OPTIMAL PRODUCT
PROCESS™
Second Edition, by Brian Lawley, CEO and Founder, 280 Group LLC
A Flexible Framework for Highly-Effective Product Management and
Product Marketing Across the Entire Product Lifecycle
If you are interested in having the 280 Group deliver the contents of this paper and/or a presentation on the Strategic
Importance of Product Management and Product Marketing to your executive team, please email us at
contact@280group.com or call (408) 834-7518. We also offer in-depth Product Management consulting, contractors,
assessments, training, certifications, templates and books. Go to 280group.com for more information.
280 GROUP PRESS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 6
A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT PROCESS FOR THE ENTIRE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE .................................................. 8
THE SEVEN PHASE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS ................................................................................ 10
Phase I: Conceive .................................................................................................................................... 11
Phase II: Plan ........................................................................................................................................... 11
Phase III: Develop .................................................................................................................................... 12
Phase IV: Qualify ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Phase V: Launch ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Phase VI: Maximize ................................................................................................................................. 13
Phase VII: Retire ...................................................................................................................................... 13
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS .................................................. 15
ANSWERING THE CRITICAL PRODUCT QUESTIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME............................................... 16
ACHIEVING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ......................................................................................... 18
APPLYING THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS ..................................................................................... 19
THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 20
APPENDIX A: SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY STAGE OF YOUR CAREER ......................................................... 21
APPENDIX B: CREATORS OF THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS........................................................... 22
APPENDIX C: OTHER 280 GROUP PRESS BOOKS .................................................................................. 26
APPENDIX D: 280 GROUP PRODUCTS & SERVICES .............................................................................. 27
Consulting & Contractors ........................................................................................................................ 27
Product Management Assessments and Optimization Plans ................................................................. 28
Training & Certifications ......................................................................................................................... 28
Templates, Toolkits & the PM Office ...................................................................................................... 30
APPENDIX E: THE NINE KEY OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS DOCUMENTS ............................................. 31
BUSINESS CASE TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................... 31
MARKET NEEDS/REQUIREMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................ 32
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/REQUIREMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................... 33
ROADMAP TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ 34
MARKET STRATEGY TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. 35
BETA PROGRAM TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... 36
LAUNCH PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................... 37
MARKETING PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ 38
END OF LIFE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ 39
APPENDIX F: THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS FRAMEWORK ........................................................... 40
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
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Copyright © 2012-2014 280 Group LLC
All rights reserved. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein.
Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no
responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damage resulting from the use of the
information contained herein.
First Edition: January 2012 (v201101021‐AR)
Second Edition: December 2014 (v20140901‐AR)
eBook ISBN: 0985031204
Place of Publication: Campbell, California, USA
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
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OVERVIEW
This publication describes the 280 Group Optimal Product Process, a methodology and framework that
allows companies to perform highly-effective Product Management and Product Marketing.
The goals in developing the Optimal Product Process included:

Creating a modern product process that reflects best practices for Product Management and
Product Marketing in 2014 and beyond

Building in the flexibility to achieve excellence in any situation:
o Any development methodology: Agile, Waterfall or Hybrid
o Any industry or market
o Any company or team culture

Covering ALL phases of the Product Lifecycle

Clarifying roles and responsibilities for Product Management, Product Marketing and those
they interact with

Creating a complete and comprehensive solution that goes far beyond a basic training course to
include corresponding templates, books, certifications, coaching programs and foundational as well
as advanced courses.

Providing a framework that supports continuous improvement of the Product Management
and Product Marketing functions
The Optimal Product Process accomplishes all of these goals and more. It is a complete methodology
that includes all aspects necessary to build a world-class Product Management function:







Roles and responsibilities
Criteria for making decisions for each phase and gate
Common activities for Product Managers & Product Marketers
Tools and templates to work through the challenges of each phase successfully
In-depth foundational and advanced training on all skills and tasks
Coaching and mentoring programs
Advanced worldwide-standard certifications
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What makes the Optimal Product Process unique is that it covers the ENTIRE Product Lifecycle.
Additionally, it can be applied by any company in any market or industry, regardless of development
methodology used, widely different team cultures or the need for varying levels of documentation of
product efforts.
Our hope is that companies worldwide will adopt the Optimal Product Process so that not only will the
professions of Product Management and Product Marketing advance, but their companies will thrive
and their customers will benefit from great products being delivered.
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INTRODUCTION
Those of you who know me know that I have a HUGE passion for what I
do. I have spent my entire career in Product Management and Product
Marketing, and have been able to work on some amazing products at
great companies (Apple, Symantec, Digidesign, Claris and Whistle as an
employee and hundreds of great companies as a consultant.)
Simply put, I love to create and market products that delight customers
and produce massive profits. That’s the vision for my company, the 280
Group. We help thousands of companies, Product Managers and Product
Marketers create and market GREAT new products that customers love
and that help their companies dramatically grow. This is what motivates
me and my team. The work on this project and this paper are driven by
this.
The 280 Group has been in the Product Management and
Product Marketing consulting and training business since
1998. Tens of thousands of Product Managers and Product
Marketers worldwide use our methodology, books,
templates, white papers and other resources, and have
gone through our training and certification programs.
