Each week I scour articles, wading through the dogs, and bringing you the best insights to help product managers and innovators be heroes.

Big news – PDMA has an all-new NPDP body of knowledge. PDMA (the Product Development and Management Association) is where I first learned there was a collection of knowledge that not only makes sense out of product management but by knowing it, helps product managers be more successful. I have developed friendships through PDMA and found much value in my association with this professional group. For the past two years, I have been part of a team helping to update their collection of the product management body of knowledge, which is reflected in their NPDP certification. The new training will help individual product managers and propel groups in companies to be more effective. Read about the new NPDP at http://www.pdma.org/p/cm/ld/fid=52

A growing online community for product managers – Roadmap. While Quora has been a decent place to ask questions about product management and find answers, the community that is growing at Roadmap is 100% focused on product management disciplines. It is sponsored by Aha!, a product management software tools company. Find Roadmap at https://www.roadmap.com/

Looking for product managers with building materials experience – job opportunity at Panasonic. I don’t usually share job postings, but an associate at Panasonic asked me to help spread the word that they are looking for two product managers. The work is based in New Jersey but working remotely is possible. See the listing at http://panasonic.taleo.net/careersection/external/jobdetail.ftl?job=1603106

When product managers are domain experts, step back and test your assumptions. It is perhaps when the biggest and simplest mistakes are made – when product managers, and worse, the entire product team, know exactly what to build because they “are the ideal customer” or have lived in the industry and know the domain well. In such situations, you may not even be aware of the assumptions you are making. You need to be skeptical. The article provides good advice https://producthabits.com/what-to-do-when-you-know-exactly-what-to-build/

Interview with Jeremiah Owyang, founder of Crowd Companies, on the topic of how large companies can avoid disruption. The pace of change in business environments is quickening with disruptive technologies such as AI, IoT, VR, and more beginning to make impacts. Owyang shares why innovation is imperative for large companies to survive. Read the interview at https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2017/02/24/jeremiah-owyang-why-companies-need-an-innovation-program/

10 lessons from 10 of the most innovative companies. This list is compiled by FastCompany and includes (1) The race goes to the swift, (2) everybody stumbles, (3) you can’t and shouldn’t go it alone, (4) competition is a joy, (5) every company is a media company, and more at https://www.fastcompany.com/3067781/most-innovative-companies/10-lessons-from-10-years-of-the-worlds-most-innovative-companies

How leaders create barriers to innovation and may not even recognize it. As I train and coach product managers, I often am provided insights into the product development and management capabilities at companies. While many organizations have opportunities for improving their skills and capabilities, they also suffer from having barriers that prevent product managers and innovators from having more impact. This is a list and discussion of five ways leaders are hindering innovation https://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2017/02/28/five-ways-people-in-leadership-positions-cripple-innovation-and-weaken-company-cultures/