Optimal Product Process

A Flexible Framework for Highly Effective Product Management

and Product Marketing Across the Entire Product Lifecycle

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Third Edition, by

BRIAN LAWLEY
Founder, 280 Group

We also offer in-depth Product Management consulting, contracting, Optimization programs,

training, certification, templates and books. Visit 280group.com for more information.
3.0 280 Group Press

If you are interested in having 280 Group deliver the

contents of this book and/or a presentation on the
Critical Importance of Product Management to your
executive team, please contact us or call (408) 834-7518.
02 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Table of
Contents

04 OVERVIEW

06 INTRODUCTION

09 A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT PROCESS FOR THE ENTIRE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE

13 THE SEVEN PHASE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS

14 Phase I: Conceive

16 Phase II: Plan

18 Phase III: Develop

20 Phase IV: Qualify

22 Phase V: Launch

24 Phase VI: Maximize

26 Phase VII: Retire

28 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS

29 PRODUCT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER TEAM MEMBERS

30 ANSWERING THE CRITICAL PRODUCT QUESTIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME

33 ACHIEVING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

34 THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

35 ABOUT 280 GROUP

36 APPENDIX A: OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS TRAINING

Optimal Product Process 280 Group 03

38 APPENDIX B: CREATORS OF THE OPTIMAL PRODUCT PROCESS

41 APPENDIX C: OTHER 280 GROUP PRESS BOOKS

43 APPENDIX D: BUSINESS CASE TABLE OF CONTENTS

44 APPENDIX D: PRODUCT DESCRIPTION/REQUIREMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

45 APPENDIX D: MARKET NEEDS/REQUIREMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

46 APPENDIX D: ROADMAP TABLE OF CONTENTS

46 APPENDIX D: MARKET STRATEGY TABLE OF CONTENTS

48 APPENDIX D: BETA PROGRAM TABLE OF CONTENTS

49 APPENDIX D: LAUNCH PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS

50 APPENDIX D: MARKETING PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS

51 APPENDIX D: END OF LIFE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS

Copyright
© 2012-2018 280 Group LLC

All rights reserved. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained
herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and
author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damage
resulting from the use of the information contained here in.

First Edition: January 2012 (v201101021‐AR)

Second Edition: December 2014 (v20140901‐AR)
Third Edition: December 2018 (v20180228-AR)
eBook ISBN: 0985031204
Place of Publication: Los Gatos, California, USA
04 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Overview

This book describes the 280 Group Optimal Product Process, a

process and framework that allows companies to perform
highly-effective Product Management and Product Marketing.

The goals in developing the Optimal Product Process included:

• Creating a modern product process that reflects best practices for Product

Management and Product Marketing in 2018 and beyond

• Building in the flexibility to achieve excellence in any situation:

i. Any development methodology: Agile, Waterfall or Hybrid

ii. Any industry or market

iii. Any company or team culture

• Covering ALL phases of the Product Lifecycle

• Clarifying roles and responsibilities for Product Management, Product

Marketing and those they interact with.

• Creating a complete and comprehensive solution that goes far beyond a

basic training course to include corresponding templates, books, in-depth

training, advanced certifications and a Product Management Optimization

Program for teams and companies.

• Providing a framework that supports continuous improvement of the

Product Management and Product Marketing functions.

Optimal Product Process 280Group 05

The Optimal Product Process accomplishes all these goals and more. It is a

complete methodology that includes all aspects necessary to build a world-class

Product Management function:

• Roles and responsibilities

• Criteria for making decisions for each phase and gate
• Common activities for Product Managers and Product Marketing Managers
• Tools and templates to work through the challenges of each phase successfully
• In-depth online and in-person training covering all core skills and tasks
• Coaching and mentoring programs
• Advanced worldwide-standard certifications

What makes the Optimal Product Process unique is that it covers the ENTIRE

Product Lifecycle. Additionally, it can be applied by any company in any market or

industry, regardless of development methodology used, varying team cultures or

the need for different levels of documentation of product efforts.

Our hope is that companies worldwide will adopt the Optimal Product Process so

that not only will the professions of Product Management and Product Marketing

advance, but companies will thrive and their customers will benefit from great

products being delivered.