Great companies like Cisco, Wells Fargo, E*TRADE, SAP,
Dell, Adobe, Microsoft, Intel and many others, ranging
from startups to Fortune 500 have benefitted from our
ideas and methodology.
About the Author
Brian Lawley is the CEO and Founder of
the 280 Group. His 25 year career in
Product Management includes working
for great companies like Apple, Symantec
and startups, writing five best-selling
Product Management books, being
President of the Silicon Valley Product
Management Association and winning
numerous awards for thought leadership
in Product Management.
We have been blessed with much success and have become well-known as a company that moves the
profession forward. We have published five best-selling books (two in the Amazon top 50 business
books on their first day of release), were ranked in the top 10 consulting firms by the Silicon Valley
Business Journal, have been featured on CNBC and Silicon Valley Business Report and have won
numerous awards for thought leadership and for our work and products.
The professions of Product Management and
Product Marketing have moved forward
significantly in the last ten years. They are
now recognized by many of the world’s great
companies as mission-critical and a key
element of their success. In fact, a 2013 CBS
News poll found that Product Management is
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
“A 2013 CBS News poll found that Product
Management is now considered the fourth most
important profession in Corporate America,
behind only CEOs, General Managers and Senior
Executives.”
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now considered the fourth most important profession in Corporate America, behind only CEOs, General
Managers and Senior Executives. There are books, newsletters and blogs devoted to related topics. The
Silicon Valley Product Management Association (of which I was President for three years) has grown
dramatically as has the Boston Product Management Association. Other associations have sprung up, as
have the popular ProductCamps now being held in dozens of cities around the world.
Product Management is now also ranked in the top ten best jobs by Money Magazine. And the AIPMM
(The Association of International Product Marketing and Management) has been in existence for fifteen
years, representing the profession for its thousands of members. It sponsors Product Management
Education Conferences, and runs the worldwide-standard and vendor-neutral Certified Product
Manager (CPM), Certified Product Marketing Manager (CPMM) and Agile Certified Product Manager
(ACPM) exam and credential programs.
“Product Management is now
ranked in the top ten best jobs
by Money Magazine”
A few years ago when we created the Optimal Product Process
we realized that despite all of these advances there was
something missing. Being in both small and large companies
performing consulting, training and process assessment work we
could see that there was room for DRAMATIC improvements.
It was time for a flexible framework that would cover every aspect of the Product Lifecycle and could be
highly-effective regardless of which development methodology was being followed by engineering.
So we created the Optimal Product Process.
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A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT PROCESS FOR THE ENTIRE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
When we created the Optimal Product Process we were highly customer-focused. Through extensive
customer feedback and thousands of hours training and consulting with clients, we observed that the
following were challenges in the Product Management profession that needed to be addressed:
1. There was a lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities between Product Management and
Product Marketing. In some companies there was only one person doing both roles. In other
companies there were two people (trying to do the same things some of the time), etc. And
often, critical parts of one or both of these roles simply were not being done at all.
2. Agile development was being adopted by many engineering organizations without the critical
strategic planning and other functions of Product Management being applied. When applied
to the right kinds of products, Agile can provide great benefits in terms of rapid software
development and staying close to the customer. However, when many companies shifted to
Agile development they stopped performing critical activities in the lifecycle, such as developing
business cases, crafting the market strategies, or planning for launches or end of life. Thus the
development and delivery benefits gained by going Agile were negated in many ways because
the strategic business aspects are no longer being taken care of. In many cases companies
adopted a hybrid approach (often jokingly called Wagile, Fragile or Agilefall because they
combine traditional waterfall
and Agile). The challenge in
“Agile development was being adopted by many
doing this is that there is rarely
engineering organizations without the critical strategic
an underlying framework that
planning and other functions of Product Management
is well-thought-out. As a result
being applied”
both the development and
strategic business aspects have
suffered.
3. Companies often weren’t adopting the materials and methods that they were trained on
because they weren’t flexible enough and not actionable. There was a need for flexible and
immediately actionable methodology that could be adapted to how the companies were already
doing business.
4. The training and other materials available were all woefully out of date. They had been
developed in the mid 1990’s or early 2000’s – Product Management and Product Marketing
have completely changed since then. Between the Internet, social media, the ability to get
instant customer reactions and market research, Agile development methodologies, the
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
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globalization of the world economy, rapid release cycles and instantaneous availability of
competitive, product and marketing information the job of a Product Manager or Product
Marketer is VERY different now than it was even a few years ago.
5. There was a lot of duplication of effort and wasted time by Product Managers and Product
Marketers. Despite our 280 Group templates and toolkits many companies and individuals were
re-inventing the wheel with each product cycle. And to make matters worse they ended up
focusing their time and effort on creating the templates and perfecting the documents rather
than doing what was MOST critical – answering the key product questions and making the key
decisions during each phase.
6. None of the methodologies available dealt with ALL of the critical parts of the lifecycle, such
as ideation and innovation at the front end, or retirement at the back end. There are MANY
examples of companies that don’t focus on all parts of the lifecycle and end up in severe trouble
– without an innovation pipeline or with products discontinued in a way that alienates
customers and damages their brand.
7. There has not historically been a way to do post-mortem analysis on Product Management
and Product Marketing work to ensure continuous improvement. The result is that teams and
the function don’t improve over time, and companies lose out on building Product Management
as a competitive advantage.
