Total and supplier-level stack-ranking

Doing product development is complicated because there are many places that you have to "stack rank" (build queues for feeding things into processes / systems).  When you're a product manager of a big product or initiative, you have to plan the product and features "all up" (know what you need in what order at the highest level), and also on a per-supplier basis.  This makes things really complicated and complex.

The anatomy of an information process

Event - A thing that happens at a point in time.
Role - A generic category for an actor.
Function - A thing that is engaged upon, done, executed.
Authority - A right had by an actor or role to perform an action.
Measure - A way of knowing how a function is operating.
Tool - A method to support, enable, and/or enhance a function.
Actor - A person.

Integrate and extend what's there: collaboration over competition

A lot of times,  the stuff that's already there in an organization (people, tools, processes, knowledge) is good enough to start.  I'd even go so far as to say it's always enough!!!  There's always a place to start...

As managers and leaders, we need to leverage and depend upon what *is* already there, and then be able to extend and support it through more stuff  (people, tools, processes, knowledge).  Let's stop competing and hating each other and start collaborating and appreciating each other.

Customer Experience: What happens before and after the User Experience (UX)

There's a problem right now in the way that we're thinking about the product and customer service in our organizations.  Many organizations are broken because they're not agile.  The graphic below provides a very simple way to understand what's going on here.

The problem
"Customer Experience" matters way more than User Experience.  We spend *a lot* of time trying to get the UX right; maybe so much time that we forget about the overall Customer Experience (CX).  Customers call and complain (or don't) and have a bad time using the product.

The Solution
Let's invent a new practice: Customer Experience Management, that incorporates the best from things we do before UX (sales and marketing), during UX, and after UX (marketing and feedback).  I believe that the Pre and Post UX functions are missing in our software development practices today!

UX
This is all about what the customer experiences WHILE they are using the product.  Everything they experience WHILE.

Pre-UX
This is everything that the user experiences before they use the product.  Online reviews, recommendations from friends, word of mouth, marketing materials, sales people, training materials, etc.

Post-UX
These are all of the options that the user has for engaging in SUPPORT of the product after they have used it.  Online materials, customer service agents, sales people, support staff, etc.

Call to Action
Let's start to manage by this model.

Hierarchy of a process

There's a lot of swirl and craziness in my current workgroup right now.  I just created the following graphic as a guide to my boss to help him create structure that is much needed.  We used this hiearchy (or a variant of it) at Siemens and it seemed to work.  Hopefully the current client can use this, too!!!

Top 7 lessons learned in my last Sr. Program Management role

Background:

I'm moving onto my next career adventure on an adjacent team to my current one.  We got re-orged and I had to bounce to the next opportunity.  I'm sad leaving but learned a lot here, made a lot of great new relationships, had fun, and delivered!  Overall, it was a really great experience.  Here's the main stuff I learned during this time.

The Lessons:

1. Have your project really well planned and make sure all of the resources are there to deliver it.  This was one of the major benefits of my main AutoRenewal project: that the team was there and ready to do the work.  We just had to get semi-organized and pretty good things happened overall.
2. Plan your business intelligence and measurement/control initiatives very well; realize that these are projects / programs unto themselves.  This was a miss on my project.  This was a workstream that was neither defined nor planned and wound up taking up a lot of time, energy, and resources to get it off the ground.  We had to define the product, then build the supply chain and resources to make it happen.
3. Get organized at the aggregate and with each supplier.  Being organized at the aggregate is hard, and being organized to give clear instructions to each supplier / engineering team is also hard.  Both functions are critical, though, and this creates the overall process and organizational challenge.
4. Supplier-level management is probably the key process that matters.  In the context of this group, since they have so many suppliers and dependencies, they have to get these people organized and rowing in the same direction.  It's hard work and each one requires a lot of care!!!
5. Integration management is super essential to making things happen.  Without an "all up" view of workflow and delivery, nothing good will happen.  It has to.
6. Process does not come from thin air; it takes intention, rigor and experience.  A lot of teams WANT process but don't know how to get it.  They're not organized, they're not focused enough, they're too busy.  Process management is a leadership exercise that really only comes from experience creating new teams and forming consensus and conformity around a goal and an operation.
7. Organize the scenarios at the policy/process level rather than at the implementation level; but you do have them go down to the channel level at some point.  There's a lot of data involved in making big things happen at scale.  Keep it simple by only managing and communicating the policy, rather than the implementation details.  KISS is so critical here, but it requires structure and rigor to do this.

