Software Product Management, how different it is from the traditional?

I have been fortunate to work on Product Management for the most of my career till date. I have worked on all the aspects of PM, be it innovation or market research or productisation of an idea or market launch. I often got the opportunity to meet Product Managers from different industries. On one such occasion I met a Product Manager from Auto industry, one of the most matured industry. We shared our notes, discussed about our respective products and the challenges we often encountered. During the conversation he casually argued with me  me saying "After all how different Software Product Management can be? " I didn't have much answer to it at that time. But now looking back there are quite a few differences compared to the traditional PM. At least couple of them are worth mentioning.

First of all the entire business model is so different as compared to the traditional. Why? Because in Software PM the Beta launch is your commercial launch. Time starts ticking from here. How ever you look at only acquiring new customers/subscribers who may or may not (which is usually the case) be paying. You will figure out later in the stage probably during growth stage on how to make the  money out of your customers/subscribers. Many a times its not your customers/subscribers who shall pay the money but its your advertiser. This is a huge shift from the traditional Product management.

There is nothing called production line and cost in Software Product Management. You build it once and you sell the same to all. Only different is the License keys which are unique to each customers. These days there are no medias/boxes which shall be shipped as well. So what is the result; you end up in huge margins. One of the most successful product (Which is MS windows) has more than 70% as a margin. Another advantage is your cost of prototyping is very minimal as compared to the other industry.

At the flip side, Yes! there are quite a few challenges and threats.  You will have the competition from "Copy Cats" and "Me Too" all around you, almost at the very next day of your launch. There is no essence of "touch and feel" in the Software Products. Lack of maturity in building the Product as compared to Auto and Construction.

There are of course, significant improvements in the Software Product Development Life Cycle in the past few years. With Rapid development tools, UML and Agile methodology the life shall be much simpler and smoother. 

Feeling sleepy

Its 2 pm in the afternoon and I am feeling sloppy. Don't know why.Usually I don't feel this way. May be its because of the rush in the last week. I am sitting at client place in Pune and needs to prepare for the status meetings. Yes, to tell them what we did in the last week. These review meetings some time are so funny, you should attend some of them. I remember some funny incidents happened in the past with some of my clients. This was one of the biggest mobile company in India. The VP used to sit on Every Friday for Review after lunch. You could very well tell that he is feeling sleepy by looking at his face. This used to resemble the "Sabji Mandy" in my home town. Except for the Noise every thing else used to be same.

Ok, Now I should get back to work. see you guys!!

Back to Stoneage

A political party in India wants us to take back to stone age. Very recently the party's top leader made a statement of getting rid of computers if they win election -09. If these leaders have educated children, should ask if they will vouch for it. I bet they won't. Any lay man with some common sense will say computers are the way to go. In an era where people are talking about progress using computers, these leaders want to ride back in time. In the current scenario political parties are ready to do any thing to get voted. No wonder they are at the receiving end of Boots instead of Votes.

Padya - 2

ಜೀವ ಜಡರೂಪ ಪ್ರಪಂಚವನದಾವುದೋ |
ಆವರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡುಮೊಳನೆರೆದುಮಿಹುದಂತೆ ||
ಭಾವಕೊಳಪಡದಂತೆ ಅಳತೆಗಳವಡದಂತೆ |
ಆ ವಿಶೇಷಕೆ ಮಣಿಯೊ - ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ | ೨ |

This world of living and non living forms, is surrounded by an unknown energy, which is complete by itself, which is beyond imagination, which can't be measured, let us bow down to this superior

An Introduction to Mankutimmana Kagga

Mankutimmana Kagga is one of the finest literary works in Kannada. It is written by Dr D V Gundappa famously known as DVG in the early 40's. It is a collection of 945 poems written in 'Halegannada' meaning 'Old Kannada'.

I will write the poem and its meaning in English starting from this article.

ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಷ್ಣು ವಿಶ್ವಾದಿಮೂಲ ಮಾಯಾಲೋಲ,
ದೇವ ಸರ್ವೇಶ ಪರಬೊಮ್ಮನೆಂದು ಜನಂ ||
ಆವುದನು ಕಾಣದೊಡಮಳ್ತಿಯಿಂ ನಂಬಿಹುದೊ |
ಆ ವಿಚಿತ್ರಕೆ ನಮಿಸೊ - ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ |೧|

The lord Vishu who is the creator and the sole reason of this world, who creates the duality, he who is the Parabrahma, the lord of lords. Even though people can't see him, they still have faith in him and believe him. Let us bow down to this miracle.