8. Product Managers and Product Marketers weren’t able to leverage their skills effectively if
they switched companies or industries. Because EVERY company was doing things differently
there wasn’t a core set of skills and methods that could be used when starting at a new
company.
Taking these challenges into account, the 280 Group decided to leverage and dramatically expand upon
the base-level work that we had participated in during 2009-2010 when the AIPMM (Association of
International Product Management & Marketing) created the worldwide standard seven phase lifecycle
model in the Product Management & Marketing Body of Knowledge (ProdBOK®). We took the seven
phase lifecycle, and built a comprehensive and complete framework, training program, coaching
offerings and the corresponding Product Management Office set of tools to match.
The result is a framework and methodology that can be widely employed. Now Product Managers and
Product Marketers can ensure their products are dramatically more successful.
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THE SEVEN PHASE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS
The seven phase framework in the Optimal Product Process covers every phase that every product goes
through (whether a company/team realizes it or not.) Oftentimes one or more of the seven phases are
ignored, shortchanged or not focused on, resulting in a less-than-optimal result for the company and its
customers. In many cases Product Management and/or Product Marketing are only involved in one
phase, and no one is watching the “Whole Product” concept that the customer ultimately perceives as
what they are buying. By being aware of and prepared for all seven phases, a company maximizes its
chances for delighting its customers and increasing its profits.
The seven phase model uses a phase-gate approach (with Agile work tied in during Plan, Develop and
Qualify). Each phase consists of standard tasks that must be accomplished, and then to move to the next
phase a gate must be passed through. The gate is a decision based on the work in the phase as to
whether the company wishes to move forward with the concept or product. By using this approach, the
right information and data is gathered, analyzed, and the risk of investing significant money or resources
is managed appropriately.
As mentioned above, although this is a
phase-gate process (also sometimes
“Oftentimes one or more of the seven phases are
referred to as waterfall), the notion of
ignored, shortchanged or not focused on, resulting in a
Agile development fits in and can be
less-than-optimal result for the company and its
used effectively. When applying Agile
customers”
development methods such as Scrum,
Lean, etc. the company or team simply
goes through the Plan, Develop and Qualify phases much more rapidly with a smaller set of features for
each sprint (and less or no documentation required). They are still, nonetheless, doing required tasks in
each phase and must pass through the corresponding gate, but may be able to do so more rapidly and
efficiently and/or in parallel.
Conceive
Plan
Develop
Qualify
Launch
Maximize
Retire
The Seven Phases of the Optimal Product Process
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Phase I: Conceive
During the Conceive phase a company or team is generating new ideas and evaluating and prioritizing
them to determine whether to move forward with them and spend time and resources. This may be
done formally or accidentally through observing customers and identifying latent needs. It may also be
done by executives, engineers, product managers, salespeople or others coming up with potential
products and/or new features.
In startups this is usually done by the founders, in technology companies by the engineers and in truly
market-driven companies by the Product Management and Product Marketing staff. In all cases Product
Management and Product Marketing can play a KEY role in this phase – they aren’t necessarily
responsible for coming up with creative new ideas (though they should articulate the needs of the
customers and the problems that can be
solved), but they should be held
accountable for leading their teams in
“By applying ideation exercises and using prioritization
the effort. By applying ideation exercises
techniques, Product Management can lead the company
and using prioritization techniques
to identify and focus on new and innovative ideas that
Product Management can lead the
can become the engine for future company growth and
company to identify and focus on new
success.”
and innovative ideas that can become
the engine for future company growth
and success.
Phase II: Plan
After having come up with a prioritized list of opportunities (ideally that leverage their company’s core
competencies and put them in a unique position to compete), additional time and effort can then be
spent doing some true planning. For example, market research and competitive analysis can be
performed. A business case can be developed in a standardized fashion. This can then be evaluated
against other projects accordingly) to determine if the opportunity is large and profitable enough to be
viable. Market needs (we prefer to use
this term rather than market
“Many companies make the mistake of jumping straight
requirements because it more accurately
into development, particularly when working with teams
states what is being captured) can be
employing Agile methodologies, without performing due
assessed, along with the market strategy
diligence on the business and strategy aspects of the
that would be used to take the product
product first.”
to market. A roadmap can be developed
giving an idea of the longer-term
strategy and viability along with a product description (again we use this term rather than product
requirements because it more accurately reflects the fact that you are describing how the product will
meet the market need).
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Many companies make the mistake of jumping straight into development, particularly when working
with teams employing Agile methodologies, without performing due diligence on the business aspects
of the product first. The Optimal Product Process allows for doing the business and strategy work
whether your company is doing Agile, Waterfall or hybrid development. The plan phase ensures that ALL
critical questions about strategy and business are addressed regardless of how the product is being
developed.
Phase III: Develop
After a plan (whether an Agile backlog with sprint priorities assigned or a more formal plan) is in place
and agreed upon the product is then developed. Feature and schedule tradeoffs are made. Technical
feasibility may be assessed. If certain critical features are not possible, the product may be delayed or
cancelled altogether. In either case, the team moves forward with creating a product that will be “Above
the bar” in terms of what must be delivered to customers in order to succeed, and achieve the
company’s profitability and/or strategic goals.
