Prioritizing requirements - basic model

This is a simple matrix that can be used to prioritize requirements. It is obvious that we need to focus on providing the features in the 4th quadrant first. We can pretty much ignore features in quadrant 1 unless they are mandatory for us to compete in the market. Quadrant 3 features can be categorized as “nice to have”. We need to look at features in quadrant 2 in greater detail because these might be features that can help us differentiate and act as a completive advantage.

The PM dilemma and the Product Owner

The Development team wants the PM to enable them to build the product by prioritizing requirements. The Sales folks want the PM to help them on their demos. The Marketing team needs PM inputs to plan for the launch. The Product Manager thus spends a lot of time trying to support other departments doing tactical work. But in order to take strategic decisions (macro and micro level) with regard to the product, the PM needs to have a deep understanding of his/her customers (the market), which requires interaction with customers and prospects. Striking the right balance is the key.

Some companies that follow agile methodology have advocated a new role called “Product Owner” to support the product development team with customer/market information or in other words the MRD/PRD.

In such cases the Product Owner!= Product Manager. The Product Owner’s role is in fact a small subset of the Product Manager.

Difference between Product Manager, Product Marketing Manager and Program Manager

Product Marketing is external-facing and is responsible for the go-to-market strategy: communicating about the product to the world, providing tools for the sales channels to market and sell the product, online marketing campaigns and basically managing the launch.

Since most of us are familiar with the 4P’s of marketing,
Product – Product Manager
Price – Product Manager/Product Marketing Manager
Place – Product Marketing Manager
Promotion – Product Marketing Manager

Having said that, in some cases a Product Manager may be responsible for all of the above. It depends on the company, the size, the nature of the project etc.

In Micrsoft and hence most companies in Seattle, the folks who define the product and drive the project are called Program Managers, which can initially seem a little confusing because Program Management can also mean multiple Project Management.

PM 101: The Product Manager role and attributes

A Product Manager is responsible for discovering a product that is valuable, usable and feasible. In other words, a Product Manager needs to assess product opportunities, define what needs to be built and execute and launch the product.

After interacting with a lot of Product Managers and doing a little bit of it myself, this is what I believe are the essential attributes of a Product Manager:

• Decision making – The ability to take the right product decisions and the ability to say “No” when necessary
• Collaborative and has the ability to influence others and get things done
• Passion for technology and the ability to ramp up quickly on the domain

Product ideas can come from anywhere – customer discussions, management, sales or marketing staff, customer support etc. But it’s the job of a PM to take a hard look at the idea to see if it’s worth building.

Opportunity assessment -> Market Requirements document -> Project Requirements Document
After the product has been defined, the project manager handles the scheduling and tracking function to work with the development team to build the product. In some cases, the Product Manager may also take up the role of a Project Manager.