The role of the non-technical software developer

I'll admit it.  I'm technical.  I am probably REALLY technical, but I am no longer a great software engineering.  I *know*--for a fact--that I alone do not have the talents and aptitudes required to make the software product myself: it's too complex!!  But...I *do*...on the other hand...have the talent, aptitude, and abilities--I think--to make and implement software through teams and people.  I know how to create a vision for the customer, for the software product, I know how to *sell* it, I know how to convince people that they need it and need to implement it.  I know how to hire the technical resources, etc.  But I do all of these things in a very non-technical and human-friendly way.  I guess I'm a manager now, officially.  Although my business is software, it is just that: a business.  Software is not a technical function necessarily but many parts of it ie the engineering and delivery are...

I am looking forward to my new role with Bridge Partners Consulting where I will hopefully have a chance to act on this vision of implementing software through processes and then selling software through solutions and engineering.  Go team!!!

3 states of work: scheduled, waiting, assigned to me

There are three "states" of work: scheduled, waiting, and  assigned to me.

'Scheduled' (GREEN) is stuff that has an almost 100% probability of occurring like meetings and scheduled appointments.  You SHOULDN'T have to act unless things don't go as planned.

'Waiting' (YELLOW) is stuff for which you are waiting for a response or answer from someone on something; you have requested something but there is no commitment or response yet.  You MIGHT need to follow up to make sure that action is taken.

'Assigned to me' (RED) are the tasks that you own, that you need to do, where you are/might be blocking; they are your queue or backlog.  You WILL need to act to make things go.

4 key things a project manager must do

According to my way of thinking, there are four key things that a good project manager must do:

1. Clearly define work.  Defining what is owed by when.
2. Assign work.  Defining who owes what.
3. Manage risk in the supply chain.  Knowing what you'll do if you do/don't get what you're waiting for. 
4. Lead.  Using your own time efficiently and effectively to unblock and dis-impede the project (lead).  

Clearly defining work is a key element of being a project manager.  What this means is that you are crystal clear on what needs to be done by when.  The project manager must know the "Definition of Done" and what is good enough from a quality perspective.  In order to do this, the project manager must speak with both the customers and the suppliers of any given work item and very clearly define what's needed.  Before the work is produced, there should be a commitment for each item on the statement of work.

Assigning work is a very important part of being a good manager as well.  Assigning the work is all about getting good commitments and trusting that the resources you have doing the things are quality and committed and for real.

Managing risk in the supply chain is a hard part of the project manager's job.  The project manager has to have mitigation plans for what they will / won't do if they do / don't get what they're expecting.  In this way, a big part of the job is to wait for things to happen but when they do or don't happen be very prepared to act upon the failure.

Leading is of course an overall critical skill that the PM must have.  This takes many forms but in this context I'm using it primarily to mean that you are a good professional and know how to use your time and others effectively.  You are efficient and effective at getting the things done that you have to do (the steps mentioned above) and making sure that the whole thing is tracking.

There's a lot to being a project manager, but maybe thinking about it in these four simple "competency areas" will help you figure out where you should focus your efforts at the moment!!

Wishing for a real consulting firm

Hey, what's going on in there?!

Change is afoot.  I started a six-month contract at Microsoft in August as a Sr. Program Manager in Xbox LIVE business PMO.  It has been a ton of fun.  But now that the holiday season is upon us and our group is re-organizing, I'm starting to feel a bit uneasy.

Influence and delivery happens at very deep layers.  I'd like to distinguish between two things: project success and product / company / group / team success.  I *wish* that I could be responsible for team success and I feel that in a way that I am: if I don't have it then I won't have more work.  As far as project success goes, I feel like I am have definitely created that; but there has to be next steps!  I'm trying *my hardest* to help that team succeed but in many ways it is out of my control because there are so many players and stakeholders and such a big internal culture that is hard to tackly / comprehend on my own; it's complex!  If, on the other hand, I had more people on *my* team (from an outside perspective looking in as sales people, consultants, and business development people), I feel like I could have a much better impact and ability to influence sales and long-term strategies.  Someone (and for now it is me!) has to be making these relationships, looking in, and kicking tires.

Getting cut out as the consultant/outsider.  What's happening now that I have delivered the v1 product, is that the group internally is "getting organized" and many plans are happening, some without me.  I'd love to be involved in these discussions but I am frequently cut out and the conversations, which can be kept to the internal folks while they figure out what to do and how to spend their resources.  In the meanwhile, I hang in limbo and try to figure out to the best of my ability what I can do to have an impact, make a difference, make a change, and support this team / group for the long term ie make more money from this opportunity.

