How product managers and leaders break through challenges
Tom Leung is the Director of Product Management at Google Health and was previously at YouTube. He also hosts the Fireside Product Management podcast.

This is a special episode of the Product Mastery Now podcast as Tom is interviewing me. He invited me as a guest on his Fireside podcast. We had a great discussion and I wanted to share it here as well.
We covered several topics, with a focus on recommendations for overcoming challenges organizations and product leaders encounter developing products customers love. They are:

* Lead with the Problem, Not the Solution
* Start with Strategy
* Engage Customers
* Share High-Value Resources
* Clarify the Customers
* Portfolio Management
* Project Selection
* Do More With Less
* Manage the Product Lifecycle
* Maximize the Benefit of a Product Process

Click here to get a PDF with more information about each recommendation.
Useful links:

* Tom’s FiresidePM podcast
* 10 Changes Product Teams Should Make Now to
Consistently Launch Products Customers Love

 
Thanks!
Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.

Special: Interviewed by Tom Leung, FiresidePM, about challenges in product management and more

Welcome to Product Mastery Now, where you learn the 7 knowledge areas for product mastery. We teach product managers, leaders, and innovators the product management practices that elevate your influence and create products your customers love as you move toward product mastery. To see all seven areas go to https://productmasterynow.com. Hosted by Chad McAllister, PhD, product management professor and practitioner.

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How product managers can master product design & development
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TLDR
This article explores the crucial role of product design in product management, focusing on ideation and concept design tools. It covers various ideation techniques such as SCAMPER, brainstorming, mind mapping, storyboarding, brainwriting, Six Thinking Hats, Delphi, ethnography, Day in the Life, empathy analysis, personas, and customer journey maps. The article also delves into concept design, discussing the Kano Method for classifying product requirements and identifying customer perceptions. By understanding and applying these tools, product managers can create customer-centric products that drive satisfaction, differentiation, and competitive advantage.
Introduction
Product design is a critical aspect of product management, as it directly impacts the success of a product in the market. To create products that customers love, product managers must have a deep understanding of their target audience and employ various tools and techniques to generate ideas, validate concepts, and optimize the user experience (UX). In this episode, we will explore the essential product design tools that every product manager should know, focusing on ideation and concept design.


Ideation Tools
Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas. It is an essential part of the product development process, particularly in the early stages when product managers are looking to identify customer needs and develop innovative solutions. Here are some powerful ideation tools that can help product managers in their quest for product innovation:

 

* SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. This tool helps generate new ideas by prompting product managers to think about their product in different ways. By applying each of these actions to their product, they can come up with creative solutions and improvements.
* Traditional brainstorming involves gathering a group of people to generate a large number of ideas in a short period. However, research has shown that this method may not be the most effective. The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is an improved version of brainstorming that incorporates individual reflection time before the group discussion, leading to better quality ideas.
* Mind Mapping is a visual tool that starts with a central idea and builds a web of relationships around it. This tool is particularly useful for collaborative ideation sessions, as it allows team members to see the connections between different ideas and build upon them.
* Storyboarding focuses on developing a story to understand the problems or issues customers face when using a product. By visually representing the key elements of the story, product managers can gain insights into the customer journey and identify areas for improvement.
* Brainwriting is a variation of NGT that involves individual writing and idea sharing. Participants write down their ideas and then pass them to the next person, who builds upon them. This process continues until everyone has had a chance to contribute, resulting in a diverse set of ideas.
* Six Thinking Hats encourages team members to examine a problem or topic from multiple perspectives. Each hat represents a different way of thinking, such as facts, emotions, or creative ideas. By wearing different hats, product managers can approach a problem from various angles and generate more comprehensive solutions.
* The Delphi method utilizes a panel of experts to provide insights and scenario planning. Through a series of surveys, experts independently share their thoughts on a specific topic. The results are then synthesized and shared back with the group for further refinement.

491: Product Design & Development: Fifth of Seven Knowledge Areas of Product Mastery – with Chad McAllister, PhD

How product managers can master product process
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TLDR
– The Product Innovation Charter (PIC) is a short document that provides direction and alignment for a product development project.
– Stage-Gate and Agile Stage-Gate are popular product development processes that manage risk and incorporate Agile elements.
– Jobs-to-be-Done theory focuses on understanding the customer’s underlying needs and the jobs they are trying to accomplish with a product.
Introduction
In today’s competitive market, creating products that customers love is crucial for the success of any organization. Product managers and innovators play a vital role in delivering value to customers by effectively managing the product innovation process. In this article, we will explore the seven knowledge areas for product mastery. These knowledge areas are based on the Product Development and Management Association’s (PDMA) body of knowledge, which has been curated since 1976.
The Seven Knowledge Areas for Product Mastery