Phase IV: Qualify
As the end of development nears, the team
determines if the product is ready to move
into the final qualification phase. Although
there may have been testing done up to this
point in terms of product functionality and
reaction from customers, the product has
not been considered final enough yet to
determine whether it can meet the required
level of quality to fulfill the overall product
objectives in the eyes of the customer.
“Many companies either minimize or rush this phase,
compressing the amount of time originally allotted or
deciding to ship a product that may not have been
used in real-world scenarios. This omission can cause
a major catastrophe…”
Many companies either minimize or rush this phase, compressing the amount of time originally allotted
or deciding to ship a product that may not have been used in real-world scenarios. This omission can
cause a major catastrophe for the product and/or company if the quality level should prove to be subpar for their brand image. It can also result in spending significantly large amounts of money launching
and marketing the product without having verified that the quality and customer satisfaction levels will
be adequate to drive sales.
Note: as an example consider the Microsoft Kin phone. After spending hundreds of millions of dollars
(perhaps billions including acquisitions) developing it, they spent a huge amount to launch the product
and even had a launch party at their campus. Sales were so anemic they cancelled the product in LESS
THAN SIX WEEKS. Had they done testing with real users (in addition to their internal quality testing) they
could have avoided serious embarrassment.
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Phase V: Launch
After qualifying the product to ensure that it meets appropriate standards, and will be accepted and
embraced by customers and the market, a company then officially launches the new product (or an
updated version for existing products) into the marketplace. A successful launch allows the company to
generate interest in the new product. Once a product is released it rapidly becomes old news. By
working closely with its channel and other
partners to successfully introduce, sell and
“A company without a specified launch plan and
support the product it gives the company
process will rarely meet its initial or long-term revenue
the opportunity to set the competitive
goals”
argument against other companies and
products. A company without a specified
launch plan and process will rarely meet its initial or long-term revenue goals (unless they get incredibly
lucky). This is one of the biggest pitfalls in the technology market: engineering-driven companies believe
that because they build it that the industry will magically become aware and be willing to buy it. We at
the 280 Group are constantly amazed at the amount of money spent to develop great new products that
are then given no chance to succeed because the company isn’t realistic about what it takes to do an
adequate product launch.
Phase VI: Maximize
After the initial launch, the product requires ongoing marketing and other activities to ensure that it
continues to be as successful as possible. This includes demand generation, competitive responses,
public relations, ensuring customer feedback is included in the next revision of the product, and also
supporting the sales force and channel. In some companies there are dedicated Product Marketers that
ensure the product gets what is needed
to keep sales going and achieve revenue
“After the initial launch the product requires ongoing
goals. In other companies the Product
marketing and activities to ensure that it continues to be
Manager may be asked to do this in
as successful as possible”
addition to full-time responsibilities of
planning and working on new products.
Phase VII: Retire
As the product ages it may be revised, with a new version as a replacement, or it might be intentionally
discontinued or sold on an ongoing basis without much effort being put into it. Either way, at some
point the product will be retired. For some products this isn’t much of an issue. The inventory can be
sold off, or the product can be removed from a website or price list.
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For other products, such as Enterprise
software or products being sold in the
“A poorly executed end-of-life and product retirement
financial, government or medical fields,
can cost companies millions and significantly damage the
end of life can be a critical factor that
company’s brand”
must be planned for and dealt with
effectively. And even in the consumer
space this can be critical. Consider what would happen to Apple if they did the wrong thing with retiring
a product when coming out with a new version. They might end up with billions of dollars of useless
inventory and losses as well as a loss of reputation and customer loyalty.
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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS
The Optimal Product Process specifies the roles and responsibilities of Product Management and
Product Marketing, as well as all of the other parties they interact with: Engineering, Quality Assurance
and User Experience to name a few. This can vary from company to company, as some companies only
have one person performing both roles and the line between them can be blurred. As such, the Optimal
Product Process provides standards and guidelines that can be followed, and is flexible to allow for what
works best for each company.
In the Optimal Product Process the Product Manager is responsible for making sure that a great product
is built and brought to market, including all of the whole product components such as features, service,
warranty and anything else necessary for success. Product Marketing is then responsible for making sure
that the product sells as well as possible. This includes activities like positioning, messaging, pricing and
sales enablement.
Getting role clarity such as this ensures that all critical tasks in the Product Lifecycle have an owner and
that nothing falls through the cracks. It also ensures that companies can know what skills each role must
have so that each individual can get the training, coaching and tools to do the job effectively.
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ANSWERING THE CRITICAL PRODUCT QUESTIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME
During each phase of a product’s life, there are critical questions that must be asked and assumptions
that must be challenged in order to ensure maximum success. Whether written down formally or not,
without taking key strategic and tactical factors into account, there is a risk of product failure.
The 280 Group Optimal Product Process identifies these questions in nine key documents associated
with the seven phases of a product lifecycle. These documents are included in the 280 Group Product
Management Lifecycle Toolkit™, which is the basis for the 280 Group’s Optimal Product Management
and Product Marketing™ Training that teaches the entire Optimal Product Process. Each of these
documents includes the critical questions, issues, decisions and considerations for products that must be
addressed in order to ensure success. They represent a comprehensive way of ensuring that nothing
falls through the cracks and that everything is thought through thoroughly and effectively.
The 280 Group nine key documents from the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit.