Contemplating strategies.  What I need / want is for sustainable income and I see this group as a place to get that but I have to figure out how to better sell and influence; I feel like I need more resources (and probably do).  So I think about it and I wonder: I try to surround myself with other sales people and Sr. Project Manager consultant people who can help me figure out what does *my* strategy need to be to infiltrate this complicated group / company and sell business / win influence.

Wishing I had a team with whom I could strategize / deliver.

On the outside looking in, wondering.  I think that I've been very influential thus far in this project/program and now--based on a lot of my input and contribution--the company is trying to figure out how to use its resources and me, if I'm necessary or not.  It's really interesting to be on the outside looking in but it makes me nervous and makes me want a larger personal team that can help me sell and influence.  I think if I worked for a *real* consulting firm this would come for free...

The stuff of technology consulting

As a technical PM, you need to produce several things: the business rules (policies), the communication and sales pitch to the dev team, and the delivery schedule.  Bridging the gap between the business and technology folks is a constant battle.  They don't speak the same languages and they need to.  As the Tech PM or Business Analyst, you have to bridge this gap.  Your tools are Test-Driven Development, Risk Based Testing, Business Process Engineering, Process Modeling, Data Development, and Model Driven Architecture.

Bridge the gap and get paid doing it!

Entrepreneurs, don't forget to have a job

The two things.  There's two things required to be an entrepreneur.  One is to acquire an ability to survive and keep food and jobs on the table (to be practical and focused on the long-term and short-term and your basic needs).  This is probably the fundamental "skill" that is hard for the typical entrepreneur (that they have to cover their bases and can't just go 100% crazy on their ideas).  Beyond skill one is the fun part of skill two, where the sky is the absolute limit for an entrepreneur.  This is the second skill: focus.

The basics.  Survival, as we obviously know, is absolutely key for us all.  Not everyone gets out of here alive!  We can't spend all of our time focusing on our passions, dreams, and ideas if we aren't caring for ourselves, putting food on the table, and doing the basic things that matter to survive, like having a job and some sustainable income source.  Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs tells us that we can't self-actualize if our basic needs (food, cash) aren't met.  This means that the entrepreneur must first be self-aware and focus on meeting these basic needs: get a job, pay the bills, be responsible, etc.  Don't be a bum and don't overly focus on just your passions if you haven't done these basic things.  Learn how to keep jobs, report up to bosses and be a true professional.  Without this you'll never get anywhere and rolling the dice in entrepreneurship is a huge and crazy risk!

The passion.  The second part is the fun and interesting part of entrepreneurship: doing it.  The second part is everything else that has to to with being an entrepreneur: coming up with ideas, sharing with people, building teams, building things, companies, products, plans, etc.  This is seriously the fun and exciting part.  It's all about passion.

So remember entrepreneurs, as my dad always told me, "Don't quit your day job".  Do the basics of having sustainable income and cash and figure out how to integrate total creativity and passion into your life.

The project manager is the surgeon of an organization

The PM's in the middle.  The person at the middle of all things (related to their specific initiative(s)) in an organization is the project manager.  Whether it's engineering work, communications, planning, or whatever, the PM is in the middle of it all (related to their objectives).  There are other stakeholders in the project team or organization that have more sway or power than the PM but the good PM always drives, and hopefully does so gracefully and in a relationship- and team-building way given this context of initiative and performance.  The PM knows how to operate on the body that is the organization supporting their initiative.  In this way they are both graceful, powerful, and dangerous; like a surgeon is.

Surgery and PM operations defined.  Google defines surgery as, "The branch of medicine concerned with treatment of injuries or disorders of the body by incision or manipulation, esp. with instruments."  To me, this is metaphorically similar to the actions of a PM (in my words), "The branch of business concerned with the identification and resolution of problems of an organization by direct involvement, action, esp. with tools and frameworks."

Similarities abound.  We can see the many similarities between the surgeon and the PM in that the PM is an operator and a skilled technician, operating on something (the organization and team and instruments to produce a desired outcome).

A balanced and skilled operator.  The PM is not held up on roles or titles, they have a specific mission to deliver a specific result, product, or service, and they are going to do it, by hook or by crook (but gracefully through the team).  The PM's goal is to figure out what work needs to be done from the various stakeholders.  The PM must know when to push and when to pull, when to cut and when to sew.  They lead very stealthily but when they push they push really hard and it's obvious; they can make a very deep impact.  Many people may resist the role of the PM but it is an important one:  The organization would not change as rapidly as is required for it to deliver the desired outcome if it weren't for the PM operator.

Not a tracker.  I'm not referring here to a PM who is a "task tracker" or anything of that nature.  I'm referring to a driving, smart, analytical, senior PM who is all about getting the best results possible on time given his resources and communicating effectively at all levels in between.

