Motivation and Overview of Software Product Management. Presented at joint ISPMA and ASQF event on October 10, 2104 in Munich, Germany.

1. Software Product Management (SPM):
Strategic Success Factor
1 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
accelerator
|Dr. Samuel A. Fricker
October 2014

2. 2 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
Dr. Samuel A. Fricker
• Blekinge Institute of Technology:
Assistant Professor
• Doctoral Students
• Farnaz Fotrousi: KPI for Software Products
• Indira Nurdiani: Flexibility of IT Organizations
• 10y+ in Industry:
• SPM training
• Coaching of product managers
• 8y+ in Research:
• www.fi-star.eu: Future Internet for European Healthcare
• Elected ISPMA Chairperson
InnoTivum

3. 3 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
Who are You?
• Name
• Company
• Position

4. 4 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
Challenges by
Our Society
• Example Healthcare
We will not be able to afford
healthcare anymore
…without software
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/mhealth-what-it-infographic

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Software
Business
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/mhealth-what-it-infographic

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XIFI:
Computing
Infrastructure
www.fi-xifi.eu
6

7. 7 | © Dr. Samuel 7Fricker | accelerator GmbH
www.fi-star.eu

8. 8 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
www.fi-star.eu

9. 9 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
Some of the
Values
Software
Products can
Provide

10. 10 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
Operating
Theatre
Monitor
www.fi-star.eu

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Product Management
• First occurrence: Procter & Gamble 1931 for
consumer goods (soap)
• Explicit management of products as sustainable
assets of a company, i.e.
• Management and coordination of all relevant areas
within and outside of the company
• Objective: sustainable optimization of product
success

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1. Introduction and Foundations:
Characteristics of Software Products
Software Products
• High Complexity:
• Some of the most complex systems mankind has produced.
• Great Flexibility:
• Software products can be changed or updated relatively
easily with patches and updates.
• High Rate of Change:
• Release frequency is high, since the product can be altered
easily.
• Simple Copying:
• Irrelevance of production and logistics.
• Marginal Cost Close to 0:
• Manufacturing and distributing extra copies do not mean
extra cost for the company.
• Any additional license goes directly to the bottom line.
• Stickiness:
• Once a software product is installed and widely used in a
company, it is difficult and costly to replace.
• Law of Increasing Returns:
• Market leadership as a key success factor.

13. SPM Objective + Role: The Mini-CEO
• Objective: sustainable success of the software product across its life
cycle
• Measurements (long term and delayed):
13 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
• Market penetration
• Profit
• Customer satisfaction
• Central leadership role for all aspects that concern the product
• Typically without (full) hierarchical management responsibilities
• Convincing (persuading) moderator
Kittlaus, Clough (2009): Software Product Management and Pricing. Springer.

14. Board
14 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
Market
Sales
Development
Partners Customers
R&D
SPM Role

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Growing
Importance
of SPM
0. Einleitung
Wachsende Bedeutung von Produktmanagement
R. Fuchs, ZHAW (2014): „Swiss Product Management 2013/2014“

16. Growing Amount of SPM Research
16 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
2
60
40
20
Number of SPM and Referring Publications
Scopus, February 26, 2012.
8 10
17 20
48 50
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Number of Publications in
Given Calendar Year
Growth of SPM as a
scientific field

17. 17 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
ISPMA.org
• Europe’s #1 knowledge network in software product management.

18. 18 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
ISPMA.org
• Vision
Foster software product management excellence across industries by establishing
software product management as a discipline of its own in both academia and
industry
• Mission
Establish, disseminate and maintain a certifiable body of knowledge on SPM (SPM
BoK) that is recognized as the premier source on SPM by all stakeholders
18 Oktober 2014

19. Software Product Management (SPM)
19 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
• Product Strategy
how do we get attractive?
• Product Planning
how do we earn more than you spend?
• Orchestration
how do we make the product fly?
… in the context of business with software.

20. Reference Models for
Software Product Management
• Fragmented views of scope and contents of SPM
H. Kittlaus (2009): Software Product Management and Pricing. Springer.
C. Ebert (2009): ”Software Product Management”, CrossTalk (January 2009).
W. Bekkers et al (2010): “A Framework for Process Improvement in Software Product Management”, System, Software and Service Process Improvement. Springer.
20 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH

21. Strategic Tactical
Market Entry
Development
Evolution
Development Marketing
Sales and
Distribution
21 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
ISPMA Dialogue
• Consensus of established SPM reference models
Strategy Concept
Market
Analysis
Product
Analysis
Product
Strategy
Product
Planning
S. Fricker (2012). "Software Product Management", in A. Maedche, A. Botzenhardt, L. Neer (eds.): Software for People. Springer.
Support and
Services
Corporate
Level
Product
Level
Technology Business
Portfolio
Product
Release
Require-ment
28 to 68 software productmanagement
capabilities, processes, activities, or competences

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ISPMA
Reference
Model
www.ispma.org

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ISPMA.org
• ISPMA products
• SPM body of knowledge: unification of SPM knowledge
• SPM syllabi: structure and guidance for SPM education
• ISPMA services
• Presentation of experts: training opportunities
• People certification: definition of SPM exams and certification process
• Central repository: access to SPM-related publications
• Sponsoring of SPM-related events and prices
• Leave your card here to get access

24. Excellence Level
Orchestration
24 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
ISPMA Curriculum
Expert Level
Excellence Level
Product Planning
Excellence Level
Product Strategy
Foundation Level
Excellence Level
Strategic Mgmt.
Product Managers / Interested Professionals / Students

25. Excellence Level
Orchestration
Pilots ongoing
Roll-out in 2015
25 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
ISPMA Curriculum
Expert Level
Excellence Level
Product Planning
Excellence Level
Product Strategy
Foundation Level
Excellence Level
Strategic Mgmt.
Product Managers / Interested Professionals / Students
FL Syllabus V1.2
Dozends of successful trainings
Fellow members
Company members
Free membership for individuals

26. 26 | © Dr. Samuel Fricker | accelerator GmbH
How to Interact
• Become an ISPMA Member
• Participate at Conferences
• Enagage with SPM Professionals
• Develop your organization
and position yourself
• Contact: bit.ly/samuelafricker