06 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Introduction
Those of you who know me know that I have a HUGE passion for what I do. I have
spent my entire career in Product Management and Product Marketing, and have
been able to work on some amazing products at great companies (Apple,
Symantec, Digidesign, Claris and Whistle as an employee and hundreds of great
companies as a consultant.)

Simply put, I love to create and market products

that delight customers and produce massive
profits. That’s the vision for my company, 280
Group. We help thousands of companies, Product
Managers and Product Marketers create and
market GREAT new products that customers love
and that help their companies dramatically grow.
This is what motivates me and my team. The work
on this project and this book are driven by this. Brian Lawley
Founder, 280 Group
280 Group has been in the Product Management
Brian Lawley is the Founder of
and Product Marketing consulting and training 280 Group. His 30 year career in
business since 1998. Tens of thousands of Product Product Management includes
working for great companies like
Managers and Product Marketers worldwide use
Apple, Symantec and startups,
our process, books, templates, white papers and writing six best-selling books
other resources, and have gone through our including Product Management
for Dummies, being President of
training and certification programs. Great
the Silicon Valley Product
companies like Cisco, Wells Fargo, E*TRADE, SAP, Management Association and
Dell, Adobe, Aetna, Cigna, Intel and many others, winning numerous awards for
thought leadership in Product
ranging from startups to Fortune 500 have
Management.
benefitted from our ideas and methodology.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 07

We have been blessed with much success and have become well-known as a company

that moves the profession forward. We have published nine best-selling books (three in

the Amazon top 50 business books on their first day of release), were named to the Inc

5000 list of fastest growing companies, were ranked in the top 10 consulting firms by

the Silicon Valley Business Journal, have been featured on CNBC and Silicon Valley

Business Report and have won numerous awards for thought leadership and for our

work and products.

The professions of Product Management and Product Marketing have moved forward

significantly in the last ten years. They are now recognized by many of the world’s great

companies as mission-critical and a key element of their success. In fact, a CBS News

poll found that Product Management is now considered the fourth most important

profession in Corporate America, behind only CEOs, General Managers and Senior

Executives. There are books, newsletters and blogs devoted to related topics. The Silicon

Valley Product Management Association (of which I was President for three years) has

grown dramatically as has the Boston Product Management Association. Other

associations have sprung up, as have the popular ProductCamps now being held in

dozens of cities around the world.

“ A CBS News poll found that Product

Management is now considered the fourth
most important profession in Corporate
America, behind only CEOs, General
Managers and Senior Executives.
08 280 Group Optimal Product Process

The AIPMM (The Association of International

“
Product
Management is
now ranked in the
Product Marketing and Management) has

been in existence for twenty years,

representing the profession for its thousands of

members. It sponsors Product Management

Education Conferences, and runs the ISO/ANSI

top ten best jobs worldwide-standard and vendor-neutral
by Money Certified Product Manager (CPM), Certified
Magazine Product Marketing Manager (CPMM) and Agile
and Glassdoor. Certified Product Manager and Product Owner

(ACPMPO) exam and credential programs.

” A few years ago when we created the Optimal

Product Process we realized that despite all of

these advances there was something missing.

Being in both small and large companies

performing consulting, training, process

assessments and optimization work we could

see that there was room for DRAMATIC

improvements. And we knew that creating this

process would help us up-level entire

organizations on the Product Management

Maturity Scale.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 09

It was time for a flexible framework that would cover every aspect of the

Product Lifecycle and could be highly-effective regardless of which

development methodology was being followed by engineering.

So we created the
Optimal Product Process.
 10 280Group Optimal Product Process

A Flexible Product Process for the

Entire Product Lifecycle
When we created the Optimal Product Process we were highly customer-focused.

Through extensive customer feedback and thousands of hours training and consulting

with clients, we observed that the following were challenges in the Product

Management profession that needed to be addressed:

There was a lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities between Product
Management and Product Marketing. In some companies there was only one
person doing both roles. In other companies there were two people (trying to do
the same things some of the time), etc. And often, critical parts of one or both of
these roles simply were not being done at all.