* Product Innovation Management: Maximizing the return from product innovation through application of sound management practices throughout the product life cycle
* Strategy: Provides the context, goals, and direction for product innovation and ongoing product management
* Portfolio Management: Establishes and maintains balance of new and existing product innovation projects aligned with the business strategy
* Process: Provides an approach, which is commonly understood and accepted by the whole organization, for developing new products or improving existing products
* Design & Development: Efficiently and effectively evolve a product from initial idea to a developed, manufactured, and “market-ready” form
* Market Research: Provide market-related information to underpin decision-making in all aspects of strategy development, portfolio management, the product innovation process, and life cycle management
* Culture & Teams: Essential to forming and maintaining an innovative environment that enables, encourages, and rewards product innovation processes and practices.

In this article, we will focus on the New Product Process knowledge area, which covers various product innovation processes and methodologies.
The Product Innovation Charter (PIC)
The PIC is a short document (1-3 pages) that serves as the heart of any organized effort to commercialize a new product. It consists of four sections:

* Background: Provides context for the project, including why the company is pursuing it, the scope, the project team’s role, and any constraints or key technologies involved.
* Focus Arena: Identifies the target market, key technologies, marketing aspects, and competitors’ strengths and weaknesses.
* Goals and Objectives: Outlines specific and measurable goals related to the project’s contribution to business strategy, operational goals, and project-specific objectives.
* Special Guidelines: Covers team communication and accountability, reporting requirements, project expenditure responsibilities, external agencies, and product quality or launch constraints.

A helpful acronym to remember these sections is “BAGG” (Background, Arena, Goals, Guidelines). The PIC is a valuable collaboration tool that ensures everyone involved in the project has the same vision and understanding of the product’s purpose, target market, and objectives. Many companies do not start projects with a clear, concise document like the PIC, which can lead to confusion and misalignment among team members and stakeholders.
Product Development Processes
There are numerous product development processes and methodologies covered in the New Products Process knowledge area. Some of the most notable include:


490: Product Process: Fourth of Seven Knowledge Areas of Product Mastery – with Chad McAllister, PhD

How product managers can master product portfolio management
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TLDR
Portfolio management is a crucial aspect of product development that helps organizations strategically allocate resources, balance projects, and align their product innovation efforts with overall business goals. By understanding the essentials of portfolio management, product managers and leaders can better position their ideas, defend resources for their projects, and contribute to the organization’s success. This article explores the fundamentals of portfolio management, its goals, and frameworks for structuring portfolios, and provides insights on aligning product innovation projects with organizational strategy. It also discusses the importance of portfolio management for product managers, the characteristics and goals of portfolios, and the common approaches to linking portfolios to strategy.
Introduction
In the world of product development, portfolio management plays a vital role in helping organizations prioritize projects, allocate resources effectively, and ensure that their product innovation efforts align with the overall business strategy. As Peter Drucker famously stated, “Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two–and only two–basic functions: marketing and innovation.” Portfolio management is the key to driving successful innovation and creating products that customers love.
For product managers and leaders, understanding the essentials of portfolio management is crucial. It not only helps them better position their ideas and defend resources for their projects but also enables them to contribute more effectively to the organization’s success. By mastering portfolio management, product professionals can ensure that their organizations focus on creating the right products that drive innovation and deliver value to customers.
Understanding Portfolio Management
What is a Portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of projects or products that a company invests in and manages strategically. These projects may or may not be related to each other and can be categorized based on various criteria, such as new product ideas, enhancements to existing products, fixes, or research and development initiatives. The portfolio represents the organization’s investment in innovation and its commitment to creating value for customers.

The Role of Portfolio Management
Portfolio management is a decision-making process that involves continuously reviewing and revising the list of active projects to ensure that resources are allocated optimally and aligned with the organization’s strategy. It aims to maximize the value of the portfolio, balance projects based on predetermined criteria, and maintain the right number of projects to avoid spreading resources too thinly.
Portfolio management operates in a dynamic environment where projects are at different stages of completion, and there is no certainty of success for each individual project. However, by managing the portfolio effectively, organizations can increase the overall odds of success across the full range of projects and products.
Why Portfolio Management Matters for Product Managers
Product managers play a critical role in driving innovation within their organizations. They are responsible for creating products that generate revenue, satisfy customer needs, and contribute to the organization’s growth. Understanding portfolio management is essential for product managers for several reasons:

* Positioning Ideas: By understanding the principles of portfolio management, product managers can better position their ideas and align them with the organization’s strategic goals. This increases the chances of securing support and resources for their projects.

