PDMA Connections - December 2023

January 11, 2024 | 11 am–12 pm CST

This session is designed for product managers, researchers, and business professionals who need to have their fingers on the pulse of their market landscapes and competition, beyond simply monitoring the feature lists of competitors’ products. This workshop uses MIDIOR’s Competition Cube as a practical approach and framework for identifying and tracking competitive threats.

In today's competitive business environment, it's more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve. That means understanding your competitors' strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It's more than just monitoring the feature lists of competitors' products. It's about understanding your competitors' business models, strategies, and goals. In this session, attendees will be guided through the various elements of robust competitive analysis, common approaches and frameworks, and where and when to apply them for timely and accurate monitoring of competitive threats.

Announcement of Search for Editor(s)-In-Chief

The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) is seeking applications for the next Editor-in-Chief (EIC) or team of EICs of the Journal of Product Innovation Management (JPIM), the leading journal in the innovation and new product development domain, to start in the position on January 1, 2025, for a three-year term (2025–2027). Currently, JPIM is published six times per year and receives approximately 600-700 submissions per year.

Interested candidates for EIC should familiarize themselves with JPIM (jpim.online) and PDMA (pdma.org) before considering applying. Interested individuals should prepare and submit a statement describing their vision for continuing the growth and development of the journal, along with their qualifications for the position, evidence of administrative capability, an academic vita, and a statement indicating support from the employing institution. Selection of the EIC will be made by PDMA's Publications Committee in spring 2024. Finalists will be asked to participate in an interview with the Committee. All applications should be submitted before February 29, 2024, to Professor Ludwig Bstieler, Chair of the Publications Committee for the PDMA (ludwigb@usnh.edu; (+1) 603-862-3306).

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How can a coach effectively facilitate group sessions to encourage thoughtful discussions and prevent dominance by a few vocal members? In the kHUB article Improve your facilitation skills by guest contributor Jim Morris, discover techniques such as creating dedicated working and decision-making sessions, implementing methods to ensure full participation, and using blind voting opportunities to promote unbiased decision-making. Learn how to slow down frequent voices, build confidence in team members, and avoid groupthink. Explore advanced tips on making decisions when necessary and keeping small groups on track. Uncover the importance of avoiding boring sessions by incorporating varied activities like negative brainstorming, scenario-based puzzles, and alternate response methods. Can these strategies revolutionize group dynamics and lead to more inclusive and productive discussions?

In the dynamic landscape of global competition and evolving consumer demands, the pursuit of innovation has become imperative for companies aiming to outpace rivals and achieve sustained growth. Guest contributor Mike Hyzy distills essential academic theories and industry case studies to offer insights into structuring organizations that foster product innovation in his recent kHUB article Designing Effective Organizations for Product Innovation. He emphasizes the need for organic, decentralized structures that promote agility, cross-functional collaboration, and a culture of experimentation. Drawing on examples like Amazon's "two-pizza teams" and P&G's cross-functional job rotation, the article advocates for adapting organizational structures to different phases of the product innovation process, utilizing ambidextrous leadership, and actively cultivating cross-functional collaboration. Additionally, he explores the role of portfolio management, open innovation ecosystems, agile development methods, and the integration of digital platforms in driving continuous innovation. The article concludes with a set of key takeaways, providing a strategic blueprint for designing organizations capable of translating creativity into groundbreaking products in today's volatile markets.
Can function analysis revolutionize your approach to product design and innovation by offering insights into consumer preferences, enabling cost-effective solutions, fostering creativity, and facilitating effective communication in multidisciplinary teams? Explore the article Function Analysis: Foundation to Concept Development by kHUB Curator Carlos Rodriguez to discover how function names, random function determination, and a hierarchy of functions can shape a structured and impactful design process, supported by diagrams for visualizing intricate relationships within product functionality.
Note that we have added links to several podcasts and blogs the kHUB curators recommend to our “additional resources” tab in kHUB.

January 9, 2024

PDMA Carolinas: Cultivating Creativity: How to Nurture Innovative Skills in Product Teams
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January 11, 2024
PDMA St. Louis: Using the Working Backward Framework to Create High Confidence Product Features
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January 17, 2024
PDMA Minnesota: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Product Management
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January 25, 2024
PDMA Chicago: The Real Risk Is Not to Innovate
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March 12, 2024
PDMA Carolinas: How to 10x Your Product Management with Generative AI
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PDMA is growing! Meet and connect with our new members by signing into the PDMA community on our website.

PDMA welcomed these new members in November 2023. We look forward to working with you!

Corporate Team
Corilyn Stampf

Individual Members

Sarah Adigba
Bola Agbonile
Tyler Boggs
Mitchell Bokhove
Rene Burke
Alvaro Buxens
Arin Ceglia
Patrick Grizzard
Antonis Hadjiantonis
Stavros Hadjitheophanous
Alex Hawkins
Harris Miller
Tadesse Nigatu
Davielis Perez
Xiangyu Rong
Michael Smith
James Trueman
Yash Yogesh Vashi
Stephen Willson

Academic Members

Chienfeng Chen
Dongliang Chen
Xilong Du
Feng Huang
Ye Kaiwei
Junjie Lyu
Zhenghui Pan
Zhihao Sun
Xiaoyin Wei

Student Members
Bridgette Bradley
Bryan Gibson
Yupeng Guo
Bob Heester
Shengkai Li
Adeleye Mesogboriwon
Ivonne Santiago
Xuegang Wang
Kuijun Wu
Yasong Xiao
Zhenyu Zhou
Ruiqing Zhu
Hui Zhu