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

 

Product management is a path to CXO roles. I was delighted to see this article as it is a good summary of a more in-depth discussion I had in episode 061 of The Everyday Innovator™ on the topic of why product managers are uniquely suited to become organizational executives. See the article at http://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-product-management-can-lead-to-a-cxo-position/ and my interview on the topic at www.theeverydayinnovator.com/061

4 things no one tells you about being a product manager. (1) You’re not managing a product. You’re managing the problem it solves. (2) Your product is only as good as a user’s perception of it. (3) Product Managers are neither designers nor engineers. (4) It’s not about being a star — It’s about managing a universe. Read the details from an IDEO insider at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/so-you-want-manage-product-what-one-tells-role-rohini-venkatraman

TRIZ – what is it and when product managers need it. TRIZ takes note of repeating patterns in problems and solutions, creating a database of solutions that can be applied to other problems when they are encountered. If you are faced with an engineering problem with apparently impossible constraints, TRIZ may provide breakthrough ideas. Read an overview at http://cdn.innovationexcellence.com/components/com_wordpress/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Triz.png

Paying attention, new experiences, and connecting dots keys to creativity and innovation. A new book on productivity, Smarter Faster Better, also addresses innovation. Not surprising, but a helpful confirmation, most (but not all) innovation results from combining known things in ways that have not been previously combined. See the specifics at http://www.fastcompany.com/3058554/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/the-secret-to-creativity-become-an-intellectual-middleman

4 reasons product managers need to be great collaborators. (1) Growth comes through sharing. (2) We can find unexpected alignment. (3) Flexibility takes cooperation. (4) Collaborating forces us to motivate each other. Read the details of each at http://www.fastcompany.com/3058615/four-reasons-why-the-most-successful-people-are-great-collaborators

Product managers – what resources does a newbie need? There is an interesting discussion taking place on inbound.org addressing this question.  If you are a newbie, learn from it. If you have experience, add it to the discussion.  https://inbound.org/discuss/product-managers-what-resources-would-you-recommend-for-a-newbie

How Adobe increased corporate innovation and how your company can too. Starting about three years ago, Adobe became an innovation case study to watch. They began changing their culture of innovation with the Kickbox program, enabling anyone in the company to pursue a new product idea. Today about 10% of the 14,000 employees have used Kickbox and it has changed the culture. Read how at http://fortune.com/2016/04/05/adobe-innovation-risk-failure/

Interview with Ekta Sahasi on Konica Minolta’s Business Innovation Center. The goal of the Center is to help the global Konica Minolta business understand shifts in market and consumer preferences and help create more valuable products. Read the interview to learn how the Silicon Value Innovation Center influences the entire company: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mnewlands/2016/04/04/ushering-in-a-new-age-of-innovation-an-interview-with-konica-minoltas-ekta-sahasi/2/#231d6a7b1139

China filed the most patents of any country for the last 3 years. Think China is not an innovation force? The IP filings say they are. Review their growth in filings here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccafannin/2016/04/02/china-innovation-power-far-out-ranks-u-s-and-japan-in-new-patent-applications