Agile development was being adopted by many engineering organizations

without the critical strategic planning and other functions of Product
Management being applied. When applied to the right kinds of products, Agile
can provide great benefits in terms of rapid software development and staying
close to the customer. However, when many companies shifted to Agile
development they stopped performing critical activities in the Product
Lifecycle, such as developing business cases, crafting market strategies, or
planning for launches and end of life. Thus the development and delivery
benefits gained by going Agile were negated in many ways because the
strategic business aspects were no longer being taken care of. In many cases
companies adopted a hybrid approach (often jokingly called Wagile, Fragile or
Agilefall because they combine traditional waterfall and Agile). The challenge in
doing this is that there is rarely an underlying framework that is
well-thought-out. As a result both the development and strategic business
aspects suffered.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 11

Companies often weren’t adopting the materials and methods that they were
trained on because they weren’t flexible enough and not actionable. There was

3 a need for flexible and immediately actionable process that could be adapted to
how the companies were already doing business.

The training and other materials available were all woefully out of date, or had
been created by a single individual rather than a full team with a wide range of
experience. They had been developed in the mid 1990’s or early 2000’s – Product
Management and Product Marketing have completely changed since then.

4
Between the Internet and mobile apps, social media, the ability to get instant
customer reactions and market research, Agile development methodologies,
the globalization of the world economy, rapid release cycles and instantaneous
availability of competitive, product and marketing information the job of a
Product Manager or Product Marketer is VERY different now than it was even a
few years ago.

There was a lot of duplication of effort and wasted time by Product Managers
and Product Marketers. Despite our 280 Group templates and toolkits many
companies and individuals were re-inventing the wheel with each product

5 cycle. And to make matters worse they ended up focusing their time and effort
on creating the templates and perfecting the documents rather than doing
what was MOST critical – answering the key product questions and making the
key decisions during each phase.

“Agile development was being adopted by many engineering

organizations without the critical strategic planning and
other functions of Product Management being applied.
12 280 Group
”
Optimal Product Process

None of the methodologies available dealt with ALL of the critical parts of the
Product Lifecycle, such as ideation and innovation at the front end, or

6
retirement at the back end. There are MANY examples of companies that don’t
focus on all parts of the Product Lifecycle and end up in severe trouble – without
an innovation pipeline or with products discontinued in a way that alienates
customers and damages their brand.

There has not historically been a way to do post-mortem analysis on Product

Management and Product Marketing work to ensure continuous improvement.

7 The result is that teams and the function don’t improve over time, and
companies lose out on building Product Management as a competitive
advantage.

Product Managers and Product Marketers weren’t able to leverage their skills
effectively if they switched companies or industries. Because EVERY company
was doing things differently there wasn’t a core set of skills and methods that
could be used when starting at a new company.

Taking these challenges into account, 280 Group decided to leverage and
dramatically expand upon the base-level work that we had participated in when
the AIPMM (Association of International Product Marketing and Management)
8 created the worldwide standard seven phase lifecycle model in the Product
Management and Marketing Body of Knowledge (ProdBOK®). We took the
seven phase lifecycle, and built a comprehensive and complete framework,
training program, and the corresponding Product Management Office set of
templates to match.

The result is a process and framework that can be leveraged by any company in
any industry. Now Product Managers and Product Marketers can ensure their
products are dramatically more successful.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 13

The Seven Phase Optimal

Product Process
The seven phase framework in the Optimal Product Process covers every phase that
every product goes through (whether a company/team realizes it or not.) Oftentimes
one or more of the seven phases are ignored, shortchanged or not focused on,
resulting in a less-than-optimal result for the company and its customers. In many
cases Product Management and/or Product Marketing are only involved in one phase,
and no one is watching the “Whole Product” concept that the customer ultimately
perceives as what they are buying. By being aware of and prepared for all seven
phases, a company maximizes its chances for delighting its customers and increasing
its profits.

The seven phase model uses a phase-gate approach (with Agile work tied in during
Plan, Develop and Qualify). Each phase consists of standard tasks that must be
accomplished. To move to the next phase a gate must be passed through. The gate is
a decision based on the work in the phase as to whether the company wishes to
move forward with the concept or product. By using this approach, the right
information and data is gathered, analyzed, and the risk of investing significant
money or resources is managed appropriately.

Conceive Plan Develop Qualify Launch Maximize Retire

When applying Agile development methods such as Scrum, Lean, etc. the company
or team simply goes through the Plan, Develop and Qualify phases much more
rapidly with a smaller set of features for each sprint (and less or no documentation
required). They are still, nonetheless, doing required tasks in each phase and must
pass through the corresponding gate, but may be able to do so more rapidly,
efficiently and/or in parallel.
 14 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Phase 1: Conceive
During the Conceive phase a company or team is generating new ideas and
evaluating and prioritizing them to determine whether to move forward and spend
time and resources. This may be done formally or accidentally through observing
customers and identifying latent needs. It may also be done by executives, engineers,
Product Managers, salespeople or others coming up with potential products and/or
new features.

