Product Tank

Yesterday I also went to the event Product Tank at SUP 46. As the topic was Product management, it was not that focused on startups. But I still think it could be valuable in a startup as they are managing a product, and you will have to do the same if you have a Startup. There were 5 speakers and they all presented their take on their day as a PM (Product Manager). As they had different kind of products and companies the topics they highlighted varied, which kept it interesting, but they all gave tips and learning’s that was quite similar, will come back to this one.

As I previous blogged about stage fright, and it is a thing for me I really thought about their presentations. One was really nervous but fought through it. One did not even look at the audience so I slightly lost my concentration and interest. Another had a really fun and playful presentation, but did I learn that much?! After seeing 5 presentations so close together I realized that HOW you present is really more important then WHAT to be remembered. Or a least that is my take on it.

So what did I learn and bring with me from this event?. Mostly I learned more about what a PM does and my interpretation is that they are like a director of an orchestra or the spider in the middle of the web. They have to be able to communicate and translate between the different departments, as they do not always talk the same language. They also really have to believe in the product and take the time to explain it to their colleagues so they will continue to promote it further on in the process.

So what are a few of the tips the speakers gave us

• Create a road map tied to the company goals
• Maintain focus on road map, do not stray
• Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize
• Where can we go?
• What can we do?
• Be a peacekeeper
• Have a diverse team

In some aspects I can relate this to my work as a head waitress. Mostly in the part of communicating to different divisions of the company as I worked at hotels, but also as you are responsible for the “product” during service. I know it is not the same, but it is the closes thing I can relate to from by previous employments. Maybe being a PM could be something for me… Time will tell. Hope you guys have a good weekend!!!