Note: It has been a month since my last article. Those of you who know me would know that it was hard for me to be silent for such a length of time! But don't worry, today's issue is probably one of my longest yet, about an effort that is both hard to pull off ...
02May 2006
06008 The Value of AIPMM’s PMEC Conference
I have just returned from the Product Management conference provided by the Association for International Product Marketing and Management. The 2006 west coast conference, called the PMEC, or Product Management Educational Conference, was held in Indian Wells, California (near Palm Springs) for two days on April 20 and 21, with an optional day of pre-conference ...
11Apr 2006
06007 Software Development Pitfalls: Planning
Note: I am pleased to announced that I am a nominee for the 2006 Excellence in Product Management award for Thought Leadership given by the AIPMM. I will be at the AIPMM conference this April 19-21 (see www.aipmm.com) and hope to see some of you there. When Product Managers push to accomplish their goals for a ...
31Mar 2006
06006 Software Development Pitfalls: Requirements
Note: I am pleased to announced that I am a nominee for the 2006 Excellence in Product Management award for Thought Leadership given by the AIPMM. I will be at the AIPMM conference this April 19-21 (see www.aipmm.com) and hope to see some of you there. Every culture has its blind spots and weak points that ...
07Mar 2006
06005 Creating a Great Trade Show Playbook
Exhibiting at trade shows is a staple of marketing a software product. As part of a mix of marketing activities to reach your target market, trade shows provide visibility for your product, build familiarity, and bring in sales leads. Trade shows are also costly, not only in terms of sheer dollars but also in terms of ...
22Feb 2006
06004 Push-Me-Pull-You: Reconciling Maintenance and New Releases
One challenge facing a Product Manager is how to balance limited Development resources between the need for maintenance work on the one hand and for new capabilities on the other. Devoting too many resources to one or the other can cause your product to be out of whack and lose ground to competitors who do ...
08Feb 2006
06003 Sales Training: Revving Up the Troops
One of the duties that frequently falls to Product Managers is to train the sales force, getting it prepared to sell the product. As the person who has scrutinized and measured the market opportunity, as the person who has heard the needs of customers and prospects, as the person who has prioritized the benefits required ...
24Jan 2006
06002 Customer Loyalty: Mind and Body, Heart and Soul
Volumes have been written about the concept of customer loyalty and how essential it is to a company's profitability and growth. There's no denying that when a company has loyal customers who keep coming back year after year to buy its product and recommend it to others, then that company sells more products at lower ...
10Jan 2006
06001 The Interpreter: Transforming Input Into Requirements
This is the 100th issue of Product Management Challenges. When I began writing this newsletter a little over three years ago, it was my hope to build up an unmatched source of real-world tips and guidance about software Product Management. I am pleased to say that the many back issues have covered a multitutde of ...
28Dec 2005
05022 Fun Flashbacks: Old Demo War Stories
For the many Product Managers and others out there who have given software demos, you know just how badly things can go wrong. I have decided to write a lighthearted holiday issue reminiscing about some of my own and my colleagues' most unusual demo experiences. Read on to realize that you're not the only one for ...