{"id":1042,"date":"2020-01-03T14:58:42","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T20:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lindagorchels.com\/blogs\/?p=1042"},"modified":"2020-01-22T14:37:00","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T20:37:00","slug":"product-management-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lindagorchels.com\/blogs\/product-management-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Product Management 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been 25 years since I published the first edition of The Product Manager\u2019s Handbook<\/a> (now in its 4th<\/sup> edition). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot has changed during that time. Product management\nhas become more mainstream (even though role discrepancies still exist).\nTechnical product management has exploded. Unprecedented information is\navailable from books, seminars and online sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a lot has stayed the same. Product managers still face a\nmajor dilemma of matrix management: influencing without authority. There\ncontinues to be confusion about the differences between product<\/em>\nmanagers, project<\/em> managers, and product owners. I keep reading articles\nand blogs suggesting that product managers must become business and customer\nadvocates, beyond being product activists. (That\u2019s been a common refrain\nas long as I can remember!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond that, here are a few trends product managers should\npay attention to during the 2020s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D Printing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Product managers should explore how to incorporate 3D printing\ninto their strategies and tactics. Two primary applications are mass\ncustomization and faster innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mass customization<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Wikipedia<\/a>\ndefines mass customization as \u201cthe use of flexible computer-aided\nmanufacturing systems to produce custom output<\/em>.\u201d It\u2019s not a new concept.\nCombining mass production efficiency with the ability to create on-demand\nproducts has been on the horizon for decades. But it needs to be examined\nthrough a business model lens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts predict that additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D\nprinting) could disrupt\nsupply chains<\/a> in a way similar to email disrupting traditional postal\ndelivery. Industries with low-volume,\nhigh-value components<\/a> lead the way in this transformation. Aerospace\nand medical products have pioneered the trend. Other industries are likely to\nfollow in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faster innovation<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D printing for prototyping and proof-of-concept\nshortens the innovation process. Product managers, engineers, and designers\nwill use it for greater\ndesign freedom<\/a> and rapid evaluation. As the cost of printers continues to\ndecline, and their ability to handle multiple materials continues to increase,\n3D printing will be part of mainstream product strategy execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eco-Smart\ninnovation<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Customers expect greater sustainability efforts from\ncompanies; product managers will therefore have to add eco-innovation to their\nlist of challenges. Eco-innovation<\/a>,\naccording to Wikipedia, is \u201cthe development of products and processes that\ncontribute to sustainable development<\/em>.\u201d  That covers a lot of\nterritory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainable development includes any or all of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n