Topic:                        Product Management In Tough Economic Times

 

Date:                          Tuesday, November 27, 2001

 

Time:                         6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

                                    Pizza and Networking – 6:00 p.m.

                                    Sessions start at 6:30 p.m.

 

Location:                  Sitraka Software
260 King Street East
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5A 4L5

 

1)    Introduction and Housekeeping Items – Alan Armstrong

 

-          Pizza Sponsor: Triversity

-          No December meeting

-          Governance in progress for the TPMA

àTalk to organizers if you’re interested in getting involved

-          meetings scheduled for last Friday of every month from 6-8pm (best time according to polls)

 

2)    Product Management in Tough Economic Times - Presentations

 

Main Topics to Examine:

-          Environment – How does it affect your co-workers

-          Personal – What to do

-          Product – What to do with your product/business

 

Question: How bad is the economy really?

-          Government IT expenditures in 2002 will shrink, not increase

-          Perception vs. consumer confidence

 

Topic 1: Personal - John Andrews, PM of Legato Systems

 

A Survival Guide: The 3B’s

 

1)    BE Prepared

 

–        Resume - Have your resume updated and ready, in both soft and hard copy (most people store their resume on their work computer!)

–        Contacts and Networks - Be familiar with your contacts & networks

–        References – You should have people you can use as references

 

2)    BE Patient

 

-          Don’t dwell on your last job

-          Get your settlement package checked out by a lawyer to ensure it is legal and fair

-          Get your resume out

 

3)    BE Persistent

 

-          Use all resources – web, friends, “old” customers/partners, headhunters

-          Check with them regularly

 

“Jump and a net will appear” – Ash Seha, Nov’01

 

 

Topic 2: Environment – Andrea Vasiliu, Hyperion

 

Leadership – What you’re doing, Where you’re going

Attitude – Honest, information

Team Unity – Social activities, team-building functions

 

Also, explain your decisions

 

Topic 3: Product – Steve Feldman

 

Options:

-          Do Nothing – stick your head in the sand

-          Hunker Down – trim costs

-          Cutbacks – employees, development, price

-          Other: focus on sales, training, strategies, look for a buyer

 

3)    Product Management in Tough Economic Times – Group Discussions and Summaries

 

Group 1: Environment

 

	LEADERSHIP
Listening	New requirements Their problems ($)	Welcome suggestions Collaborate in planning Emotional Intelligence
Telling	Manage the information	What’s going on Be up-front Share wins, be upbeat
Setting Expectations	Workaround	What goes and Why Who goes and Why
Prioritization	$ / Focus	Tasks, Training
	External/Customers	Internal/Employees

 

Group 2: Product

 

4 Things You Can Do:

 

1)    Re-invent yourself

2)    Hunker down – lower costs, re-position, manage expenses, prioritize, clarify scope

3)    Mitigate risks

4)    Lower costs today to buy market share for tomorrow

 

Group 3: Personal

 

-          Know yourself – your focus, your passion

-          Commit to 40 hour weeks and don’t compromise (balanced life, efficiency and productivity)