NOTE: The documents can be used in very formal circumstances where a company culture or team
requires extensive written documentation for each phase. Equally important, if a company and/or
team is less rigid and formal, there may be no need to write the full (or any) documents. All that
matters is that the key considerations covered in each one are thought-through and addressed in a
satisfactory manner that will ensure product success.
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Documentation in the Optimal Product Process can range from very little with no
signoffs to extensive with formal signoffs.
The documents are also designed to ensure that there is no duplication of effort or content – they are a
perfectly designed set of complementary templates that can help dramatically boost a Product
Manager’s productivity. Note: See the Appendices for the table of contents for each of these nine
documents.
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
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ACHIEVING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
The Optimal Product Process is also designed to drive continuous improvement of products and/or
support processes within any organization. Continuous improvement of products and the corresponding
process is an ongoing effort that can best be evaluated once a formal Product Management and Product
Marketing process is defined and implemented within an organization.
To support the notion of continuous improvement the 280 Group’s Optimal Product Process includes
the ability to capture critical decisions and key assumptions about a product during each phase of the
lifecycle. This provides a record of what has happened over the life of the product that can be used as
data when looking for areas of improvement.
In addition to the nine key documents, the 280 Group has also created one document called a Master
Product Plan (MPP), which is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit. The MPP includes
all nine documents in one and can be iterated at each phase in the lifecycle. Only the parts that are
relevant to that particular phase for your company need be written or considered when passing through
the gate. By using the MPP you can iterate one document through all seven phases.
By using the MPP (or interim versions of the nine documents), you can also easily go back and do a postmortem to see how your assumptions and documents changed over the life of the product. And if you
are using MPPs for more than one product, you will have a standard way of determining where your
efforts need to be enhanced so that you become more efficient and effective.
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APPLYING THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS
If you would like to deploy the Optimal Product Process, or a variation of it at your company, there are a
number of services and offerings that the 280 Group provides to support you in the adoption of the
Optimal Product Process:
•
Optimal Product Management Assessment™ and Optimization Program. Through this
consulting offering, we assess your company in terms of its process, people and tools, and
create a customized plan for optimization. The result is a set of specific recommendations and
an optimization plan for dramatically increasing the effectiveness of Product Management and
Product Marketing at your company.
•
•
•
•
Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing™ Training. This is a three day
course that teaches the entire Optimal Product Process so that students can manage any
product, in any industry, successfully through any phase of the lifecycle.
Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™. Used as the basis for the training course and the
overall process, this toolkit contains templates for the nine key documents used in the process,
the Master Product Plan and also a variety of other useful templates and samples that can be
leveraged to produce better documents and make decisions more efficiently.
Product Management Coaching. Individual and team coaching to help you adopt and apply
the Optimal Product Process.
Product Management Certifications. These are offered by the 280 Group and administered
by AIPMM as a vendor-neutral third party. They ensure that Product Managers thoroughly
understand the core concepts of Product Management and the Product Management
Framework.
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THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
The professions of Product Management and Product Marketing will continue to evolve and become
even more important in the corporate world. New advances such as the Optimal Product Process,
additional tools and books as well as more organizations, conferences and resources will continue to
advance the profession. And the 280 Group will continue to be a leader in these efforts.
Make sure you join our mailing list and take advantage of the vast free resources that we offer in order
to leverage our work.
It is our hope that the Optimal Product Process will be embraced widely and will become the basis for
the advancement of the profession and excellence in many companies. With a standardized process,
certification exams, training, books and other resources, the professions of Product Management and
Product Marketing are poised to become even more important and relevant in the world’s greatest
companies.
We welcome your comments on this publication – please email us at contact@280group.com.
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
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APPENDIX A:
SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY STAGE OF YOUR CAREER
If you want to increase your skills in Product Management or Product Marketing and rapidly accelerate
your career, the 280 Group has a comprehensive set of solutions you can take advantage of.
Copyright 2012-2014, 280 Group | 280group.com
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APPENDIX B: CREATORS OF THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS
About The 280 Group
The 280 Group is a Product Management and Product Marketing consulting and training firm located in
Silicon Valley, CA. Founded in 1998, the 280 Group helps companies deliver products that delight their
customers and produce massive profits. Products and services include consulting, contractors, training,
certifications, templates, coaching and books. The 280 Group’s methodology is based on worldwide
standards and is used by tens of thousands of customers across the world.
Clients include small and medium-sized companies as well as Fortune 500 companies such as Adobe,
SAP, Cisco, Intel, E*TRADE, Symantec, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Wells Fargo and others. The 280 Group was
ranked in the top 10 consulting firms by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and has won the AIPMM
award for Thought Leadership in Product Management. They have been featured on World Business
Review, the Silicon Valley Business Report and have several books in the top 150 business books on
Amazon.com.
For more information go to 280group.com, call (408) 834-7518 or email contact@280group.com.
Optimal Product Process Creators
Brian Lawley
CEO and Founder, 280 Group
Brian Lawley is the CEO and Founder of the 280 Group. He is the author three bestselling books, The Phenomenal Product Manager, Expert Product Management and
42 Rules of Product Management and is the former President of the Silicon Valley
Product Management Association (SVPMA). He was awarded the Association of
International Product Marketing and Management award for Thought Leadership in
Product Management, and has been featured on World Business Review and the
Silicon Valley Business Report. He is the editor of the Optimal Product Management blog and newsletter
and also writes guest articles for publications such as the Software Development Forum newsletter,
Softletter and the SVPMA newsletter.
