A collection of 56 posts
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
My answer, originally published on Quora. Q: What level of coding experience should a good product manager have? My Answer Caveat: I'm assuming we are talking about software products. In THEORY, actual coding experience should be irrelevant to the hiring…
Behold, a visual guide to the inside of a Sales Rep's brain! Or more specifically, an Enterprise Software Sales Droid's brain, as viewed from Product Management. Please do not show to any sales people unless you are sure they have…
A question from a reader: Q: Is an MBA necessary to advance in Product Management to the Senior level, Director level, or beyond? Or can one compensate for the lack of a Masters with strong analytics and high-level strategy and…
I read too many blogs that say "ALL product managers should do X". Having worked with so many companies, I can usually think of plenty of cases where it makes sense to break the "rule." But…
Don't know about you, but I'd read it....…
Don't just look at your competition's website and read a few articles. For a fuller view, try these information sources: The competitor's website -- including hidden pages, all images, and any uploaded documents (PDF, DOC, XLS) Former & current customers…
Acting like a Requirements Monkey. Punting on strategy. Not focusing on a particular target market. Not meeting with enough customers often enough. Not meeting with prospects and non-customers (aka potentials) often enough. Not truly understanding the real problems faced by…
Ever wonder why so many startup entrepreneurs put out misguided and doomed products, even after attempting to take four steps toward an epiphany and reading the "Lean Startup"? Face Palm Alas, I have witnessed similar "attempts"…
When I tell people I’m a Product Management Consultant, it sometimes throws them. “Product Management Consultant? I haven’t heard of that,” they say. Then, “how does one use a consultant to help with product management? Isn’t product…
Most product managers and product marketers I know have a fear of — or at least a strong dislike of — selling. They find selling unpleasant and often think they are bad at it. Especially the closing the deal part. Alas, this…
A colleague asked me this the other day: *If a company is pursuing a “freemium” business model, how should they determine the optimal mix of features to offer in free vs. paid software? * It’s a good question. Freemium – where…