Concluding thoughts.  As you can see, there are many similarities to a PM operating on an organization to create a result and a real surgeon operating on a body.  They're deep in the weeds of the operation but can come up to a bird's eye view to understand the context and next courses of action.

Delivering a project as organizational development

Managing projects in enterprises isn't easy.  Someone has to have focus and sometimes focus is very hard to find.  Defining goals and objectives can be easy but getting buy-in from the people that are required to implement the plan is again not always easy or possible.  The project manager is left, then, in a position where he/she must continue to 'plod along' and lead that thing until that thing is real; or give that thing up, or give that thing, successively, to others.

Making forward motion.  In this article I argue that the basic job of the project manager is to delegate and create forward motion.  The project manager needs to promote their project and tweak it as necessary to finish according to the people involved, gracefully.  One goal of a project, therefore, is to do it in such a way that you have a good core team at the end of it, meaning you have freed up resources for your general use and that they support you and you support them (symbiosis).

Deliver to the performance context.  In total, it is my opinion that the project manager must create the project that the stakeholders will accept and will allow him and the team to see another day or another project (move to program-level status).  This means creating a performance context and set of expectations that are beneficial to the performance of the team and business (there is a shared vision).


An example.  I recently did a project for Microsoft Xbox where we enabled a key account management function (AutoRenewal management) on xbox.com for the 15 million users worldwide.  There were a LOT of stakeholders involved with the project and many pieces of leadership (technical, communication, and business measurement) were required to deliver.  We have all now bonded together and have a core team that is 'high functioning', I believe.  What this means to me is that we:

1. Did it.  (Delivered what we said we would)
2. Are in control in operation.  (Have a way of measuring and tracking what we did (Business Intelligence dashboard)), and 
3. Are still together and respect each other.  (Have a high functioning, high communicating team that can communicate effectively and grow as required.)

A simple process for creating high-performing teams.  Creating high functioning teams like this may follow a simple pattern.  That pattern is:

1. Choose.  Pick a project, any old project
2. Deliver.  Do a project together with the people who will participate
3. Finish.  Finish that project and deliver to some larger audience
4. Improve and Adjust.  Figure out what worked and what didn't in the team and project and how to react.

Concluding thoughts.  Managing projects is fun when they're good.  It's hard and it's fun and it's an adventure.  Choose your's wisely and keep improving.  Get to that place where you have a growing team--both inside the organization and out--that continues to deliver great results into a variety of contexts!

Basic schema for tracking a project

I’m managing a project/program right now and am using the following basic structure for communications to the team:

• Deliverable Name.  What’s the body of work/thing.
• Sub-Team members.  Who all is working on it.  Be semi-descriptive, “Jim and Mary with Joe”
• Status color.  Red, yellow, green, N/A.
• Status notes.  Be clear about the current status of the thing.
• Active assignments.  The things that people need to do with respect to this item in the near-term.  This should include risk mitigations, escalations and everything.  Everything needs to be work / an action.

In the meeting, we review last week’s list, and update it for this week.  It’s a simple process that seems pretty effective.  As new Deliverables appear, I add them.

You can still be an entrepreneur while working with someone else’s idea

Starting your own business is really hard.  I should know, I’ve started a few and failed (and still feel like I’m failing on the other ones I’ve started and am working on!):

• 1994: Tortizza
  • Why started: Dad suggested it was a good idea.  I was 17.
  • Mission: Make pizzas from tortillas, patent the name.
  • Successes: Made some tasty treats, met lawyers
  • Failed because: not interested, didn’t know how to patent.
  • What I learned: That patenting something isn’t a process I want to do.  Expensive, bureaucratic.  I hate bureaucracies (but want to create them!)
• 1996: The Computer Dude
  • Why started: I wanted to make money during the summer and had computer and marketing skills to offer.
  • Mission: Help people use computers.
  • Successes: Made money, met many interesting people and learned about their computing needs/interests, and environments
  • Failed because: Lost interest.  People are crazy.
  • What I learned: Good customer service and marketing skills.
• 1999: TheWesternChannel/CollegeUnderground/Bottlefed
  • Why started: Wanted to have an internet business with friends.  The thing we knew most about was our college and we had a strategy of getting a ton of content and expanding.
  • Mission: Make web sites for things we’re passionate about.
  • Successes: Very popular WWU website in 1999-2001, featured in campus and city newspapers.
  • Failed because: Had no real business model.  Geeked out on technology to much.  Wasn’t mature enough.  Got bored of college topics after college.  Needed real income after graduating from school.
  • What I learned: How to make very cool web products and communities.  Databases, systems.
• 2002: eServices
  • Why started:  Wanted to be able to do work for companies around the area via 1099.
  • Mission: Provide professional services to area firms for high wages (work 1099).
  • Successes: Worked for a former employer for the highest wage to date.
  • Failed because: Didn’t do any marketing.  Got wrapped up in a day-job and went back to school.
  • What I learned: Not much, never really pursued this much.