Prior to founding and running the 280 Group Brian spent many years working on innovative products at
world-leading companies, including Digidesign (acquired by Avid), Apple (Product Manager for the
MacOS human interface), Claris, Symantec and Whistle Communications. Brian is a Certified Product
Manager (CPM) and Certified Product Marketing Manager (CPMM) and has a Bachelor’s degree in
Management Science from the University of California at San Diego with a minor in Music Technology
and an MBA with honors from San Jose State University.
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Pam Schure
Director of Products and Services, 280 Group
Pamela Schure is the Director of Products and Services with the 280 group and a 25
year Product Management, Product Marketing and international business veteran.
She has extensive full life-cycle experience in product definition, Product
Marketing, business development, team and relationship building and operational
management. Prior to the 280 Group, she worked for multi-national companies
such as Apple, Sun Microsystems and Adaptec. She also enjoys working with
smaller teams and companies to ensure that they create and maintain competitive differentiation with
their products. She combines strategic overviews with hands-on tactical execution expertise to deliver
excellent business growth results.
Her entrepreneurial leadership at companies of all sizes builds value in diverse industries for both
hardware and software solutions. Pamela’s experience includes analyzing, positioning and delivering
both B2C and B2B products to global markets. Her success is a result of combining engineering expertise
and business skills to bridge the gap between technical knowledge and market awareness. She has
worked and managed in a range of functions including engineering, Product Marketing, Product
Management, sales and marketing. She has lived and worked in the US, United Kingdom, France and
South Africa and has conducted business internationally, including Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.
Pamela has achieved the following certifications from the Association of International Product
Marketing and Management (AIPMM): Certified Product Manager (CPM), Certified Product Marketing
Manager (CPMM) and Agile Certified Product Manager (ACPM). Pamela has a BS in Applied Mechanics
from UC San Diego and an MBA in Marketing from Columbia School of Business. She communicates
fluently in French, and speaks conversational Italian.
Tom Evans
Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group
Tom Evans is a Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer at 280 Group and is an
internationally recognized authority in Product Management, Product Marketing,
international business, go-to-market strategies, business partnerships and
entrepreneurship. In his extensive experience, he has helped start-ups through
Fortune 500 companies create and launch winning products and has led go-tomarket and business development efforts in the US and global markets. Tom has
been responsible for successfully developing and implementing Product Management & Product
Marketing methodologies at multiple companies. Tom’s experience covers numerous vertical
industries, technologies, and international markets. His industry experience includes complex software
solutions for manufacturing, document management, call centers, financial services, and project
management. Tom lived and worked in Brazil and has conducted business internationally, including
Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.
Tom was a contributing author to the “42 Rules of Product Management” and to the “42 Rules of
Product Marketing” and speaks and blogs on the topics of Product Management & Product Marketing.
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Tom has achieved the following certifications from the Association of International Product Marketing
and Management (AIPMM): Certified Product Manager (CPM), Certified Product Marketing Manager
(CPMM) and Agile Certified Product Manager (ACPM). Tom has a BSEE from The United States Air Force
Academy, an MSEE from The University of Dayton, and graduated with honors with an MBA from The
University of Texas at Austin.
Phil Burton
Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group
He has executed assignments for US and non-US clients with B2B products and
services covering both applications and infrastructure. His projects have covered
the entire product life cycle, including portfolio management and pricing, writing
market requirements documents, planning product launches and creation of sales
tools. Phil has trained thousands of 280 Group customers in principles and best
practices of Product Management and Product Marketing. He is also a contributing
author to the best-selling ”42 Rules of Product Management” and a co-author of “42 Rules of Product
Marketing.”
Phil has extensive full life cycle Product Management and Product Marketing experience, with a strong
understanding of how to tailor the product life cycle process to the specific needs and organizational
structure of a client. Phil has expertise in product definition, launch, messaging and positioning,
collateral creation, competitive analysis and sales tool creation. He is also an excellent public speaker for
both executive level and technical groups.
Prior to consulting Phil had more than 25 years of hands-on Product Management and Product
Marketing experience. He has worked for both established companies such as Sun Microsystems, Novell
Inc., Convergent Technologies (acquired by Unisys), Octel (acquired by Lucent Communications), as well
as startups at various stages of development. He has a Civil Engineering Degree from M.I.T, with an
undergraduate degree in civil engineering from City College of the City University of New York. He is a
member of several information security organizations and is a Certified Information Systems Security
Professional.
Greg Cohen
Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group
Greg Cohen is a Senior Principal Consultant with the 280 Group and a 15 year
Product Management veteran with extensive experience and knowledge of Agile
development, a Certified Scrum Master, and former President of the Silicon Valley
Product Management Association. He has worked and consulted to venture startups and large companies alike and has trained Product Managers throughout the
world on Agile development, road mapping, feature prioritization, product
innovation, product lifecycle process, and Product Management assessment. Greg is the author of the
books Agile Excellence for Product Managers and 42 Rules of Product Management as well as a speaker
and frequent commentator on Product Management issues.
