Morning Workshop: The Roles of Product Management
Steve Johnson, CEO, Product Growth Leaders
Product Management is one of the most exciting—and most misunderstood—functions in product organizations. Is it strategic or tactical? Is it a planning role or a support role? It’s unfortunate that many in product management roles are not actually doing much product management.
Many product professionals are unclear about what is (and isn't) product management. After all, product management spans many activities from business planning to market readiness.
In this workshop, we’ll examine many product activities and artifacts for product strategy, planning, and growth, using a simple tool you can use in your organization to clarify product management roles and others.
Steve Johnson explores the many roles of Product Management in this fun talk focused on why product managers should obsess on problems instead of solutions.
Highlights
About Steve
Steve Johnson is CEO and cofounder of Product Growth Leaders. An author, speaker, and product coach, he uses modern methods to help product organizations move products from ideas to market. His approach is based on the belief that minimal processes and simple templates result in a nimble product team.
Prior to founding Product Growth Leaders, Steve was Vice President at Pragmatic Institute, where he holds the distinction of Certified Product Master. He was also the original architects of the Quartz Open Framework, a non-proprietary framework for product management that is free to use and share.
Steve has been a long-time advocate for product management, serving as an executive and advisor to many technical product organizations and industry associations. In 2020, Steve was awarded one of only ten "51331" coins for contributing to the best practices of product management.
Steve Johnson, CEO, Product Growth Leaders
Product Management is one of the most exciting—and most misunderstood—functions in product organizations. Is it strategic or tactical? Is it a planning role or a support role? It’s unfortunate that many in product management roles are not actually doing much product management.
Many product professionals are unclear about what is (and isn't) product management. After all, product management spans many activities from business planning to market readiness.
In this workshop, we’ll examine many product activities and artifacts for product strategy, planning, and growth, using a simple tool you can use in your organization to clarify product management roles and others.
Steve Johnson explores the many roles of Product Management in this fun talk focused on why product managers should obsess on problems instead of solutions.
Highlights
- A better metaphor for product manager
- Is the product manager a "mini-CEO"?
- Using the Quartz Open Framework to define roles and processes
About Steve
Steve Johnson is CEO and cofounder of Product Growth Leaders. An author, speaker, and product coach, he uses modern methods to help product organizations move products from ideas to market. His approach is based on the belief that minimal processes and simple templates result in a nimble product team.
Prior to founding Product Growth Leaders, Steve was Vice President at Pragmatic Institute, where he holds the distinction of Certified Product Master. He was also the original architects of the Quartz Open Framework, a non-proprietary framework for product management that is free to use and share.
Steve has been a long-time advocate for product management, serving as an executive and advisor to many technical product organizations and industry associations. In 2020, Steve was awarded one of only ten "51331" coins for contributing to the best practices of product management.
Afternoon Workshop: The Vision Stack: Aligning Teams from Strategy to Action
Sean Murray, Director of Product Management, ITX
In today’s complex product environments, teams often struggle to connect high-level business goals with actionable plans, leading to lack of alignment, stalled innovation, and lack of motivation. "The Vision Stack" workshop provides a practical framework for bridging this gap by guiding participants through the hierarchy of strategic elements-from business vision and product strategy to roadmaps and concrete product plans.
Through hands-on exercises and collaborative discussions, attendees will learn to craft compelling product vision statements, define bold and measurable objectives, and distinguish between strategic roadmaps and tactical delivery plans. The session emphasizes the importance of clarity, alignment, and outcome-focused thinking. Participants will leave with actionable tools to identify gaps in their current process, inspire their teams, and connect everyday work to larger organizational goals.
Key takeaways include:
Sean Murray is an experienced product leader with over a decade of expertise driving product strategy and leading product teams. He has successfully led the creation of applications within highly regulated financial and healthcare industries, delivering in both small market and enterprise-level environments.
Sean is dedicated to mentoring product professionals, helping them improve their practice and advance in their careers. His leadership is marked by a commitment to operational excellence, user engagement, and impactful innovation.
In addition to his product leadership roles, Sean explores industry trends and shares insights with thought leaders as a co-host of the Product Momentum Podcast
Sean Murray, Director of Product Management, ITX
In today’s complex product environments, teams often struggle to connect high-level business goals with actionable plans, leading to lack of alignment, stalled innovation, and lack of motivation. "The Vision Stack" workshop provides a practical framework for bridging this gap by guiding participants through the hierarchy of strategic elements-from business vision and product strategy to roadmaps and concrete product plans.
Through hands-on exercises and collaborative discussions, attendees will learn to craft compelling product vision statements, define bold and measurable objectives, and distinguish between strategic roadmaps and tactical delivery plans. The session emphasizes the importance of clarity, alignment, and outcome-focused thinking. Participants will leave with actionable tools to identify gaps in their current process, inspire their teams, and connect everyday work to larger organizational goals.
Key takeaways include:
- Techniques to inspire teams by linking daily work to high-level goals
- Practical understanding of the differences between roadmaps and product plans
- Tools for identifying and closing gaps in strategic alignment
- Methods for transforming vision into actionable steps that drive value and innovation
Sean Murray is an experienced product leader with over a decade of expertise driving product strategy and leading product teams. He has successfully led the creation of applications within highly regulated financial and healthcare industries, delivering in both small market and enterprise-level environments.
Sean is dedicated to mentoring product professionals, helping them improve their practice and advance in their careers. His leadership is marked by a commitment to operational excellence, user engagement, and impactful innovation.
In addition to his product leadership roles, Sean explores industry trends and shares insights with thought leaders as a co-host of the Product Momentum Podcast