489: Product Portfolio Management: Third of Seven Knowledge Areas of Product Mastery – with Chad McAllister, PhD

How product managers can master product innovation strategy
Today we’re talking about product innovation strategy, one of the seven knowledge areas for product mastery. These are the knowledge areas that make us successful as product masters who know how to create new value for our customers. They also lead to more influence in our organizations. This is the third episode of a series where we’re diving into each of the seven knowledge areas.
Summary of topics discussed for product managers
Watch the full interview with PowerPoint slides on the Product Mastery now YouTube channel.
[2:30] What is strategy?
Strategy can simply be thought of as a plan to bring about a desired future.
[4:38] The Hierarchy of Strategies

* Mission Statement
* Corporate/Business Strategy
* Innovation Strategy
* Functional Strategy

[6:44] Creating a business strategy
[7:41] Business strategy as a basis for product innovation

* Business goals
* Contribution from innovation
* Specific strategic focus for innovation
* Attack plan and entry strategy
* Project portfolio selection and resource allocation

[9:59] What you need to know before developing a business strategy
Tools for strategic planning
[11:05] SWOT

* Strengths
* Weaknesses
* Opportunities
* Threats
* (Trends)

[12:56] PESTLE

* Political
* Economic
* Social
* Technological
* Legal
* Environmental

[13:37] Business Model Canvas
[17:22] Innovation Strategy
[18:26] A Good Innovation Strategy
[22:20] “I have a great idea but I can’t get support for it in my organization.”
Watch the full interview with PowerPoint slides on the Product Mastery now YouTube channel.
Put the information Chad shared into action now. Click here to download the Action Guide.
Useful links:

* Check out the 2024 Product Development and Management Body of Knowledge by Allan Anderson, Chad McAllister, and Ernie Harris
* Find out how the Rapid Product Mastery Experience, the fastest path to higher-performing product managers and teams, can help your team

Thanks!
Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.

488: Product Innovation Strategy: Second of Seven Knowledge Areas of Product Mastery – with Chad McAllister, PhD

How product managers can master product innovation management
Today we’re talking about product innovation management, one of the seven knowledge areas for product mastery. These are the knowledge areas that make us successful as product masters who know how to create new value for our customers. They also lead to more influence in our organizations. This is the second episode of a series where we’re diving into each of the seven knowledge areas.
Summary of topics discussed for product managers
Watch the full interview with PowerPoint slides on the Product Mastery now YouTube channel.
[2:06] What is product innovation?
PDMA defines product innovation as the creation and subsequent introduction of a good or service that is either a new or an improved version of previous goods or services. Product innovation involves creating value, which is judged by the customer.
[3:23] What factors influence product innovation?
There are four categories of factors that influence product innovation:

* Controllable

* culture
* strategy
* capability
* organizational structure
* finances


* Uncontrollable

* competitors
* government policies and regulations
* international environment


* Internal

* board
* management
* marketing
* production
* finance
* purchasing


* External

* consultants
* suppliers
* regulators
* agents
* trade
* customers



[5:19] Why is product work hard?
Successful product innovation is challenging because it doesn’t just happen by accident. As much as 70-90% of consumer products fail to meet their revenue expectations.
This means organizations are wasting financial and human resources at a tremendous rate. Your competency with these concepts in the Body of Knowledge helps equip you to turn this around and be more successful creating products customers love and that generate revenue for your organization.
Some famous examples of failed product launches that missed some aspect of product innovation are:

* New Coke
* Apple Newton
* Blackberry phone
* Nintendo “Virtual Boy”
* Segway
* Gerber “Adult” Food “Singles”

[7:20] What factors influence product innovation success?
I want you to be aware of success factors at three levels:

* project
* people and environment
* strategy

[7:39] Success factors at the product project level

* Develop unique, superior products, not me-too products
* Have a clear focus on a target market segment
* Do your pre-development homework
* Develop a clear, concise and stable product definition from the beginning
* Adequately plan and resource the launch
* Execute with speed—but not at the expense of quality of execution. This creates a tension that product teams live with—speed with quality

[9:01] Success factors at the people and environment level

* Organize project teams to fit the constraints and complexity of the project
* Create the proper climate and culture to support innovation and remove innovation barriers
* Enlist top management support

[9:35] Success factors at the strategy level

* Have a product innovation and technology strategy that is aligned with organization strategy
* Leverage core competencies
* Target attractive markets
* Use portfolio management
* Use the necessary resources for each project

[10:34] What does research tell us about product innovation success factors?
The PDMA Comparative Performance Assessment Study has ...

Special: Interviewed by Tom Leung, FiresidePM, about challenges in product management and more

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