Archive for

February 2010

Barb at Agile Project Leadership Network

My friend Barb will discuss The Role of Product Management When Development Goes Agile at the Agile Project Leadership Network in Orange County 

Session is on April 6th starting at 6:00pm 

Go to http://aplnoc.blogspot.com/ for more...

Posted by Steve Johnson 

Barb at San Diego Software Industry Council

In today’s tough job climate, it is more important than ever to clearly articulate what value you can deliver to an organization. Whether you are currently employed or are looking for a job, being able to set yourself apart is essential.

My pal Barb Nelson is speaking at the San Diego Software Industry Council. Learn more at http://www.sdsic.org/events.aspx

Posted by Steve Johnson 

The latest thing in social networking....

Bmyaio

I attended a networking conference and saw no one networking. They were twittering.

Posted by Steve Johnson 

Tim Berners-Lee = James Bond?

So I'm reading Dr No by Ian Fleming and I read this: 

Strangways would drop into the chair beside her and pick up the other pair of headphones and, at exactly six twenty-eight, he would take over from her and wait for the sudden hollowness in the ether that meant that WWW in London was coming in to acknowledge.
from Dr No by Ian Fleming
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Waitaminute! Did Berners-Lee get the WWW node from Ian Fleming? Or has London always been WWW? And I thought the web was invented in Switzerland.

Posted by Steve Johnson 

The Five Profitable Positions in any Marketplace

The five profitable positions for any market category are The Market Leader, The Second, The Alternative, The Boutique, and the New Category Leader.

I think I'd've chosen 'Dr Pepper' or 'Sprint' as the Alternative and 'Cheer Wine' as the Boutique but overall, a very healthy look at positioning by category.
Which are you?

Posted by Steve Johnson 

r u a geek? Sheldon Shirts

You've reached T-shirt Nerdvana! Here at SheldonShirts.com, we've collected all the best t-shirts worn by Sheldon and Leonard on The Big Bang Theory, plus Howard's belt buckles, some shirts we think Sheldon and Leonard should wear, cool stuff seen on the show (Periodic Table shower curtain, anyone?), some of our favorite Sheldon quotes and lots more. Find out where to buy your favorite tee shirts!

I can't tell you the number of times I've wanted one of the shirts that the guys wear on The Big Bang Theory. Now we all can buy them from www.sheldonshirts.com.

Filed under  //  Just for fun  
Posted by Steve Johnson 

For Apple suppliers, loose lips can sink contracts

Many of Apple's finished gadgets, from iPods to iPads, are assembled at industrial compounds like the one in Longhua. And when it comes to guarding Apple's secrets, Foxconn, a unit of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry, and other suppliers throughout the region leave little to chance.

An interesting look into Apple, Hon Hai and secrecy. Maybe more people (both employees and customers) should be on a need-to-know basis about product ideas and plans.

Posted by Steve Johnson 

Your enhancement process

Here's how your customers think you process their enhancement ideas. 

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I used to do a simple presentation for customers (and sales people) that illustrated how ideas turn into features. Carl Knibbs suggests this process: 

Customers want to know that you have a process for planning and prioritization. Most customers don't really mind being told "no"-- they mind being ignored. So the next time you have a group of customers onsite, think about a simple presentation (and maybe it's a single slide) that shows your planning process. Maybe you should show them your prioritization system and get their feedback. For more on prioritization, see http://pragmaticmarketing.typepad.com/productmarketing/2010/02/setting_prioritites.html

Posted by Steve Johnson