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Greg has a background in B2B software and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) including spend analysis,
business analytics, contract management, network security, and medical technology. Prior to consulting,
he has managed over a dozen products from concept through deployment and end of life for Silicon
Valley Companies such as Instill (acquired by iTradeNetworks) Idealab!, and Pandesic (a joint venture
between Intel and SAP.)
Greg earned an MBA with honor from Babson College and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical
Engineering with second major in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University.
Jim Reekes
Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group
Jim Reekes spent the first 20 years of his career developing software. He has
extensive knowledge and experience with the entire software development
process ranging from very small to very large projects. During his 12 years writing
software at Apple Computer, Jim worked at every level of the operating system. As
a member of the QuickTime team, he created the company’s innovative audio
architecture, earning him two patents and establishing the foundation for
countless multimedia products. His contributions include key benefits and innovations found in iTunes
and iPod.
Jim Reekes was the former VP of Product Management for Meeting Maker, Inc., creating the company’s
product vision and strategy. His accomplishments include expanding into new markets while competing
against Microsoft. Jim’s efforts resulted in revitalizing the product through new positioning and an
exceptional product benefits. He reorganized the company’s product line, and extended it by integration
and acquisition. Jim has been providing consulting services in Product Management to Silicon Valley for
a diverse set of clients ranging from software products to web sites. Jim is often described as
“visionary.” Jim has expertise in product strategy, competitive analysis, market driven requirements,
messaging and positioning, and brand building.
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APPENDIX C: OTHER 280 GROUP PRESS BOOKS
The Phenomenal Product Manager
The Product Manager’s Guide to Success, Job Satisfaction and Career Acceleration.
By Brian Lawley, CEO & Founder of the 280 Group
The Phenomenal Product Manager goes beyond the basics and teaches you how to work
more effectively with your teams, how to influence when you have no formal authority, how
to get the most important work done in less time, and how to manage and accelerate your
career.
Agile Excellence for Product Managers
Learn how to work more effectively with development teams using Agile processes.
By Greg Cohen, 280 Group consultant & trainer
Software companies are rapidly turning to Agile development to cope with fast changing
markets and borderless competition. Yet little has been written to guide Product Managers
through the transition to working with Agile teams and the huge benefits that doing so
affords. Agile Excellence is a plain-speaking guide on how to work with Agile development
teams to achieve phenomenal product success.
Expert Product Management
Advanced Techniques, Tips and Strategies for Product Management and Product
Marketing.
By Brian Lawley, CEO & Founder of the 280 Group
Covers advanced topics such as how to prioritize feature requirements, build product
roadmaps, plan and execute high-impact product launches, run more effective beta programs
and get great reviews for your products.
42 Rules of Product Management
Learn the rules of Product Management from a group of experts.
By Brian Lawley & Greg Cohen of the 280 Group
42 Rules of Product Management is a collection of Product Management wisdom from forty
experts from around the world. With over five hundred years of combined hands-on Product
Management and Product Marketing experience, the authors each share one rule that they
think is critical to know to succeed in Product Management. Whether you are a seasoned and
experienced Product Manager or are just starting out, ‘42 Rules of Product Management’ will
help you lead with greater effectiveness and influence.
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APPENDIX D: 280 GROUP PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Consulting & Contractors
Whether you need a high-level seasoned consultant to help you with your product strategy or your next
industry-changing launch, or an acting interim Product Manager, the 280 Group can provide you with
the right talent. We take on both small, short-term, highly focused projects as well as providing longerterm contracting talent that can become part of your team for up to several months if need be.
Typical projects include:
Product Management
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Market Analysis
Developing Business Cases
Profit & Loss Analysis
Customer Research
Market Research
MRDs & PRDs
Product Roadmaps
Working With Engineering Teams
Reviewing Functional Specs
Finalizing Product Requirements
Prioritizing Feature Sets
Feature, Schedule & Cost
Tradeoffs
 Competitive Analysis
 Running Beta Programs
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Product Marketing
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Product Launches
Sales Tools
Positioning
Pricing
White Papers
Reviewer's Guides
Product Demos
Competitive Comparisons
Customer Testimonials
Success Stories
Features & Benefits/USPs
Press Tours & Materials
Presentations
Training Materials
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Product Management Assessments and Optimization Plans
Take your company’s Product Management to the next level.
Product Management is one of the most important strategic functions in a company. Great Product
Management leads to more successful and more profitable products, happier customers and long-term
winning strategies to conquer markets. It also ensures that your company doesn’t waste money
developing, marketing and selling products that don’t meet customer needs, and should not have been
built in the first place.
Optimal Product Management requires that you have the following elements in place:
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An effective Product Process (as lightweight as possible for your culture)
A great team who understands their role and is trained to perform at a high level of competence
Excellent standardized tools and templates to ensure that deliverables can be created quickly
Systems in place for ongoing company improvements/learning
To help you take Product Management to the next level at your company, the 280 Group offers an
Optimal Product Management Assessment™ and Optimization Program. This is a service where we
assess the Product Management function at your company (process, people and tools), provide concrete
recommendations for dramatically improving its effectiveness and assist you with implementing key
changes. The resulting deliverable is a specific plan for optimizing Product Management at your
company. By working with the 280 Group you can ensure that you are implementing best practices and
that Product Management will help drive your company’s overall success.
