This blog is all about product managers, developers, and innovators enjoying more successful careers. As I do each week, below is a roundup of articles around the web with valuable product development, management, and innovation practices, tips, and examples.

Product Innovation Tips Around the Web

The value of removing product features instead of adding them. “Product roadmaps typically focus on building up a product, adding features as the product evolves and grows. While that’s great, in my experience building Quibb, I’ve found that removing features is also an important aspect of product design and management.” Read more at The Next Web http://thenextweb.com/dd/2015/01/18/tough-tradeoffs-removing-product-features-hard-often-necessary/

Nordstorm’s path to innovating the customer experience. “Then, between 2004 and 2014, Nordstrom made an extraordinary series of investments, each aimed squarely at that same purpose of providing a fabulous customer experience.” Read more at Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2015/01/why-nordstroms-digital-strategy-works-and-yours-probably-doesn’t

From product manager to entrepreneur – 9 factors for your success. “Here is a list of nine factors that helped me reach my first million in profit — I hope they can help you reach this milestone as well.” Read more at Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/241962

Renew innovation efforts through hacker-space partnerships – like GE is doing. “To the executives at GE, Cprek’s hack came as a wakeup call. The idea for a bar-code-scanning oven had come up in internal ideas sessions before, and they knew it had great potential. In retirement communities or urban food deserts, such an appliance could help people eat healthier meals without requiring much time or expertise.” Read more at Popular Science http://www.popsci.com/welcome-industrial-maker-revolution

Before creating your MVP, be sure to do these 6 things. “Our failure highlights a hidden challenge facing innovators today. The simplicity and affordability of innovation has led to too much action without thought.” Read more at HBR https://hbr.org/2015/01/when-it-comes-to-digital-innovation-less-action-more-thought

10 clear ways to get the promotion you want. “If you’re a strong employee, you know that you need to at least meet or exceed expectations to earn a periodic raise. But what if you want to go further than that and prove you’re worth keeping around for good and possibly even promoting to a higher-paying position? The path may not be spelled out for you, so you’re going to have to take some proactive steps before you approach your boss for a performance-based pay bump.” Read more at The Muse https://www.themuse.com/advice/10-bosses-share-how-to-land-that-promotion

7 ways product managers can better manage teams. “As a leader, it’s your job to help your people find balance. Of course, you need results, but you also want a team that’s not at constant risk of being burnt out.” Read more at Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2015/01/help-your-overwhelmed-stressed-out-team

Use an idea map to create a product plan. “When a client asked Clarity Creative Group in Las Vegas, Nevada, to help introduce its new microprocessor architecture to the market, Partner and Executive Art Director Gregg Stokes and his team used a simple tool to reach a high-tech destination — they drew a map and followed it.” Read more at iMindQ http://blog.imindq.com/blog/from-idea-to-action

Take a look at how product cast studies are being used. “Case studies are an invaluable asset when it comes to establishing proof that what you’re offering is valuable and of good quality.” Read more at Hubspot http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/case-studies-marketing

5 tips for applying for a product manager role. (1) Avoid jargon and know current terminology, (2) know the questions to expect, (3) frame the right questions, (4) use the interview as an exploration to discover your best fit, and (5) guidelines for following-up. Read more at Women 2.0 http://women2.com/2015/01/20/techtuesday-5-hot-tips-applying-product-manager-role

Augmented reality for business is here – is this a trend to watch? “Lockheed-Martin’s application is used on the F-35 and F-22 fighter programs for the company to do final fighter assessment and repair. An inspector looking at the fighter through the glasses sees part numbers and plans projected over the physical plane. The inspector then uses a handheld device to enter any defects or repairs.” Read more at Information Week http://www.informationweek.com/strategic-cio/augmented-reality-is-for-real-in-the-enterprise/a/d-id/1318661

Just for fun – in celebration of Winnie the Pooh day. “January 18th marks not only the birthday of celebrated English author A.A. Milne, but also—by no coincidence—Winnie The Pooh Day, a holiday intended to celebrate the eponymous bear and his creator.” Read more at mental Floss http://mentalfloss.com/article/61099/10-fun-facts-about-winnie-pooh

Still Important – Product Management Flash from the Past

Product Managers: Who are these ‘mini-CEOs’ and what do they do? “Perhaps the unsung heroes of the industry, these skilled professionals are the people who manage the every movement of the product’s lifecycle, taking the idea from the CEO and executive level and guiding it through development. They are the ones who help dictate its strategy and ensure that it’s a fit for the company’s users.” Read more at The Next Web http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/10/12/product-managers-mini-ceos/

Using the jobs-to-be-done framework to evaluate ideas. “There are three facets to evaluating an idea in the jobs-to-be-done context: (1) Does the idea target an actual job-to-be-done that enough people have? (2) Is the idea a meaningful improvement over the current way people fulfill their job-to-be-done? (3) Does the value of the idea to customers exceed the cost of the idea to them?” Read more at Hype http://blog.hypeinnovation.com/jobs-to-be-done-three-tests-all-ideas-must-pass

 

 

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