No man (or woman) is an island. Now more than ever, everyone understands the importance of human connections, and people are actively connecting with the people they know (and the people they want to meet) in new and innovative ways.
We've seen it before our eyes all along.Stay tuned for the APAC productthis week. New connections were being made every day. People from opposite ends of the world chatted online as if they were in adjacent rooms. As humans, we don't want this to end. As product experts, we know it doesn't have to be this way.
Our actions, our ideas and our work have the ability to profoundly affect the world around us. In no community is this more true than in the product community.
The most important question to ask ourselves now and in the future is, "What kind of community do I want to be a part of?" Once you've created a vision of what this requires, you need to clarify it by asking, "Why do I want to be a part of this?" What will you gain from dedicating your attention and time to this community and how much do you want to give?
Communities like Mind the Product, which allow ideas to flow freely, have allowed us to build a global understanding of what works and what doesn't. we are going to explore
The beauty of the community
Communities can be governed and shaped in different ways. They can be conducted virtually, ad hoc, based on consistent schedules, by an individual or by entire committees. There are absolutely no rules. So when you're trying to make a connection in your life and find the community that's right for you, it's always best to go back to that golden question in product management: "What problem are we trying to solve?"
Personally, I've seen so many amazing communities built around very different ideas.
Be aware of the product community, exclusively for product employees,has grown a lot in the last 10 years. The behind-the-scenes team sincerely believes in the power of a diverse community, which provides the opportunity to hear many different voices and allow the exchange of ideas so that together we can advance the art of product management.
HeResearchOps-Community,Founded by Kate Towsey, among others, it is based on the idea of understanding a specific process in detail and discussing how it can create value.
Heproject for goodCommunity allows people to connect about technology opportunities to create social good. I just started a new membership community for independent product leaders called Product Co-op. My intention is for this to be a small, gated community to create the feeling of a safe space for people to ask genuine and impactful questions about building an independent practice.
Another amazing platform islunchclub.ai. You enter who you want to meet and the platform matches you with someone for a (now virtual) lunch. I met lawyers, entrepreneurs and technology scientists and his concept is based on the network effect. I found out when the product manager invited meandy ajim. I trust Andy, so I joined!
Does size matter?
F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, "I love big parties, they are very intimate."
Productive, engaged, and valuable communities come in all shapes and sizes. Members can interact and benefit in many ways, and just because a community has a few thousand people, or even a few hundred thousand, doesn't mean you can't make deep connections with others within it.
Sometimes it's easier to connect in larger communities because the members are more and more diverse. You can find conversation bags. They are also exposed to a wider variety of thoughts and ideas.
However, sometimes, depending on how large a community is supported, you may not be able to have the deep discussion or substantive exchange of ideas that a small group of people sitting around a table can. Looking for variety or depth? The answer tells you large or small communities.
Virtual or face-to-face
At the moment there is no option, all communities are virtual. I hope that when this is all over, the value of face-to-face interactions will be realized in a whole new way. Virtual communities are wonderful because they level space and time. You can talk to anyone about anything. You can share with people on the other side of the world how they do things differently or the same way.
But virtual communities often tend to be shallow and it's hard to keep their attention. And they can be difficult places to facilitate and maintain the quality of the content and the safety of the participants. You need dedicated moderation to maintain standards – who forces members to follow a code of conduct? These things also apply to personal communities. Personal communities obviously allow for a deeper level of connection. You have to feel the energy and interest of the community in a very different way.
Merge vs Build
To understand what kind of community you want to be a part of, sometimes you need to start by getting involved with one to see what it's like. Does this answer your questions? Are you inviting? Do you see yourself in others? On the contrary, does it stretch you?
Don't be afraid to visit several communities or meetings, visit as many as you can find because that will help you answer if a new one is needed.
I still remember going to my first ProductTank in London after moving here and not knowing anyone. I felt like I found what I needed back then. I also remember the impact of listening to Kathy Sierra on Mind the Product in 2014. The insights from her incredible talk.Creating Rude Users– “jOur customers don't want to wow with their product, they want to be great with context.„Engraved in my brain to this day!
If you're exploring some communities and still feel like there's an opportunity to create a new space, your next step is to find other like-minded people (if you can't find anyone, maybe take this as a clue, make sure you them if the idea is very specific).
Mind the Product started when the need toESwas performed. It all started with a simple meeting to test the waters, and from that first ProductTank, the numbers just kept growing. There are now over 200 ProductTanks plus five conferences around the world. This happened for a reason: product people wanted to connect and share ideas.
ProductTank now provides a platform for amazing ideas and processes in every corner of the world, all of which deserve the world's attention. To provide a suitable resource for this, we have compiled a library of lectures and blogs.mindtheproduct.comwhere you can access 10 years of amazing ideas. And we know that everyone has more to share, our blog is always here.open to new submissions!
starts today
EStay tuned for the APAC productcomes to an end, we hope it's just the beginning of many more conversations and connections to come. And if you think you haven't found your community yet, know that you are always very welcome to ours.
Keep chatting, sharing ideas, and if blogging or attending a meeting (virtual or otherwise) seems too daunting right now, or you're just not sure where to start, why not start small?
Join our...Slack-CanalHere you'll find over 20,000 Product Managers actively engaged every day. See conversations in action and join when you're ready. Say hello to another product contributor on Twitter, connect with someone on LinkedIn, or comment on a post. You'll be amazed at how quickly a support network can be formed.
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king rosemary
Rosemary is an experienced product manager who has specialized in software development, agile enablement and lean methodologies for the last seven years. He has worked in a variety of fields including government, finance, retail and business. After beginning his technology career in the New York startup scene, he transitioned into consulting, spending time at ThoughtWorks and Pivotal Labs London. He's done freelance consulting and training with incubation programs like startup bootcamps, conducted UX research on four continents, and enjoys navigating in cold waters.