We launched this blog from the insight gained from conversations with friends and colleagues in the community. The 2.0 experience is about contribution, participation and collaboration. The 2.0 release of a product is recognition of the success of the initial release. We could not have foreseen these new requirements in the initial release, but now we can leverage what we learned from the first release. Now we can deliver a better experience and give our customers better value.

Much of product management centers around talking to your customers and asking about their problems to hopefully provide solutions. All of these tasks are extremely valid and important, but have you ever stopped and took the time to listen internally and spend time with other departments, including sales?

There is no denying that Apple equals innovation. For better or worse regarding product management, Apple is hugely successful in tapping into existing markets, creating new ones and introducing products we didn't even know we wanted, let alone needed. Try and tell me you don’t know someone with an Apple product. While Apple's products are sleek with an intuitive user experience and a simple interface,

As product managers, we interface with a handful or even hundreds of programs, apps and tools to manage our work every day, so we’d like to recommend our Top 5 tools every product manager should have in their arsenal. I’m hopeful this topic will generate interest and discussion and turn into an ongoing series of posts and friendly debates.

Leading a team? Consider the plight of the MLB general manager—improve your roster by the trade deadline or potentially lose your project. It’s the middle of summer and I’ve been watching major league baseball teams negotiate their rosters. Many are trading-up and making themselves more competitive in specific areas. Others are cutting their losses. One team is staffing to win now; the other team is building for next year.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it: Have a (good) idea, pitch it, obtain approval, form a team, build a minimum viable product, present it and sell it. All resources are provided and paid for. No talk; all action. The catch? You have 54 hours. The sense of urgency in this unique experience forces product managers to think about their and their team’s skills.