Product management isn't just about building something new. It's about managing the entire lifecycle from idea to obsolescence.Most technology vendors obsess over creation but forget to plan for death. The best ones eat their own children before someone else does.In this episode of A Few Good People, we dive deep into the world of technology productisation and the complete product lifecycle. Andrew and Kieron share invaluable insights on managing products from conception to retirement, revealing why the often-overlooked end-of-life phase might be the most critical part of product management.🎯 On the Docket:00:00:00 - Welcome back00:06:32 - The complete product lifecycle: from idea to development to end-of-life00:12:30 - Why end-of-life management is critical yet often forgotten in product strategy00:19:35 - Real examples: Managing a challenging network technology end-of-life process00:27:20 - The importance of having an end-of-life strategy when products decline00:33:42 - How technology evolves in waves: from mainframes to cloud to AI00:40:00 - Why you should never use a vendor's own professional services00:44:40 - Working with Adobe: Building solutions to address platform shortcomings00:51:40 - The complex vendor-implementation partner relationship dynamics00:57:20 - Why technology selection should start with business needs, not tools01:00:59 - A critique of how technology vendors typically sell their products⚡ Key Points:Product management extends far beyond creation to include the entire lifecycleEnd-of-life strategies can significantly impact profitability and customer relationshipsImplementation partners often understand customer needs better than the vendors themselvesStarting with business requirements rather than available tools leads to better technology decisionsEffective product lifecycle management requires balancing innovation with support for legacy systemsVendor-partner dynamics create both friction and value for end customersThe most successful technology implementations focus on business outcomes, not feature listsCreative obsolescence management can extend product value far beyond intended lifecycles💬 Notable Quotes:"The end-of-life phase isn't the end of your responsibility—it's where your commitment to customers is truly tested.""Never ever use the vendors professional services.""Technology selection should start with what you're trying to achieve, not staring at tools and deciding what to use.""Vendors sell what they have. Partners sell what you need. That's the fundamental difference.""The most valuable product managers aren't those who launch products—they're those who can gracefully retire them."🔗 Where to find A Few Good People:AFGP: https://www.afewgoodpeople.co.uk/ Andrew Radley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-radley-6ab365/ Kieron McCann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieronmccann/———————Random links about me🌍 My Articles - https://medium.com/@virajacharya📸 My Instagram - https://instagram.com/virajacharya🐦 My Twitter - https://twitter.com/Viraj__Acharya📱 My TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@viraj_acharyaVenturesNothing ventured, Nothing gainedGET IN TOUCH:If you’d like to talk, I’d love to hear from you. Instagram @virajacharya directly will be the quickest way to get a response!☕️ In-person - I love meeting up with people in real life. So here's a standing offer - if you fancy taking a trip to London (UK) & want to chat, I'll buy you a coffee, no questions asked. Drop me a dm on Instagram (@virajacharya) and include [Coffee] as the first line, and we can work something out.