survival tips for the lone product manager - kristin bolton-keys and alicia dixon

Lone Product Manager

We Are Passionate Product Champions

Alicia Dixon @Li_Li_D

Kristin Bolton-Keys @KristinBKeys

#LonePM   2  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Introduction

§  Somebody has to be the first – Working as the “Lone PM”

§  Provide usable tips to make life easier –  Identifying key players – Role definition – Training resources

#LonePM   3  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Define Your Role or Others Will Define it for You

Define Your Role

§  Clear role definition makes it harder to ‘go around’ the PM

§  Focus on the necessities

§  Avoid falling into other defined roles: §  Account manager §  Dev Ops §  Product trainer §  Tech support §  Technical writer

#LonePM   5  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Know Your Stakeholders

Who Owns This Thing?

§  Define stakeholders §  Build relationships §  Share product vision/

objectives #LonePM   7  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

§  Define roles §  Create approval process §  Communication

cadence  

Stakeholder  Map   Roles  &  Responsibili4es  Matrix  

Understand Your Users

Lean Design

Thinking Human-Centered

Users Need Love Too

#LonePM   9  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Design Thinking Lean Human-

Centered

#LonePM   @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D   10  

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Round Robin

Additional Methods

Don’t Let Lack of Money Stop You

Be Resourceful

Get creative and find inexpensive tools:

§  Software

§  Document templates

§  User research

$ #LonePM   12  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Low Cost (& Some Free) Tools §  PM Templates & Tools: Mironov, Pivotal, ProductCanvas

§  Usability Research: UserTesting, Userlytics, Loop11, ClickHeat

§  Prioritization: Validately,

§  Analytics: Google Analytics, Mixpanel

§  Wireframes & Mockups: InVision, Wirefy, Blueprint,

§  Graphic Design & Screenshots: Canva, Snagit

§  Customer Feedback: UserEcho, UserVoice

§  Collaboration: Trello, Slack, Asana, Skitch

§  Surveys: WuFoo, SurveyMonkey

§  Glossary: Sequent, Blackbot

§  Data: Statista

§  CRM: Fusioo #LonePM   13  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Acquire Some Skills

“I once had a person working for me who claimed she didn’t need any additional training due to her 20 years of experience. One of my colleagues remarked, she actually has one year of experience, repeated 19 times.”

- STEVE JOHNSON #LonePM   15  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Less  than  3  years   5+  years  3  to  5  years  

§  Complete formal Training

§  Attend Meetups §  Follow experts on

Social Media §  Attend

conferences §  Develop core

skills – 101 courses

§  Become a conference speaker

§  Give a keynote address

§  Become a guest blogger

§  Complete Formal Training

§  Attend Product Camps

§  Attend conferences §  Complete outside

projects §  Diversify product

experience §  Enhance core skills

– 201, 301 courses #LonePM   16  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Never Stop Learning

Less than 3 Years 3 to 5 Years More than

5 Years

Establish a Professional Support Network

PMs Need a Support System

PEERS §  Establish a ‘Product Council’ – 3 to 5 people who

you can share issues with to get feedback §  Use social media to connect with local PM’s, then

meet them face-to-face §  Pay It Forward – help others MENTORS §  Find an experienced mentor

–  Identify development gaps –  Networking introductions

#LonePM   18  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

Get Sh*t Done

“Perfec'onism  is  o.en  an  excuse  for  procras'na'on.”  

-­‐  Paul  Graham,    Y  Combinator  

“You  don’t  need  more  'me,  you  just  need  to  decide.”  -­‐  Seth  Godin  

“Never  half-­‐ass  two  things.  Whole-­‐ass  one  thing.”  -­‐  Ron  Swanson,  Parks  and  

Recrea4on  

“Don’t  be  a  complainer;  make  things  beHer,  let  it  go,  or  take  ac'on  to  make  it  beHer.”  

-­‐  Tina  Roth  Eisenberg,  TaHly  

#LonePM   20  @Kris/nBKeys                        @Li_Li_D  

§  Stop doing everything!

§  “Product Janitor Tasks”

§  Four D’s of email by Jock Busuttil

(Re)Take Control of your Schedule

1.  Define Your Role

2.  Know Your Stakeholders

3.  Understand Your Users

4.  Don’t Let Lack Of Money Stop You

5.  Acquire Some Skills

6.  Establish A Professional Support Network

7.  Get Sh*t Done

Thank You!

Alicia Dixon

@Li_Li_D

Kristin Bolton-Keys

@KristinBKeys