Carlos González de Villaumbrosia

Interesting question for sure. I feel that most of these answers do a great job of highlighting the distinction, but something I would add is that the product is essentially the vehicle for the solution. You can't have a solution without a product, but you can have a product that doesn't offer a solution.  A feature is merely an additional part of the product that may create a quicker solution, a new type of solution, or just be a meaningless add-on.  Of course, there is a lot of contextual elem ...Read More

Hey! At Product School. we don't have a concrete template (yet) but we do follow a checklist to ensure that everything s iaccomplished prior to launch: Marketing Department Ensure that user analysis is up-to-date and complete. Know content strategy and channel distribution (including social media and email scheduling). Familiarize yourself with press distribution and media coverage. Sales Department Clarify sales strategies for B2C and B2B (if applicable). Cover all FAQs and responses. Know all ...Read More

I don't think there is one tool that will necessarily make launches "easy", but I certainly agree with Nina that alligment is fundemental towards the success of a launch.  I have found that daily all-hands meetings with the leader of departments can be very successful in keeping everything flowing smoothly. While some may argue that this takes too much time, having the peace of mind on a daily basis that everyone is covering their bases will give you the opportunity to focus on strategy and othe ...Read More

I believe that this question has a two-fold answer. The first being that existing customers should play a large role in product launches. Since they have already bought into the previous models, you want them to remain loyal with new features. Launching something new without considering them in mind could have a hugely adverse effect. Also, as David mentioned above, the refrences from existing products is what will help drive success for the launch and the overall lifespan of the product.  On th ...Read More

Phenomenal questions and subsequent responses.  To add to this, I would say that there are several major factors that prevent product launches from being successful: 1. Lack of communication across departments : this is often one of the most challenging problems you can face due to conflicting personalities, and individuals being head strong or too proud to come to a common understanding. If departments aren't aligned, serious complications can arise during launch, and the outcome can be disaste ...Read More

The real first question you should be asking yourself is how can you empathize with product. Just as with your role and other PMM roles, Product Managers and members of the product team are swamped with suggestions, demands, and interjections regarding how they should go about improving their processes. This can be draining and frustrating.  Once you are able to level with your PM and their team, this is your foot in the door to communicating ideas more effectively. You should also note that whe ...Read More

This is a tricky question! I’d argue that there is more to the collaboration between Product Management and Product Marketing than the effectiveness of the Project Brief. As for what to include in the project (or Product) brief, it should outline (at least) the following: Product name and release date Who the product is targeted to Product description Summary of the customer needs the product will meet Customer value proposition The impact the product will have on the customer Launch plan descri ...Read More

As the founder of Product School, I know that Product Marketing is difficult to define because it varies from company to company, and it can even vary between different products. However, it should be common knowledge that Product Marketing does much more than just “helping PMs launch things”.  Try to show how your work is essential and how, without marketing, you might have a different favorite brand of coffee, or be working for a completely different company than you are right now. But the mos ...Read More