15
03
2009
What I Learned @ #PCAMP09
Posted by Ivan Chalif in Best Practices, Processes, Professional Development, RecommendedAt this year’s P-Camp, I learned a lot of things. Some about Product Management. Some about people. And some some about organization. Here’s a short list of my observations and learnings. If you are on twitter, search for the tag #pcamp09 or #pcamp to see what other folks thought. I’ll be back next time.
- Even unorganized events need organizing (thanks, Rich and team)
- Discussions serve a different purpose than presentations
- Topics are just the starting point
- Just like in the real world, squeaky wheels get the grease
- Equal access to participation is not equal participation
- Product Managers sometimes have to act like Sales to get their message out
- Labels, definitions, and functional inconsistencies continue to be the bane of Product Managers’ growth as a profession
- Every product has problems; every Product Manager has problems; sometimes they overlap, sometimes they don’t
- User Interface == User Experience
- Requirements are not the answer
- Product Managers are friendly, if you say hello first
- It’s hard to twitter and pay attention
- Product Management is a “renaissance” role
- Agile is a good tool, but not salvation
- Product Managers are part of the problem
- Product Managers fill the voids left by other roles
- Others fill voids left undone by Product Managers
- Product Management is political
- Product Managers, as a general rule, spend too much time NOT listening to the market
For more information about this P-Camp, check out the Facebook group, LinkedIn group and the wiki.
Thanks to all who planned, staffed, and participated.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Entries (RSS)
Ivan, Excellent list of things learned at #PCAMP09. What a great experience to get together with a (large) group of passionate product managers and have lively discussions about how we can improve. Here are a few of my observations:
- Hundreds of Product Managers together in one place generates a lot of energy
)
- Product Managers need the help of others w/in their organization to successfully carry out Market Sensing.
- You have to track ‘reality’ no matter where it comes from
- It is hard to twitter and concentrate on the speaker, but it’s even more difficult to concentrate when you can’t get on-line to tweet your thoughts (happened to me in the 2pm session; tons of great stuff to tweet, no connection
- #PCAMP09 was a big success and a precursor of many more successful product camps
Thanks to the folks at Enthiosys and others who made this a fun, successful event. -Michael
PS. Ivan, it was great to finally meet you in person.
Great summary and I like the flow of topics you review. I agree that there was a lot of energy at #PCAMP09 and there was a wide range of perspectives. Many people commented on the need to open this up to Marketing, Development, etc. I believe that until Product Management has a stronger foundation, we need “our own un-conference” to debate, vet, plan and build a discipline of product management. There’s was a lot of collective talent assembled all striving for the same goal…let’s make product management the best career opportunity in the next few years. A few observations:
• East – West coast and I’m not talking rappers! I heard comments on the heritage differences in product management styles, best practices and methods. The first thing I asked was; “In what geographical location did you first get exposed to or get your first product management job?”
• I loved the spontaneity of some of the sessions from non vendors (I work for a vendor) and the “on the ground” experience it brought.
• The volunteering and “I’ll pitch in” effort was great. The product management attitude is, “what can I do to help (understand) your needs.” Great effort by everyone!
• Un-conference means just that. If I give up a Saturday, don’t bring you marketing collateral, pseudo sales pitches and side conversations. Leave that for Monday morning and make a follow up sales call.
• Product Management in its true native state. Hair down, eyes wide open and ready to absorb.
I agree with Jim Holland, it was good to have a group of product managers only to share thoughts and experiences. Product managers have a unique experience and often work in an environment where they are interacting with every other function in a company, except with other product managers.
In large part, product management was equated with software product management. I would like to see non-software product management issues get more attention the next time.
Thanks to all for a great day, that was free and, thus, accessible to even unemployed product managers to attend.