In startups this is usually done by the founders, in technology companies by the

engineers and in truly market-driven companies by the Product Management and
Product Marketing staff. In all cases Product Management and Product Marketing
can play a KEY role in this phase – they aren’t necessarily responsible for coming up
with creative new ideas (though they should articulate the needs of the customers
and the problems that can be solved), but they should be held accountable for
leading their teams in the effort.

Plan Phase Develop Phase

Waterfall

Fully Defined Full

Fully Defined
Requirements
Estimated Development Design FullDevelop
Defined Test
Estimated
Scope Plan Requirements
Scope

Refined
High Level
Requirements
Product and
Agile

HIgh Level Estimated Release

Requirements Scope Vision

Test Plan Sprint

Product Managers

Joint Work
Code Design
Product Development

Figure 2: The Optimal Product Process is ideal for both Agile and Waterfall development methodologies
© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 15

Overview of the
Conceive Phase
Key Tasks: Discover product opportunities, validate product-market fit,
develop preliminary strategic documents listed in key deliverables

Key Deliverables: Preliminary versions of the business plan, market needs

and market strategy documents

Core Skills: Strategic analysis, market analysis, prioritization

Four Actions Framework

Remove Improve
Optical zoom Portability
Night Light Simplicity

Flip
Camcorder

Reduce Create
Price Ease of sharing
Number of Controls
Storage Capacity

Figure 3: During Conceive techniques such as the four actions framework can
be applied to come up with new possibilities for more compelling products

© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 16 280 Group

Phase 2: Plan
”
Optimal Product Process

After having come up with a prioritized list of opportunities (ideally that leverage
their company’s core competencies and put them in a unique position to compete),
additional time and effort can then be spent doing some true planning. For example,
market research and competitive analysis can be performed. A business case can be
developed in a standardized fashion. This can then be evaluated against other
projects accordingly to determine if the opportunity is large and profitable enough to
be viable. Market needs (we prefer to use this term rather than market requirements
because it more accurately states what is being captured) can be assessed, along
with the market strategy that would be used to take the product to market. A
roadmap can be developed giving an idea of the longer-term strategy and viability
along with a product description (again we use this term rather than product
requirements because it more accurately reflects the fact that you are describing how
the product will meet the market need).

Many companies make the

Product Solution
mistake of jumping straight into
Defined Undefined
development, particularly when
working with teams employing
Defined

Agile methodologies, without

performing due diligence on the
Type I Type II
Problem

business and strategy aspects of

the product first. The Optimal
Product Process allows for doing
Undefined

the business and strategy work

whether your company is doing
Type III Type IV
Agile, Waterfall or hybrid
development. The plan phase
ensures that ALL critical questions Figure 4: During the Plan phase you get
clear about why type of problem and
about strategy and business are product solution you are developing, which
addressed regardless of how the deeply affects your approach and strategy

product is being developed. © 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 17

Overview of the
Plan Phase
Key Tasks: Create market and product strategy, and a corresponding roadmap.
Product Management completes the business plan and market needs
documents. Product Marketing completes the market strategy document.
Engineering completes the product description document.

Key Deliverables: Business plan, market needs document, product description

document, market strategy document and roadmaps.

Core Skills: Market research, competitive analysis, voice of the customer,

personas, segmentation, positioning, pricing, forecasting

Decision at The Gate: The company agrees to fund actual

product development.

“ Many companies make the mistake of jumping

straight into development, particularly when
working with teams employing Agile
methodologies, without performing due
diligence on the business and strategy aspects
of the product first.
 18 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Phase 3: Develop
After a plan (whether an Agile backlog with sprint priorities assigned or a more formal
plan) is in place and agreed upon the product is then developed. Feature and
schedule tradeoffs are made. Technical feasibility may be assessed. If certain critical
features are not possible, the product may be delayed or cancelled altogether. In
either case, the team moves forward with creating a product that will be “above the
bar” in terms of what must be delivered to customers in order to succeed, and
achieve the company’s profitability and/or strategic goals.

