Do you realize that the current structure or "shape" - essentially a set of boxes arranged hierarchically in a pyramid - is at least over 100 years old? And designed by accountants well before the era of technology? And for an era that separated the "thinkers" from the "doers"?

Trying to change the shape of large organizations is a lost cause. But if you are starting a new business, why not entirely rethink this shape? So that it takes advantage of new technologies? And the "social" mindset of the post-internet generation?

An alternative structure is one that aligns the product journey with the buyers journey. But it needs evangelists and collaborators...

Session format: Slides, demo and discussion

Session description: Prototypes and mockups are an obviously important part of the development process. There are also different levels of UI design. But, what part does/should the Product Manager play in this process?

The How: In this discussion we will talk about two easy to use tools for building mockups and prototypes, Balsamiq and Napkee.

The When: Along with the tool discussion, we will talk about when Product Management should produce or influence these mockups and prototypes.

Who should attend: Every product manager. I say this because every organization is different in regards to whether or not they have dedicated UI designers. Most of the time designers, if they are present at all, are only partly allocated to R&D (usually spending the rest of their time on marketing materials), leaving a lot of work to be done by the Product Manager.

Have you noticed what's going on with all your social media streams lately? Your friends and family tell you to check out this website or you have to read that blog, you may be doing the same thing, everyone these days is trying to get everybody else's attention, why? Why should anybody care what you have to say? Why do you want to be noticed? Why should anybody listen to you? Why should they check out or even buy anything you're selling?

That's where your story comes into play. People are tired of the spam, they want to really connect with you and the best way for them to connect is through your story. This session will teach you the power your story has to connect with your audience and how social media can help spread your message. Do you want to build a platform, do you want to start a thriving

Session Description: Company executives are under enormous pressure to meet monthly & quarterly sales targets and are always looking for ways to accelerate sales. No matter if your sales cycle is one week or 2 years, they all feel that the sales cycle is too long. The sales cycle has a direct impact on revenue and this becomes even more visible during a down economy.
Many times, those of us in Product Management and Product Marketing roles blame the sales team for poor execution. While part of that is true, there are actions that Product Management and Product Marketing can take to help reduce the sales cycle and accelerate sales revenue. In this session, we’ll review the eight most common reasons for lengthening sales cycles and will propose ways to overcome these barriers in order to accelerate the sales cycle, accelerate sales revenue and make sales executives your Best Friend.
Session Leader: Tom Evans is Principal at Lûcrum Marketing and brings over twenty years of successful hi-tech business experience helping start-ups as well as Fortune 500 companies create and launch winning products. He is recognized for building product management and product marketing organizations from the ground up that develop market-driven technology solutions, create compelling go-to-market strategies and build strategic partnerships that drive revenue growth in the US and global markets.

Open Innovation is now a very fashionable term and many companies are rushing to implement an open innovation process without fully understanding its value nor how it fits within their existing product development process. In this Chapter of the “Beyond Stage Gate” series we will discuss the different definitions of Open Innovation, where does it fit in the development cycle, software tools available and a case study. We will show how Smarty Ears, a developer of iPad apps for Speech Therapy and Communication, has used open innovation to greatly increase the number of ideas to market, as well as accelerate the product development cycle.

Session Description: Most companies begin with what they think is a brilliant idea and they immediately jump to building the product, and most of these products suck. Creating innovative products that result in market breakthrough requires a process of multiple iterations of discovery that drive you deeper into understanding the market problems and how to solve them with a differentiated solution. Breakthrough products are based upon solving a significant Market Problem with a Product and Business Model that create a competitive advantage and a Market Strategy that motivates buyers to purchases your product. In this session, learn this iterative discovery process that leads to breakthrough products and how to apply it to your own products.

Session Leader: Tom Evans is Principal at Lûcrum Marketing and brings over twenty years of successful hi-tech business experience helping start-ups as well as Fortune 500 companies create and launch winning products. He is recognized for building product management and product marketing organizations from the ground up that develop market-driven technology solutions, create compelling go-to-market strategies and build strategic partnerships that drive revenue growth in the US and global markets.

Objectives
• Understand how to answer the question: Why should I hire or promote you over others?
• What are your key differentiators as a product manager or marketing manager?
• What can you do to accelerate your career in product management or product marketing?

Description
This discussion will help you understand key tips to differentiate yourself and accelerate you career. Learn how to convince a prospective employer why they should hire you or why they should promote you over others. We will identify how you can enhance your worth by increasing your transferable skills. We will also discuss ways to identify your unique selling propositions.

Who Should Attend
This discussion is for those of you who want to accelerate your career, obtain a promotion, or find your next job opportunity.
For more info, connect with Hector Del Castillo at http:/linkd.in/hdelcastillo.

Vote!
Vote for this highly engaging topic if you want to join me for a discussion regarding how to stand out from the crowd and accelerate your career in product management and marketing.

• Why do you need to define a product strategy for your company?
• What are the benefits of implementing a product planning process?
• What do you need to create successful products consistently?

Description
The creation of successful products is essential for companies that want to grow or maintain a competitive advantage. Many organizations lack a clearly defined and understood product strategy. We will discuss the benefits of adopting the Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM) Product Management Framework (PMF) to align your business and product strategies with latent customer needs and market trends to create value for your business using a sustainable approach.

Who Should Attend
This presentation is for product managers, marketers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and technology-based business owners that want to expand their knowledge about how to create successful products that customers demand.
For more info, connect with Hector Del Castillo at http:/linkd.in/hdelcastillo.

Vote!
Vote for this highly engaging topic if you want to join me for a discussion regarding how to create a winning product strategy to drive your company’s revenue growth.