The Internet-of-Things (IoT) as a market is at once both a simple and complex concept. In some respects this market has been around for a long time. But like many hyped market trends it has been renamed as time went on, with IoT being the most recent moniker and the one that has stuck. I […]
You Should Hire Your First Product Manager When……
In a technology startup company, many functions are deemed “critical”. Unless the company is heavily funded, probably by institutional capital, even some of the most critical functions are often not individually staffed in the beginning. Much of the time, a founder or early employee splits time between several functions, doing the best he or she […]
Platforms, Applications and the Software Market Lifecycle
a In the early days of a software market segment, people building new software applications often try to be all things to all people. The idea of a “software platform” is usually not a consideration. The segment is typically growing fast, and the idea is to meet as many market needs as possible. But as […]
Corporate Constraints in Tech Product Strategy Development
It’s obviously important to have as good a product strategy as possible in any company, but especially in the dynamic, fast-moving markets that software and hardware companies often compete in. Corporate strategy development is critical for tech product companies. But I also subscribe to the old notion that it’s better to have an average strategy […]
What the Heck is Customer Development?
The term “customer development” has been floating around for a number of years now, although it seems to have gotten more play in the last couple. Regardless, it’s one of the most common buzzwords added to the technology business vernacular in recent times. I lump it in the buzzword box with “agile”, “lean-(anything)”, “growth hacking”, […]