manager and a business analyst?”
» Use the language of your audience
» Easy-to-read content is accessible and inclusive
» Even experts prefer plain language
» Content design can be done on a tight budget when needed
» Procrastinating on a TED talk about procrastination
» How to get stuff done if you’re a procrastinator
» Using procrastination to your advantage
I’ve been thinking about decision-making. What makes one decision better than another?
» The vision describes the future we are trying to create
» It is a first filter for new ideas and change requests
» Mission, vision and other concepts are often confused with each other
» Have one overarching product vision, not lots of smaller ones
» Scientists have solved a problem preventing the commercial production of more efficient solar panels
» Solar generated electricity is now cheaper than fossil fuels
» Tesla’s South Australia battery farm is saving tens of millions of dollars
» South Australia spent an hour powered solely by solar, 77% of which came from consumers’ home panels
» The cost of US battery farm projects has dropped 70% in 3 years
» Tesla’s battery innovations would result in cost dropping by half, capacity increasing by half
» The convergence of green technologies would lead to explosive growth
Product managers are sometimes referred to as the conductor of the orchestra. Some people think that the conductor’s job is to direct the players, to lead them through the music. That would be to misunderstand the relationship. Instead, here’s a different take.
» Changing a hardware product iteration has a 12-18 month lead time
» Having more parties involved in manufacturing means higher costs and squeezed profits
» “Building in hardware ‘security’ mechanisms is just always a double-edged sword”
» Hierarchy in organisations appeals to our innate need for stability, but turns us into ego-driven and needy children
» Nature abhors a hierarchy. What if there was a viable alternative way to organise ourselves?
» Valve Corporation shows new employees how an organisation can operate without hierarchy