SRMers:

I'd like to spend a bit of time in SRM (on xxxx) discussing the 
continued evolution of product management within the organization. 
The punch line is that we're looking to form a small advisory 
committee to work with Bob Bourdeau as he plans and develops the 
resources we need to enable our product manager/owners to do their 
jobs more effectively.


The attached materials represent:

a. the integration of a number of efforts which had been going on 
previously within CSM (e.g. the "funnel", product ownership, 
product/services list, levels of support, etc)

b. a recasting of these efforts so that they appear to fit more 
naturally into the framework of the larger effort we (CIT) have been 
engaging in over the last few years - creating a more disciplined 
practice around the management of our products and services.

The attachments are:

1. A Q&A piece - stitched together by Bob from various sources - 
which sets out a vision of sorts for where the concept of product 
management could take us further down the road.

2. A combo Product Manager Primer/Guide to product management support 
services, which also essentially describes the approach to replacing 
the old "funnel" mechanism. This can serve as an overview/reference 
guide for folks in the organization currently filling some product 
management roles.

3. A very brief Next Steps Document, which describes the way we might 
start building on the above.

One issue which begins to emerge - we may want to begin thinking 
about a modified organizational structure for the management of at 
least our key products and services - one that separates the product 
management role from the delivery of the technology itself where it 
might make sense to do so. For example, we are moving in the 
direction of managing BlackBoard the product from ATMS, while moving 
support of the application itself and infrastructure to IS.


Thanks
Jim