Fostering Product Excellence: The Power of Internal Corporate Product Conferences and Communities

Background

• In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the maturity of product management practices can make or break a company's success. As organizations strive to stay competitive, the need for continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation in product management has never been more critical. Many companies are emabarking on their product transformation journey but ...many Product transformation efforts/programs fail to recognize a gap in their Top-Down operating model adoption focused approach.
• The Gap is meeting the crowd where rubbers meets the road, igniting the bottoms up approach and meeting in the middle to fill the lack of a structured platform for knowledge sharing and cross-functional collaboration.
• This realization led me and a group of passionate folks like me to conceptualize (plant the seed) the idea of corporate wide internal product conference and execute it like a lean model car – an initiative that has since transformed our product management culture and practices and grown from the seed to seedling to a well rooted plant now. Hoping this grows into a strong tree and bears fruits for many years to many.

The Vision

• The vision for our internal product conference stemmed from a simple yet powerful idea: create a space where product managers could come together to learn, share experiences, and grow collectively.
• Break down silos between different product teams and departments, fostering an environment of open communication and collaborative problem-solving.
• A platform that would not only showcase best practices and success stories but also provide a safe space for discussing challenges and failures, promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
• Nurture this beyond the annual conference through ongoing product communities – smaller, more frequent gatherings that would keep the momentum going throughout the year.

The Strategy

When planning your internal product conference, consider these four key strategic elements:

1. Define Your Audience (WHO): Target both aspiring and practicing product professionals to maximize impact and inclusivity. For aspiring professionals, focus on providing insights into product management roles and guidance on entering the field. For practicing professionals, emphasize best practices and opportunities to refine their craft. Use inclusive terminology like "product professionals" instead of specific titles (e.g., PM, PO) to encompass adjacent careers and broaden your reach.
2. Develop a Cost-Effective Model: Consider a decentralized approach instead of a single, centralized event to maximize reach while minimizing costs. Eliminate travel and lodging expenses by hosting sessions at multiple corporate locations simultaneously. Identify and empower volunteers at each corporate center to run local conference sessions. This model allows for greater participation, as attendance isn't limited by venue capacity or travel budgets.
3. Create Diverse Content: Curate a variety of session types to cater to different learning styles and maintain engagement: Workshops for hands-on learning Panel discussions for diverse perspectives Competitions to encourage active participation Talks for knowledge sharing Lean coffee sessions for open discussions Ensure that the content mix provides value to both aspiring and practicing professionals. Bring a mix of leaders, first timers, experienced folks to make the content interesting
4. Align Tracks with Strategic Goals: Choose conference tracks that align with your company's strategic focus areas for product development. Consider tracks such as: AI and machine learning Product management best practices Innovation methodologies Artifact creation and management This alignment ensures that the conference directly contributes to your organization's goals for growth and innovation in product management.

By implementing these strategic elements, you can create a conference that is cost-effective, widely accessible, and directly aligned with your organization's product management objectives and growth areas.

Playbook for Success

1. Discovery:- Survey your user/audience, gaps in practice, locations of interest, leader's motivation, interest and direction
2. Pitch and Buy-in :- One Pagers, PRFAQ, Decks, Budget to get stakeholder buy-in
3. Planning:- Finalize locations, Tracks, Date Venue for all locations, Float CFP, Decide SWAG, GTM strategy, Recruit dependable key location leaders
4. Pre-event checklist :- Select Speakers, Finalize agenda, Order SWAG, Food, Monitor Marketing, Track registrations, interest, Call for event-day volunteers, Create the brand
5. Event-day checklist :- Venue signs+decorations, check-ins, agenda, swag, AV, Zoom, recording, food, Speakers, Run-time changes, Food, Networking areas and slots, Backpocket jokes for silent moments on stage, Feedback mechanism , Collect pics, Collaborate with HR partners to bring internal mobility roles for attendees.......this list goes on and on and on
6. Post-event checklist :- Make a buzz, Share success metrics and event summary , Send thank-you notes and provide a mechanism to meet more frequently to keep the momentum going!

Conclusion

Implementing internal corporate product conferences and fostering product communities can be a game-changer for organizations looking to elevate their product management practices. Here's how this initiative can benefit your company:

1. Knowledge Sharing: Creates a platform for cross-functional learning and best practice dissemination.
2. Skill Development: Provides opportunities for both aspiring and practicing product professionals to grow their skills.
3. Innovation Catalyst: Encourages fresh thinking and collaborative problem-solving across product teams.
4. Cultural Shift: Fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement in product management.
5. Talent Retention: Demonstrates investment in employee growth, potentially improving job satisfaction and retention.
6. Strategic Alignment: Ensures product teams are aligned with company objectives and industry trends.

Remember, the path to creating a successful internal product conference is a journey of learning and adaptation. Your organization's unique culture and needs should guide your approach.

I encourage you to take the first step in transforming your product management practice through internal conferences and communities. Feel free to reach out for more!