The Product Manager's Desk Reference

by Haines, Steven

• ISBN13: 9780071591348
• ISBN10: 0071591346
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-08-26
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Summary

Whether a business sells tangible goods or services, product management holds a critical position in the organization's pursuit of profits. Because traditional departmental roles continually evolve, and because the business climate is so competitive, the job of product manager has become exceedingly criticalyet it remainsvery complex.The Product Manager's Desk Referenceis the first book to lay down a comprehensive body of knowledge for thiscritical function, and it is the only book that can effectively guide product managers so that they can establish and build a successfulcareer in product management.Here, product management expert and practitioner Steven Haines clearly illustrates the entire product life cycle, from beginning to end. This outstanding work is packed with an array of best practices and helpful hints which are critical to the efficient management of products.The Product Manager's Desk Referenceis punctuated with useful diagrams, tables,and templates and will help you: Create a master plan of record for your product Formulate actionable strategies Incorporate market data into important decisions Set the stage for creating innovative products Optimize existing products and product portfolios Apply financial techniques to manage product profitabilityThe Product Manager's Desk Referenceembodieseverything "Product Management." It is a comprehensive, versatile, must-have resource for anyone who works in any company, in any industry, who seeks to successfully and profitably market and manage products and services.

Author Biography

Steven Haines is the founder and President ofSequent Learning Networks. Previously, he was the senior director ofproduct management for CRM applications at Oracle.

Table of Contents

The Accidental Profession
Foundational Elements for Product Management
What Is Product Management?	p. 5
The Product Master Plan	p. 29
Leadership: Creating Influence	p. 45
Cross-Functional Product Teams: Getting Things Done	p. 61
Decision Making: What's Next?	p. 85
Finance for the Product Manager: Keeping Score	p. 105
Making the Market Your Primary Focus
The Playing Field and the Players: Analyzing the Industry and Competition	p. 135
Finding Markets to Conquer by Understanding Customer Needs and Market Segments	p. 167
Preparing to Set Your Mileposts: Forecasting for the Product Manager	p. 191
Strategic Product Planning: The Inflection Point	p. 215
The Start of the Product's Journey and the New Product Development Process
Making a Molehill out of a Mountain: The Concept Phase	p. 265
Is There Really a Business Here? Assessing Feasibility	p. 289
Appearances Are Everything: Defining the Product	p. 319
Justifying Product Investments: The Business Case	p. 353
Synchronizing the Gears: The Marketing Plan for the Product	p. 385
Execution and Oversight during Product Development	p. 413
Introducing the Product and Orchestrating the Launch	p. 445
Continuing the Journey: Post-Launch Product Management
Auditing Results after the Launch	p. 471
Post-Launch Product Management: Running the Business	p. 485
Life Cycle Product Portfolio Management	p. 521
Enough's Enough! Discontinuing the Product	p. 543
Professionalizing Product Management
Charting Your Career	p. 559
Organizing for Product Management	p. 569
The Product Manager's Tool Box	p. 591
Glossary	p. 643
Resources and References	p. 677
Bibliography	p. 685
Index	p. 689
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.