This webinar will explain the Optimal Product Process seven phase product management lifecycle, a standard based on the ProdBOK created by the Association of International Product Management & Marketing. Every product goes through this lifecycle (whether the company realizes and/or acknowledges it), and for every phase there are key questions and decisions that must be taken into account. Phases covered will include: 1. Conceive 2. Plan 3. Develop 4. Qualify 5. Launch 6. Maximize 7. Retire Additionally, the webinar will cover the nine key documents that contain the critical decisions that must be made in order for a product to succeed. If a company leaves out any of these and doesn't consider the critical issues they risk product failure. Documents covered will include: 1. Business Case 2. Market Needs (also called market requirements) 3. Product Description (also called product requirements) 4. Market Strategy 5. Roadmap 6. Beta Plan 7. Launch Plan 8. Marketing Plan 9. End of Life Plan

1. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
AIPMM Webinar Series
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2. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
www.aipmm.com

3. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Get Social With Us…
Hashtags:
#280group
#AIPMM
#prodmgmt
#ProdBok
280 LinkedIn Product Management Group: 32k members
www.linkedin.com/groups/280-Group-Product-Management-Product-2193
Twitter:
@the280group
@AIPMM
@brianlawley
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4. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Free Stuff!
Download Free Resources:
•Optimal Product Process 2.0 Book
•White paper library
•Free templates
•Product Management Manifesto
www.aipmm.com
http://280.gr/opp-download

5. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Stay Tuned for the Entire Webinar
Must be present to win!
www.aipmm.com
One person wins the Product Management Office™ Professional
-$399 value
-Over 200 templates
-Eight toolkits
-Covers everything a PM/PMM does
-Available at www.280group.com

6. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Today’s Speaker
Presenter:
Brian Lawley
CEO & Founder
@brianlawley
contact@280group.com
www.280group.com
+1.408.834-7518
www.aipmm.com

7. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Agenda
•About 280 Group
•Optimal Product Process™ Framework
•Seven phases
•Nine key documents
•Q&A
•Drawing
www.aipmm.com

8. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Brian Lawley: CEO & Founder
Thought Leadership in Product Management Award
www.aipmm.com

9. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
The 280 Group Silicon Valley Innovation
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10. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Mission
We help companies and individuals do great Product Management and Product Marketing using our Optimal Product Process™ framework.
www.aipmm.com

11. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Complete solutions to make you a great Product Manager and advance your career in every phase
www.aipmm.com

12. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
•Assessments & Custom Optimization Plans
•Consulting & Contractors
•Training
•Coaching
•Certifications
•Templates
Comprehensive Solutions for Optimizing PM Teams
www.aipmm.com

13. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Optimal Product Process™
• >200 years experience
• Any development methodology
• Flexible & customizable
• Strategic/Tactical
• All companies
• Any industry
Approval to fund
business planning
Approval to fund
development
Product ready
for field testing
Product and
organization ready
On-going
marketing ready
New version or
retire completely
Launch Plan Marketing Plan End of Life Plan
Beta Plan
Market Strategy Document
Roadmap Document
Product Description Document
Market Needs Document
Business Case Document
PM + Engineering (Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall)
Conceive Plan Qualify
Run Beta/Pilot
program
Write launch
plan
Release product,
gather feedback
Write marketing
plan
Discover
opportunities
Develop Launch Maximize
Validate product/
market fit
Create roadmap
and strategy
Solidify business
plans
Solidify
develop plans
Write beta plan Support sales
Communicate
EOL
Retire
Plan sunset
or replacement
Perform
post mortem
Deliver final
documents
Plan EOL and
next release
Develop preliminary
documents
Perform post
mortem
Test messaging
and positioning
Final
feature list
Run/monitor
marketing
Phases and
Activities
Exit Criteria
Marketing
Product
Product
Management
STRATEGY EXECUTION
The OPP framework is completely customizable and
flexible, making it easily adopted by any company
regardless of size, maturity, or development methodology.
Development – Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall
Documentation – None, Lightweight, Formal
Maturity – Startup, Small/Medium, Enterprise
Optimal Product Process™ (OPP)
Optimal Product Process Methodology © 280 Group, 2011-2014
Source: Conceive to Retire from AIPMM Product Management Body of Knowledge® (ProdBOK®)
Optimizing Product Management™
www.aipmm.com

14. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
• Three day course
• Written by experts - over 200 years experience
• VERY experienced working PM instructors
• Teaches HOW to do great PM
• Covers entire product lifecycle
• Optimal Product Process™
• Includes
– Customized certificate
– Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™ license
– 280 Group Press best-selling PM books
– Printed materials
Optimal Product Management and
Product Marketing™
Approval to fund
business planning
Approval to fund
development
Product ready
for field testing
Product and
organization ready
On-going
marketing ready
New version or
retire completely
Launch Plan Marketing Plan End of Life Plan
Beta Plan
Market Strategy Document
Roadmap Document
Product Description Document
Market Needs Document
Business Case Document
PM + Engineering (Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall)
Conceive Plan Qualify
Run Beta/Pilot
program
Finish launch
plan
Release product,
gather feedback
Finish marketing
plan
Discover
opportunities
Develop Launch Maximize
Validate product/
market fit
Create roadmap
and strategy
Finish business
plans
Solidify
develop plans
Finish beta plan Support sales
Communicate
EOL
Retire
Plan sunset
or replacement
Perform
post mortem
Deliver final
documents
Plan EOL and
next release
Develop preliminary
documents
Perform post
mortem
Test messaging
and positioning
Final
feature list
Run/monitor
marketing
Phases and
Activities
Exit Criteria
Marketing
Product
Product
Management
STRATEGY EXECUTION
The OPP framework is completely customizable and
flexible, making it easily adopted by any company
regardless of size, maturity, or development methodology.
Development – Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall
Documentation – None, Lightweight, Formal
Maturity – Startup, Small/Medium, Enterprise
Optimal Product Process™ (OPP)
Optimal Product Process Methodology © 280 Group, 2011-2014
Source: Conceive to Retire from AIPMM Product Management Body of Knowledge® (ProdBOK®)
Optimizing Product Management™
www.aipmm.com

15. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Day One: Foundation
Overview Process and Product Life Cycle Market Research Competitive Analysis
Day Two: Product Management
Conceive Business Cases Requirements Roadmaps
Day Three: Product Marketing
Strategy
Forecasting
Pricing
Beta Program
Launches
Marketing
End of life
Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing™
www.aipmm.com

16. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
•Nine key documents
•No duplication
•Every critical decision
•Productivity
•Course foundation
•$99 single user license
•Available at www.280group.com
Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit™
www.aipmm.com

17. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Agenda
•About 280 Group
•Optimal Product Process™ Framework
•Seven phases
•Nine key documents
•Q&A
•Drawing
www.aipmm.com

18. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
280 Group Optimal Product Process™
Approval to fund
business planning
Approval to fund
development
Product ready
for field testing
Product and
organization ready
On-going
marketing ready
New version or
retire completely
Launch Plan Marketing Plan End of Life Plan
Beta Plan
Market Strategy Document
Roadmap Document
Product Description Document
Market Needs Document
Business Case Document
PM + Engineering (Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall)
Conceive Plan Qualify
Run Beta/Pilot
program
Finish launch
plan
Release product,
gather feedback
Finish marketing
plan
Discover
opportunities
Develop Launch Maximize
Validate product/
market fit
Create roadmap
and strategy
Finish business
plans
Solidify
develop plans
Finish beta plan Support sales
Communicate
EOL
Retire
Plan sunset
or replacement
Perform
post mortem
Deliver final
documents
Plan EOL and
next release
Develop preliminary
documents
Perform post
mortem
Test messaging
and positioning
Final
feature list
Run/monitor
marketing
Phases and
Activities
Exit Criteria
Marketing
Product
Product
Management
STRATEGY EXECUTION
The OPP framework is completely customizable and
flexible, making it easily adopted by any company
regardless of size, maturity, or development methodology.
Development – Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall
Documentation – None, Lightweight, Formal
Maturity – Startup, Small/Medium, Enterprise
Optimal Product Process™ (OPP)
Optimal Product Process Methodology © 280 Group, 2011-2014
Source: Conceive to Retire from AIPMM Product Management Body of Knowledge® (ProdBOK®)
Optimizing Product Management™
www.aipmm.com

19. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Process
Process Templates
•Separate strategy and execution
–Ensures you have everything important to product’s success
•Encourage best practices
–Ongoing learning and continuous improvement
•Tracks parallel Product and Marketing paths
•Maintain history throughout Product Life Cycle
–Revise one document, and only when necessary
•Avoid duplication
–Best content container
–Different stages, authors, purpose
•Document is not the goal
–How much/little you include is heavily dependent on situation
–Each could be a dozen pages
•Works in Waterfall and Agile organizations
Principles of Optimal Product Process
www.aipmm.com

20. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
•Seven phases
•Corresponding gates
•Agile, Waterfall or Hybrid Development
Product LifeCycle
Optimal Product Process Methodology © 280 Group 2011-2014 Source: Conceive to Retire from AIPMM Product Management Body of Knowledge® (ProdBOK®) Version 1
Conceive
Plan
Develop
Qualify
Launch
Maximize
Retire
One Phase
Gate
www.aipmm.com

21. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Waterfall Development
Agile Development
•Hardware, Services, Software
•More up-front documentation
–Market Needs, Product Features, Beta Plan
•Longer release cycles: 3 mos – X years
•Agreement and signoff on longer- term development
•Software
•Less up-front planning
•Rapid iterations with customer feedback
•Minimal documentation
•Short sprints with manageable feature scope
–Define, Code, Test
•Shorter release cycles
•Combine 2-4 week sprints for major releases
Development Process Models
Needs and
Features
Beta Plan
Conceive
Plan
Develop
Qualify
Launch
Maximize
Retire
Waterfall
Agile
www.aipmm.com

22. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
•Product Manager rarely chooses
•Can succeed with either
•Still need to understand critical success factors
–Especially overall product strategy
•Agreement on a productive and workable process is key
Development Process Models
Don’t leave out the other phases and the critical work necessary for a product to be successful.
www.aipmm.com

23. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Roles in Seven Phases
Get product onto shelves
Get product off shelves
Conceive
Plan
Develop
Qualify
Launch
Maximize
Retire
Product Management
Determining user needs
Product Marketing
Conveying value to buyer
Negotiated Overlap
www.aipmm.com

24. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Agenda
•About 280 Group
•Optimal Product Process™ Framework
•Seven phases
•Nine key documents
•Q&A
•Drawing
www.aipmm.com

25. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase I: Conceive
•Brainstorm
•Generate ideas
•Prioritize
•Choose
www.aipmm.com

26. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase II: Plan
•Strategy
•Market Research
•Competitive Analysis
•Business Case
•Market Needs
•Product Description
•Roadmap
www.aipmm.com

27. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase III: Develop
•Engineering
•Tradeoffs
•Adjustments
–Schedule
–Feature
–Plans
www.aipmm.com

28. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase IV: Qualify
•Internal
•Beta
•Early Customer
•Minor Adjustments
www.aipmm.com

29. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase 5: Launch
•Announcement
•Availability
•Exposure
•Ramp Revenues
www.aipmm.com

30. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase 6: Maximize
•Ongoing Programs
•Measure ROI
•Optimize
www.aipmm.com

31. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Phase 7: Retire
•End of Life
•New Version
•Obsolescence
www.aipmm.com

32. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
280 Group Optimal Product Process™
Approval to fund
business planning
Approval to fund
development
Product ready
for field testing
Product and
organization ready
On-going
marketing ready
New version or
retire completely
Launch Plan Marketing Plan End of Life Plan
Beta Plan
Market Strategy Document
Roadmap Document
Product Description Document
Market Needs Document
Business Case Document
PM + Engineering (Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall)
Conceive Plan Qualify
Run Beta/Pilot
program
Finish launch
plan
Release product,
gather feedback
Finish marketing
plan
Discover
opportunities
Develop Launch Maximize
Validate product/
market fit
Create roadmap
and strategy
Finish business
plans
Solidify
develop plans
Finish beta plan Support sales
Communicate
EOL
Retire
Plan sunset
or replacement
Perform
post mortem
Deliver final
documents
Plan EOL and
next release
Develop preliminary
documents
Perform post
mortem
Test messaging
and positioning
Final
feature list
Run/monitor
marketing
Phases and
Activities
Exit Criteria
Marketing
Product
Product
Management
STRATEGY EXECUTION
The OPP framework is completely customizable and
flexible, making it easily adopted by any company
regardless of size, maturity, or development methodology.
Development – Agile, Hybrid, Waterfall
Documentation – None, Lightweight, Formal
Maturity – Startup, Small/Medium, Enterprise
Optimal Product Process™ (OPP)
Optimal Product Process Methodology © 280 Group, 2011-2014
Source: Conceive to Retire from AIPMM Product Management Body of Knowledge® (ProdBOK®)
Optimizing Product Management™
www.aipmm.com

33. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Agenda
•About 280 Group
•Optimal Product Process™ Framework
•Seven phases
•Nine key documents
•Q&A
•Drawing
www.aipmm.com

34. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Nine Key Documents
Strategy
•Business Case
•Market Needs
•Product Description
•Market Strategy
•Roadmap
Execution
•Launch Plan
•Beta Plan
•Marketing Plan
•End of Life Plan
www.aipmm.com

35. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Type
Content
Signoff
Lightweight
Little or no written documents, all critical issues considered, summary email advised
Informal agreement (email)
Medium
Some or all documents written in short form, level of detail kept as minimal as possible
Sometimes
Formal
Complete documents delivered for all phases with extensive detail
All stakeholders sign off and agree to all documents
Appropriate Level of Documentation
www.aipmm.com

36. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Optimal Product Process Templates
Document
Purpose
Description
Strategy
Business Case
Evaluate opportunity
Captures the reasoning for initiating a project and determines whether the effort should proceed based on profitability and strategic fit.
Market Needs
Describe the customer needs and problems
Description of the business or consumer challenges to be solved, through an analysis of market needs, user personas and usage scenarios.
Product Description
Describe what to build
Description of the whole solution's feature set, expected usage, and the technology and delivery requirements. Includes initial scoping of cost.
Market Strategy
Determine how to take the product to market
Market strategy and long-term objectives, positioning and messages to be conveyed to target markets.
Roadmap
Determine long-term goals and strategy
Set of releases based on scoping, strategy and objectives.
Execution
Beta Plan
Ensure product is ready
Plan for real-world use to ensure it is ready to launch. Gather early customer feedback and testimonials
Launch Plan
Create initial awareness and leads
Plan and tactics for achieving agreed-upon goals for the product
Marketing Plan
Create demand and meet revenue goals
Plan with tactics, budget, timeline and activities that will support creating leads and reaching new customers
End of Life Plan
Minimize customer and profitability disruptions
Plan covering how best to discontinue a product with a smooth transition, avoiding negative consequences
www.aipmm.com

37. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Master Product Plan™
•Alternative to nine
•Update every phase
•Compare versions
•Post mortem
V1
V2
V3
V4
V5
V6
www.aipmm.com

38. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Free Stuff!
Download Free Resources:
•Optimal Product Process 2.0 Book
•White paper library
•Free templates
•Product Management Manifesto
www.aipmm.com
http://280.gr/opp-download

39. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Presenter:
Brian Lawley CEO & Founder @brianlawley contact@280group.com www.280group.com +1.408.834-7518 x1
Q&A
Stay online for the Product Management Office™ Professional drawing.
www.aipmm.com
Free Download: http://280.gr/opp-download

40. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Drawing!!!
www.aipmm.com
One person wins the Product Management Office™ Professional
-$399 value
-Over 200 templates
-Eight toolkits
-Covers everything a PM/PMM does
-Available at www.280group.com

41. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Join AIPMM!
For a limited time, get a one-year AIPMM membership when you purchase a copy of the Guide to the Product Management and Marketing Body of Knowledge (ProdBOK®). Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1iUknEx.
www.aipmm.com

42. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Upcoming Courses
Agile PM Excellence™ & Certification
Jan 29th, Toronto Ontario
Certified Product Manager®
Dec 8-9, 2014 – DC Metro Area
Feb 9-10, 2015 Seattle, WA
Certified Product Marketing Manager®
Dec 10-11, 2014 – DC Metro Area
Feb 11-12, 2015 Seattle, WA
Click on the dates above for more information.
If you have a team of 10 or more that you want to certify, contact certification@aipmm.com.
www.aipmm.com

43. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Please Join Us Again!
AIPMM Webinar Series:
http://aipmm.com/aipmm_webinars
Global Product Management Talk
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/prodmgmttalk
Topic Suggestions: support@aipmm.com
Announcements: http://www.aipmm.com/subscribe
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/aipmm
Membership: http://www.aipmm.com/join.php
Certification: http://aipmm.com/html/certification/
www.aipmm.com

44. ©2006-2014 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
©2006 280 Group LLC. All rights reserved. May not be distributed without prior written permission
Questions?
(408) 834-7518
contact@280group.com
www.280group.com
www.aipmm.com