So you want to be a product manager, part 1: Love the Problem
Posted On Oct 4 2016This post is a personal reflection on the excellent post written Rohini Vibha and introduced earlier on Hectic Pace. 1. You’re not managing a product. You’re managing the problem it solves. If you’re not solving a problem, you’re not a product manager. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. The most dangerous four words from a systems librarian or a developer are “Wanna see something cool?” Nope. I wanna see something that solves a problem for me or for my customer. I’ve had many, many meetings with librarians and library staff about features. It’s easy to fall into the …
Darn right, I want to be a product manager
Posted On Sep 29 2016I’m immensely proud of my time as a product manager. I have a new role now at OCLC, but as they say, you can take the boy out of product management…it’s the lens through which I view the library world. I was thrust into the role in my first professional position at a for-profit library vendor. I spent nearly a decade trying to establish product management discipline and a better product life cycle at an academic library. And I spent nearly as long developing and managing products and services at OCLC. I’m certified in Pragmatic Marketing. I’m a dedicated disciple of its …