Training & Certifications
Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing™
Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing is a three-day course that teaches students the
foundation, knowledge and skills that are necessary to be a highly effective Product Manager or Product
Marketing Manager. Through a combination of lectures, discussions and intensive hands-on exercises,
attendees will learn about all aspects of how to effectively manage products throughout the entire
Product Lifecycle and how it applies to their current and future roles. The course is appropriate for both
new Product Managers and Product Marketing Managers who need to learn the foundational skills and
knowledge of their profession, as well as more senior Product Managers and Product Marketers who
want to brush up on their knowledge of the profession and want to learn about the most current trends,
best practices and up-to-date methodology.
How to Be a Phenomenal Product Manager™
Based on the best-selling book The Phenomenal Product Manager, this one-day course is the only one in
the world that teaches how to dramatically increase your effectiveness and productivity as a Product
Manager. Through hands-on exercises and lecture students learn critical skills and develop a
corresponding action plan to apply in their jobs. Topics covered include the role (and non-role) of
Product Management, how to work more effectively with sales and engineering, influence and
negotiation, career advancement and more.
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Leadership for Product Managers™
This one-day course will help transform you into a highly effective and dynamic Product Management
leader in your company. Through a combination of lectures and extensive hands-on exercises you will
learn to apply your specific strengths as a leader, to exert more influence in your organization. You’ll
learn how to more effectively lead those over whom you have no formal authority and you’ll leave the
course with a concrete plan of action to apply what you have learned.
Certified Product Manager™ (CPM) Exam Intensive Prep Course
This two-day in-person course consists of a day and a half of class time followed
by the certification exam on the afternoon of the second day. It provides an
intensive review of concepts to help students prepare to take the exam to earn
the Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM)
prestigious Certified Product Manager (CPM) credential. It is appropriate for
those who have extensive Product Management experience and/or have taken
the 280 Group’s Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing threeday in-person course. Students review the key concepts and terminology used in
the exam as well as strategy for answering the exam questions and a Q&A for
anything else they want to review.
Certified Product Manager™ Self-Study Course and Exam
The Certified Product Manager™ (CPM) Self-Study Course allows you to prepare for the prestigious
industry standard Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM) CPM
certification exam. With this purchase you will have everything you need to master the material and
prepare for the exam. The AIPMM online certification exam is included, (a $395 value) at no additional
charge.
Agile Excellence for Product Managers and Product Owners™
This two-day course teaches you how to be dramatically more effective with
teams using Agile development methods (Scrum, XP, Kanban, Lean). In addition,
you learn how a Product Manager and Product Owner should interact with each
other – and engineering teams as you develop your Product Management and
team leadership skills. The course includes extensive hands-on exercises and
handouts, and a copy of the best-selling book Agile Product Management
Excellence from the 280 Group. The course will prepare you to take the exam to
become an industry-standard Agile Certified Product Manager and Product
Owner (ACPMPO™).
Agile Certified Product Manager™ Self-Study Course and Exam
This self-paced course can be taken at your own pace on your computer. It teaches how to work more
effectively with development teams using Agile techniques (Scrum, XP, Lean) and prepares you to take
the exam to become an industry-standard Agile Certified Product Manager. Topics covered include the
role of Product Management in Agile environments, story mapping, backlog prioritization and many
other concepts. Includes study guide and practice exams plus the certification exam.
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Certified Product Marketing Manager™ (CPMM) Exam Intensive Prep
Course
This two-day in-person course consists of a day and a half of class time
followed by the certification exam on the afternoon of the second day. It
provides an intensive review of concepts to help students prepare to take
the exam to earn the Association of International Product Marketing and
Management (AIPMM) prestigious Certified Product Marketing Manager
(CPMM) credential. It is appropriate for those who have extensive Product
Marketing experience and/or have taken the 280 Group’s Optimal Product
Management and Product Marketing three-day in-person course. Students
review the key concepts and terminology used in the exam, as well as
develop a strategy for answering the exam questions and a Q&A for anything
else they want to review.
Certified Product Marketing Manager™ Self-Study Course and Exam
The Certified Product Marketing Manager (CPMM) Self-Study Course allows you to prepare for the
prestigious industry standard Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM)
CPMM certification exam. With this purchase you will get everything you need to master the material
and prepare for the exam. The AIPMM online certification exam is included (a $395 value) at no
additional charge.
Templates, Toolkits & the PM Office
The 280 Group’s methodology is available in a series of toolkits, which contain templates and narrated
training presentations that help you deliver more effective documents in significantly less time. There
are eight toolkits in all:
Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™
Product Roadmap Toolkit™
Feature Prioritization Toolkit™
Product Launch Toolkit™
Competitive Analysis Toolkit™
Beta Program Toolkit™
Product Reviews Toolkit™
Developer Program Toolkit™
The toolkits are also bundled together in the PM Office Professional, which includes all eight toolkits at a
discounted price. Toolkits and the PM Office are all single user license – volume licenses are available.
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APPENDIX E: THE NINE KEY OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS DOCUMENTS
BUSINESS CASE TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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MARKET NEEDS/REQUIREMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/REQUIREMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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ROADMAP TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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MARKET STRATEGY TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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BETA PROGRAM TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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LAUNCH PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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MARKETING PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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END OF LIFE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS
(The full template is included in the Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™)
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APPENDIX F: THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS FRAMEWORK
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