I was contemplating 2010 and reflecting on the changes, growth, value and visibility that’s come to product management. If you think about it, there’s a large network of product management and product marketing professionals all collaborating, contributing or communicating with each other. I marvel at how we’ve connected via Twitter, LinkedIn, associations and product camps and the volumes of content that have been shared one tweet, blog post, discussion group or presentation at a time.
Will 2011 be the Year of Product Management?
I’m confident this year will be another year of learning, sharing and growing as a profession. While the current economic and business climate continues to mend, many companies have recognized or become more reliant on the discipline of product management.
What will make 2011 the Year of Product Management?
I believe there are several areas that will drive product management value and success this year. They include:
- Leadership – executives and companies are asking more of product management organizations. I believe it is a sanity check, business validation and release value for the company. We have to step forward this year and lead.
- Strategic Nature – Product Management has the opportunity to infuse its strategic nature and value. It’s our role and perhaps destiny to own and guide the strategy for a change.
- Market Authority – without evidence, companies will innovate and grow the business using gut instinct, epiphanies, inside out thinking and with limited market knowledge. Product management has to become or extend its market authority.
Going into a new year, it’s hard to believe I’ve been posting on the blog for one year. I am extremely grateful to those who have read, shared, commented and challenged some of my content.
As a personal thank you, here’s a few posts that were staged on the Lead on Purpose blog of Michael Hopkin before I had my own. I hope you enjoy the post.
The Yin-Yang of Product Management
Market Sensing is not Crop Dusting
Enjoy 2011 and may it be the Year of Product Management for you and your organization.
Where Product Leaders Gather 
Comments
There certainly seems to be an increasing momentum towards building better product management functions in organizations. It’s certainly the case that the need is increasingly seen.
Richard – thanks for your comments. I agree there is a heightened visibility and criticality to product management. This can be both a blessing and a curse if we’re not prepared.
Jim,
Your blog has been a great asset for me. It stays above the fray of tactical “get it done” that is much of PM’s life, and has offered some gems on the trials and tribulations of leadership in a PM organization (for those of us lucky enough to have a team).
It is hard to believe that this is just a year old. The sage advice has been useful to me every day.
Now, on topic, it is encouraging to see the social media and the #prodmgmt discipline feed off each other. While we may be an inconsequential fraction of the twitterverse, the comradely banter, and true exchange of information has been most helpful to me, and to know that I am not alone.
From the Cranky Product Manager and the light hearted, but quite astute observations, to the contributions by yourself, and Steve Johnson, we are poised to ride this wave higher and further than before.
Sign me up, buckle me in, I want another ride on the PM roller coaster!
Geoff, I appreciate your contribution to product management and the comments on the post. You’re right, if we can take product management from the “tactical” to more “strategic” thinking and execution in 2011, we’ll all be better for it.
Jim
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