Moe and Brian Lawley talk about a flexible framework for highly-effective product management and product marketing across the entire product lifecycle.
The Optimal Product Process
The most coveted of roles in emerging technology companies today is that of the product manager. It wasn’t long ago that such a role was on the low end of the totem pole, but when Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer launched Google’s Associate Product Manager program nearly a decade ago, technology leaders in Silicon Valley started to realize that it can be an actual career path; and a vital one at that.
In the Fall of 2014, the acclaimed venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) unveiled the first of what would be a series of year long product management fellowships designed to groom the next generation of managers who can support their portfolio companies. As you might expect, only a select few made the cut to participate, still it was an important step forward towards developing an actual curriculum to support those who covet the responsibilities.
I had a great opportunity today to speak with one of Silicon Valley’s true leaders in product management, Brian Lawley. Brian built a strong reputation guiding the product initiatives of world-class companies, including Apple, Digidesign, Symantec, Claris, and Whistle Communication prior to founding the 280 Group to help others streamline their processes. In addition to understanding his Optimal Product Solution, here’s what we discuss:
- The profile of an A-list product manager
- Where & how does an A-list product manager spend his time
- Why a great product manager is NOT a product champion
- The Optimal product management framework – demonstrated
- The human component of product management
- The role of the customer throughout the process
- How do elite product managers define success