Features

The Product
Development
Trade-off Triangle

Quality Schedule

Figure 5: Product development trade-off triangle.

© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 19

Overview of the
Develop Phase
Key Tasks: Solidify any development plans that remain uncertain. Develop a
final feature list, finish the beta testing plan, adjust plan as issues arise in
development to make sure that a valuable, customer-oriented product is the
outcome.

Key Deliverables: Product Manager: beta plan. Engineering, quality assurance,

support, service, operations, marketing and many other departments have a
long list of deliverables that are provided to the rest of the company so that
everyone is ready to support and sell the product at launch.

Decision At The Gate: The company agrees to fund actual product

Core Skills: Working with engineering, influencing other groups, team

leadership, negotiation

Decision at The Gate: Agree that the product is ready for beta testing with
real customers
 20 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Phase 4: Qualify
As the end of development nears, the team determines if the product is ready to
move into the final qualification phase. Although there may have been testing
done up to this point in terms of product functionality and reaction from customers,
the product has not been considered final enough yet to determine whether
it can meet the required level of quality to fulfill the overall product objectives in
the eyes of the customer.

Many companies either minimize or rush this phase, compressing the amount of
time originally allotted or deciding to ship a product that may not have been used
in real-world scenarios. This omission can cause a major catastrophe for the product
and/or company if the quality level should prove to be subpar for their brand
image. It can also result in spending significantly large amounts of money launching
and marketing the product without having verified that the quality and customer
satisfaction levels will be adequate to drive sales.

“ Many companies either minimize or rush this

phase, compressing the amount of time
originally allotted or deciding to ship a product
that may not have been used in real-world
scenarios. This omission can cause a
major catastrophe…
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 21

Overview of the
Qualify Phase
Key Tasks: Run the beta program, complete the beta report, finish the launch
plan and begin preparing launch deliverables. Test marketing messages and
positioning with the beta program participants.

Key Deliverables: Launch plan, completed beta plan with customer feedback
that the customers find the product to be valuable.

Core Skills: Working with quality assurance, marketing planning, messaging

and positioning, developing initial marketing programs, collateral and launch
materials.

Decision at The Gate: Does the decision making team agree that the product is
ready to launch?

Low High

Must run at least Must run

a limited beta comprehensive
Product Once Released
Difficulty Changing the

High

program beta program

Must be able to Must run at least

release product in a limited beta
Low

beta form to program

general public or
limited audience

Risk for Customer

Figure 6: Difficulty of change versus risk.

© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 22 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Phase 5: Launch
After qualifying the product to ensure that it meets appropriate standards, and will be
accepted and embraced by customers and the market, a company then officially
launches the new product (or an updated version for existing products) into the
marketplace. A successful launch allows the company to generate interest in the new
product. Once a product is released it rapidly becomes old news. Companies work
closely with their channels and other partners to successfully introduce, sell and
create competitive arguments against other companies and products.

A company without a specified launch plan and process will rarely meet its initial or
long-term revenue goals (unless they get incredibly lucky). This is one of the biggest
pitfalls in the technology market: engineering-driven companies believe that because
they build it that the industry will magically become aware and be willing to buy it. At
280 Group we are constantly amazed at the amount of money spent to develop great
new products that are then given no chance to succeed because the company isn’t
realistic about what it takes to do an adequate product launch.

“ A company without a specified launch plan

and process will rarely meet its initial or
long-term revenue goals.

”
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 23

Overview of the
Launch Phase
Key Tasks: Release product, gather feedback, finish the on-going marketing plan for
your product as part of overall company activities, perform launch review

Key Deliverables: Ongoing marketing plan, launch review document

Core Skills: Executing launch and marketing programs, collecting product, marketing
and sales data

Decision at The Gate: Is the company ready to begin the maximize phase and spend
additional dollars and resources to achieve the revenue, profit and strategic goals for
the product? What worked and didn’t during the launch? Were projected sales
results achieved? If not, why not? What changes need to be made to the marketing
plan? What product changes should be fed back to the product development team?