The following businesses I’ve started and am still (semi-actively) working on:

• 2006: Visualize Everything/PhatLibs
  • Why started: I love words and word games and technology and this to me is like the perfect blend.
  • Mission: Create an online word game that results in the worlds largest and most relevant database of phrases.
  • Successes: Created product.
  • What I’m learning: Launching requires money and time and energy.
• 2007: EfficiTrends LLC
  • Why started: Saw many opportunities in the “green” space.  Really liked the idea of doing green things and being in business but socially responsible/saving the planet.
  • Mission: Provide professional services, sell the value of ‘green’ and social responsibility.
  • Successes: Built brand, created web site, did a little marketing.  Have a framework about which I can speak.
  • What I’m learning: Don’t be idealistic, be realistic.  Sell your basic values, not ideals.
• 2011: AppsJack
  • Why started: Many opportunities in the mobile application development space.  Wanted to create a brand and market position in the space.  Know someone with a great product / process for building apps.
  • Mission: To create custom (mobile) apps for people.  Modern software development.  (And other services via EfficiTrends if necessary).
  • Successes: Created brand, met sales and technology partners, went on sales calls, built paperwork, systems, and legal framework.
  • What I’m learning: Pick the right partners.  Make sure you focus on the overall process and delivery.  Don’t be idealistic (again!).

I guess I have traction from these angles: I’ve done cool things for companies, I’ve been an employee, I’ve driven my salary up to a pretty good level, I’ve gotten grad degrees and a PMP certificate, I’ve joined companies, I’ve volunteered, I’ve built my resume and background, network.

It’d be ideal to me to have my own idea that I’m pursuing but sometimes that’s not in the cards.  Finding partners works both ways.

In order to get some traction given my current situation (employed), I’m going to try to support OTHERS in THEIR businesses.  I already do this as my day job as an employee and consultant, so why not do it also as an entrepreneur?  I don’t have to be the inventor!!! 

By doing so, the benefits are that I get to go further up the food chain (closer to owners), get good experience, have large scope, influence, and responsibility!

Create platforms to get long-term technology adoption

Products are nice but as business owners we can’t hyper-focus on single products.  Products have a shelf life.  People get bored and leave.  We should prepare ourselves for this reality.

Designing our products for migration onto a future product is important.  We need to make roadmaps! 

Making things sticky in one context and fluid in another is key. The product designer must be aware how they are going to:

1. Get the users ON the product and
2. Get the users OFF of the product and onto the next one

By having this two-sided focus, we can start building successful platforms.

Zucchini pie

To try tomorrow:

Zucchini Pie

2 cups zucchini, unpeeled and sliced thinly into half-moon slices
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup biscuit mix
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Couple tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
Salt & freshly gound pepper to taste

Prehat oven to 350°
Mix everything together in the above order. Pour mixture into a 9-inch buttered pie pan (I use a Pyrex pan) and bake 30 - 40 minutes until slightly brown. Serve warm.

The method and the methodology

A method is nice.  You want it.  It’s an answer to a problem or opportunity.  But it’s not enough.

People seeking to establish *the* method; being the expert/boss/authority in an area must also continuously improve their method at scale and for that reason must think of and create the methodology; the business behind the method.

Merriam Webster defines methodology as “a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline”.  And they define a discipline as “a field of study”.

Gaining focus in your field of study is critical, and difficult.  Finding your niche, essential.  But once you’ve done this and you’re really great at something, you have to figure out how to sell and market that thing.  This is the methodology part.

Going from one method of excellence to a set of excellent methods (methodology) requires other personalities and skills.  The entrepreneur or artist must bring to bear others into the context of the business.  Customer inputs are also required.

Going from method to methodology is a lifelong process.

Massage the data and the audience

Part of many people’s jobs is to work with data.  For some they have to work with a lot of data frequently.  I am one of those people:  I frequently have to get, clean, and shape data to convince people of things.  It’s a big task but it can be really fun and rewarding!

While normalizing data is important, so is preparing the audience for the change and/or presentation that you are about to make.  Make sure that you think an equal amount about the presentation, points, and people as you do about the beaut of the data!