This document summarizes a presentation about managing product functions in big vs small organizations. It outlines key differences in processes, teams, and challenges between large and small companies. For large organizations, the product manager may interact with many functions and teams, navigate a more formal process, and contend with issues like prioritization across a large portfolio. For small companies, the product process is more flexible but requires skills like effective planning and communication with fewer resources. The document advises determining which environment best fits one's personality, work style, and career goals.

1. www.productschool.com
Big vs. Small Product Functions by
American Express Head of Product

2. FREE INVITE
Join 30,000+ Product Managers on

3. COURSES
Product Management
Learn the skills you need to land a product manager job

4. COURSES
Coding for Managers
Build a website and gain the technical knowledge to lead software engineers

5. COURSES
Data Analytics for Managers
Learn the skills to understand web analytics, SQL and machine learning concepts

6. COURSES
Digital Marketing for Managers
Learn how to acquire more users and convert them into clients

7. Rupa Krishnan
TONIGHT’S SPEAKER

8. What makes me qualified to
speak on this topic
My journey in product

9. Let’s start with the basics
Role of the product manager
Key stakeholders
Key skills

10. Why size matters
Investment in the product
Geography
Customers served
Scale of product
Product life-stage
Size of teams
Number of teams

11. Large Organizations - Functions you can expect to
interact with
● Business unit or division leadership
● Technology
○ Engineering/Scrum teams
○ Architecture
○ Engineering delivery
○ Technology portfolio management
● Design
● PMO
○ Program Management
○ Release Manager
○ Governance
● Goto Market/ Commercialization/
Deployment teams
● Strategy
● Legal, Compliance
● Privacy, Data Protection &
Governance
● Marketing
● Account/ Client Management Teams
● Support Teams
● Data and Analytics

12. Large organizations - Product Process
● Developing a product strategy
○ Why does this product exist
○ Where should/could we take it
○ What does success look like
○ How will we know we are successful
● Planning.. Well begun is half done
○ Budgeting
○ Roadmap
○ Team setup
● Requirements and Prioritization
○ Gathering input
● Product development methodology
○ Scaled Agile
○ Waterfall
● Actual Product development process
○ PI Planning
○ Development sprints
○ Releases
● Bringing a product to market
○ Training
○ Content Development
○ Product Delivery and deployment

13. Areas to contend with
● Bifurcation of product function - Product development vs. Product
Management
● Interaction with Technology
● Prioritization
● Remote teams, matrixed organization
● Delivery organization & Teams
● Distance from end customer
● Legal and compliance

14. Keys to Success
● Become an SME
● Stakeholder engagement & management... walk in a few different shoes
● Hitch your wagon to organizational/ enterprise impact
● Patience - take a few deep breaths
● Handle change and orgs, and reorgs
● Persistence, without getting personal
● Consistency, credibility
● Communication - Articulation, storytelling, and championing
● Know your audience
● Reputation and relationships
● Realize the organization is bigger than you - keep your ego in check

15. Small Organizations - Functions you may interact
with
● Product Organization
● Tech Organization
● Business Development
● Client Management/ Operations
● Support Teams
● Legal & Privacy
● Analytics (if you are lucky)
● Marketing

16. Sample product process
● How product priorities are set
● Planning cadence
● Development cadence
● Launch/ shipping features
● Role of marketing

17. Areas to contend with
● Planning
● Colocation
● Communication
● Tech interaction
● Strategy and Priorities

18. How you can be successful
● Invest in learning
● Bring structure, but be flexible
○ Collecting input
○ Planning
○ Demos
○ Release notes/ ship-its
○ Bug fixes
○ Backlog grooming
● Keep marketing close, customer teams closer
● Don’t forget operations
● Communicate - communicate - communicate
● Be humble, respect tech, revere your customers

19. Which one is right for you
Where are you now and where do you want to be
Your personality
Your working style
Your lifestage

20. www.productschool.com
Part-time Product Management, Coding, Data and Digital
Marketing courses in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, New York,
Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Austin, Boston, Boulder, Chicago,
Denver, Orange County, Seattle, Bellevue, Toronto, London and
Online