Soft Launch Minimal Launch Full-Scale Launch

Budget and Low Medium High

resources required

Risks May not generate May not be sufficient Product or market

enough awareness to meet aggressive or may not be ready and
and may cost unrealistic goals money and resource
significantly more to investment could end
do so at a later date up not paying off

Brand and product Low Low High

awareness generation

Possible reward Low, unless the goal Medium to high, if High due to the fact
is to generate a small the product that this strategy
amount of awareness completely delights generates as much
due to the product customers it may go possible awareness
not being fully ready viral through word of and target customers
to delight customers mouth are likely to positively
hear about it many
times in a short time
period

Figure 7: The three types of launches to consider based on your launch goals
© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 24 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Phase 6: Maximize
After the initial launch, the product requires ongoing marketing and other activities
to ensure that it continues to be as successful as possible. This includes demand
generation, competitive responses, public relations, ensuring customer feedback is
included in the next revision of the product, and also supporting the sales force and
channel. In some companies there are dedicated Product Marketers that ensure the
product gets what is needed to keep sales going and achieve revenue in addition to
full-time responsibilities of planning and working on new products.

Complete Marketing Campaign

Awareness
Figure 8: The Optimal Product Process emphasizes the
need for ongoing marketing during the Maximize phase

Interest

Evaluation

Commitment

Referral

Repeat

Figure 8: The Optimal Product Process emphasizes the need

for ongoing marketing during the Maximize phase

© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Optimal Product Process 280 Group 25

Overview of the
Maximize Phase
Key Tasks: Product Managers: continue support of sales on an exception basis
and look for product adjustments or additional product opportunities. When
sales drop, plan end of life activities. Marketing: develop marketing plan and
integrate the new product into ongoing marketing activities. Measure, review
and adjust activities to maximize sales.

Key Deliverables: End of life plan

Core Skills: Analysis of product data and marketing programs, creating new
marketing programs, demand generation, sales enablement, tracking of key
metrics

Decision at The Gate: Is the company ready to begin the maximize phase and
spend additional dollars and resources to achieve the revenue, profit and
strategic goals for the product? What worked and didn’t during the launch?

“ After the initial launch the product

requires ongoing marketing and activities
to ensure that it continues to be as
successful as possible.
 26 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Phase 7: Retire
As the product ages it may be revised, with a new version as a replacement, or it
might be intentionally discontinued or sold on an ongoing basis without much effort
being put into it. Either way, at some point the product will be retired. For some
products this isn’t much of an issue. The inventory can be sold off, or the product can
be removed from a website or price list.

For other products, such as Enterprise software or products being sold in the
financial, government or medical fields, end of life can be a critical factor that must
be planned for and dealt with effectively. And even in the consumer space this can be
critical. Consider what would happen to Apple if they did the wrong thing with
retiring a product when coming out with a new version. They might end up with
billions of dollars of useless inventory and losses as well as a loss of reputation and
customer loyalty.

“ “A poorly executed end-of-life and

product retirement can cost
companies millions and significantly
damage the company’s brand”

”
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 27

Overview of the
Retire Phase
Key Tasks: Product Manager: investigate fully the impact of retiring a product
on all parts of the business: sales, operations and service are primary
departments to check with.

Key Deliverables: An executed end-of-life plan.

Core Skills: Customer and product analysis, strategic planning

Decision at The Gate: There is often no gate at the end of retire. If you are
diligent, review and document what went well and what didn’t go so well.

End-of-Life Date Terminology

Term Definition

End-of-life (EOL) Day company notifies customers that a

announcement date product will be retired

End of sale Day orders are no longer taken for a product

End of build Day a product is no longer manufactured

Day company no longer supports a product

End of contract
except by time and materials (if available)

Day service is no longer available because

End of service (also
technical or maintenance service contracts
known as shutdown)
have expired

Figure 9: Clarifying terminology and the corresponding decisions that affect customers is
key to success in the Retire phase

© 2017, 280 Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.

28 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Roles and Responsibilites

in the Optimal Product Process

The Optimal Product Process specifies the roles and responsibilities of

Product Management and Product Marketing, as well as all of the other
parties they interact with: Engineering, Quality Assurance and User
Experience to name a few. This can vary from company to company, as
some companies only have one person performing both roles and the line
between them can be blurred. As such, the Optimal Product Process
provides standards and guidelines that can be followed, and is flexible to
allow for what works best for each company.

