1. Get Best practices Lessons learned Case studies Tactics – the manual for how to be a product manager Product rollout, communications, marketing Building great teams How PM is done at different companies Networking Understanding branding Career paths Continuing education – formal (MBA) and informal (trade shows, knowing industry better)

2. Give Usability knowledge Web analytics Cross-functional success – keep the plates spinning, how to do that across groups marketing

3. Get Best practices Innovation, new product development What are the resources for PMs? Courses, etc How to work with PMs (if you’re not a PM) – sales, technology, design “Business stuff” – finance, market sizing, cost estimates, pricing, working with sales

4. Give Brand management / branding Technical User-centered design How to develop your product’s vision / strategy

5. Get For non-PMs: How to be more effective working with product managers Networking Learn / explore best practices How to get in to an area as a new product manager – getting the lay of the land – working with teams How close is PM to brand management? How do you test if a product concept will work? Resources for product management, learning, continuing education

6. Give For non-PMs: What is it like to work with a PM? What are the challenges / issues working with PMs? How can you work with PMs more effectively? Software development lifecycle – IT experience ; product management lifecycle

7. Topics for meetings How to educate your sales force about your product? How to train sales? How do you make sure they are knowledgeable? How to work effectively with sales? How do other companies handle ______? Where does the handoff occur from Product management to _____? How involved are PMs (should PMs be) ongoing with a product?

8. How do you measure the success of PMs? Goals for PMs… How do you approach the conversation? Org chart – where does PM fit? How do you organize a group of PMs? Product management team structure What is the scope of product management? What should / shouldn’t PMs do? Roles / responsibilities? What background do you need to be a PM? What are the benefits of each background? (The MBA question.) What backgrounds do good PMs come from Three perspectives on the same topic (panel-led discussion) – product perspective, agency, client

9. Logistics Monthly Second Tuesday / Wednesday? Networking @ 5, meeting @ 5:30, end @ 7 (7:15… 7:30… ?)