My thoughts on software product management, Silicon Valley culture, women in technology, startups, adoptive families, technology, big issues, parenting, my kids, and more.
Bet you're dying to know what the formerly Cranky Product Manager thinks of this whole Google memo situation, right? No? Well, the whole situation has made me so cranky, it's brought me out of blogging retirement. I'm going to tell you my take on it anyway. But never fear, I'll…
I feel like the tech industry has gotten increasingly nasty since 2010 or so. Where there was once a community feel and a sense that we were all in this together, trying to do the right thing for our customers…
My answer to a question about adoption on Quora: Q: Why is having biological children usually a couple's first choice, rather than adopting a newborn? My Answer: Because the adoption process is: Potentially very long & uncertain. You might not…
Let's say that you're a junior-ish Product Manager. Your product is NOT killing it (not yet, anyway). You have stiff competition. Your product is missing key capabilities that the market demands -- perhaps because this technology looks to fundamentally disrupt…
Originally published in 2010. Updated and republished in May, 2015. A reader asks: "Can you please enlighten me on the art of pricing?" At the risk of misinterpreting, I believe the reader is asking specifically about enterprise software,…
This is my youngest son. He's 4 years old and is a total goober. Let's call him "J". J is probably going to be a sales person when he grows up. He is extroverted, charming, funny, naturally positive,…
Ah, the Sinister Sales Engineer. Many companies have one. Early in my career, when I was not even a "Senior" Product Manager yet, this guy scared the bejeezus out of me. Let's just say that this guy was…
Once upon a time, when I was a wee lass (25 years old, to be precise), and not yet a product manager but a code warrior-ess (or whatever it is that you call female warriors), I did that clichéd, hackneyed…
I answered the following question on international adoption on Quora: Q: I'm a single female in my 40s, and would like to adopt a child internationally. Which countries should I be considering? I'm based in UK, but for various reasons…
Summarized from a discussion I had in the comments on Quora. Original Question: How could Y Combinator be more female-friendly? This isn't so much about how YC treats women once they get in, but about ways to balance the gender…
I've encountered lots of software startups that want to start up a Product Management function, even though they don't really understand what the Product Management role is or its activities. (I guess that's why they ask for my help). I've…
Sometimes I help companies (usually startups) kickstart their Product Management function. These companies often know they WANT Product Management, even though they often don't have a clear idea of what Product Managers actually do. In another post, I speculate about…
Originally posted to Quora. The original question was "Do parents love biological children more than adopted children?" Someone who was a biological father without adopted children, who was therefore speculating, posted: ...I think that we derive a certain…
Orignally posted to Quora. Q: How should paternity leave be arranged for a gay man with an adopted child? Should he get paternity leave, which is usually shorter, or maternity leave? If he gets maternity leave, doesn't this suggest he…
Sales people are known for having a short-attention span -- they are always focused on the needs of their in-progress deals. Many won't put in the time to learn all about the competition until they absolutely need to. So, you…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: What do MIT admissions interviewers look for? My Answer I used to interview applicants to MIT, and the biggest things I looked for were: Deep intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning that…
What do you do when you have an important customer who is experiencing serious issues with your software -- issues so serious that they can't successfully use the product? I'm not talking about customers who need a little hand-holding and…
You Should Use Frameworks & Templates When Developing Your Product Strategy To develop a product strategy, most PMs use two or more strategic frameworks to make sure they’ve considered the business environment and potential futures from all angles. Many…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: If you are an adoptive parent, do you celebrate your child's 'gotcha day'or 'homecoming day'? If yes, how do you do it? My Answer: We don't. The main reason is that, for both…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: What illnesses may disqualify someone from adopting a child internationally? If one of parents has a history of cancer and doctors said < 1% of its coming back, may the family apply to…
A new, original cartoon for your enjoyment. Inspired by countless product roadmap presentations that I have slept through over the years. (TIP: Telling customers & prospects about features that are not for them or that they don't care about undermines…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: Is a product manager responsible for product documentation? ##My Answer: Product managers are typically _responsible_ for the "whole product" -- which means the product itself, documentation, packaging, pricing, positioning and sometimes also the…
Here's a visual of how Los Gatos's public elementary schools feed into the middle schools, and then how the middle schools feed into the high schools. The width of each stripe is roughly proportional to how many kids transition from…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: Why would anyone want to be an employee and not an entrepreneur? One of the most difficult issues I've faced as an entrepreneur is looking smart people in the face and telling them…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: Why should I remove features that are not popular? I've read many articles that suggest that product managers should be removing features that are not used by users. If the team has already…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: How does the work-life balance of product managers compare to that of software engineers? I am trying to decide between a software engineering and a product manager position at Microsoft, and to me,…