In the Optimal Product Process the Product Manager is responsible for making sure
that a great product is built and brought to market, including all of the whole product
components such as features, service, warranty and anything else necessary for
success. Product Marketing is then responsible for making sure that the product sells
as well as possible. This includes activities like positioning, messaging, pricing and
sales enablement.

Product Management vs. Product Marketing Roles

Conceive 23 Plan Develop Qualify Launch Maximize Retire

Get product onto shelves Get product off of shelves

Product Management
Delivers valuable
customer-focused product Product Marketing
Ensures market demand
for product

Manage Risk and Negotiated handoffs,

Maximize Opportunity or one person does it all!
29 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Product Management and

Other Team Members

Figure 10: Breakdown of roles and responsibilities in the Optimal Product Process

Getting role clarity such as this ensures that all critical tasks in the Product Lifecycle
have an owner and that nothing falls through the cracks. It also ensures that
companies can know what skills each role must have so that each individual can get
the training, coaching and tools to do the job effectively.

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Optimal Product Process 280 Group 30

Answering the Critical Product

Questions at the Right Time
During each phase of a product’s life, there are critical questions that must be asked
and assumptions that must be challenged in order to ensure maximum success.
Whether written down formally or not, without taking key strategic and tactical
factors into account, there is a risk of product failure. The 280 Group Optimal Product
Process identifies these questions in nine key documents associated with the seven
phases of a Product Lifecycle. These documents make up the Product Management
Lifecycle Toolkit™, which is included and taught in our Optimal Product
Management and Product Marketing™ Training which covers the entire Optimal
Product Process in-depth. Each of these documents includes the critical questions,
issues, decisions and considerations for products that must be addressed in order to
ensure success. They represent a comprehensive way of ensuring that nothing
falls through the cracks and that everything is thought through thoroughly
and effectively.
31 280 Group Optimal Product Process

280 Group Nine Key Documents

from the Product Management
Lifecycle Toolkit
NOTE: The documents can be used in very formal circumstances where a company
culture or team requires extensive written documentation for each phase. Equally
important, if a company and/or team is less rigid and formal, there may be no
need to write the full (or any) documents. All that matters is that the key
considerations covered in each one are thought-through and addressed in a
satisfactory manner that will ensure product success.

Document Purpose Description

Captures the reasoning for initiating a project and

Business Case Evaluate opportunity determines whether the effort should proceed
based on profitability and strategic fit.

Description of the business or consumer

Market Needs Describe the customer needs and problems challenges to be solved, through and analysis of
market needs, user personas and usage scenarios

Description of the whole solution’s feature set,

Product Description Describe what to build expected usage, and the technology and delivery
requirements. Includes initial scoping of cost.

Market strategy and long-term objectives,

Market Strategy Determine how to take the product to market positioning messages to be conveyed to
target markets.

Roadmap Determine long-term goals and strategy Set of releases based on scoping, strategy and
objectives

Plan for real-world use to ensure it is ready to

Beta Plan Ensure product is ready launch. Gather early customer feedback and
testimonials.

Launch Plan Create initial awareness and leads Plan and tactics for achieving agreed-upon goals
for the product.

Plan with tactics, budget, timeline and activities

Marketing Plan Create demand and meet revenue goals that will support creating leads and reach new
customers.

Plan covering how best to discontinue a product

End of Life Plan Minimize customer and profitability with a smooth transition, avoiding negative
consequences.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 32

Documentation in the Optimal Product

Process Can Range from Lightweight
to Formal
The documents are also designed to ensure that there is no duplication of effort or
content – they are a perfectly designed set of complementary templates that can
help dramatically boost a Product Manager’s productivity. Note: See the Appendices
for the table of contents for each of these nine documents.
33 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Achieving Continuous Improvement

The Optimal Product Process is also designed to drive continuous improvement of
products and/or support processes within any organization. Continuous
improvement of products and the corresponding process is an ongoing effort that
can best be evaluated once a formal Product Management and Product Marketing
process is defined and implemented within an organization.

To support the notion of continuous improvement 280 Group’s Optimal Product

Process includes the ability to capture critical decisions and key assumptions about a
product during each phase of the lifecycle. This provides a record of what
has happened over the life of the product that can be used as data when looking for
areas of improvement.

In addition to the nine key documents, 280 Group has also created one document
called a Master Product Plan (MPP), which is included in the Product Management
Lifecycle Toolkit. The MPP includes all nine documents in one and can be
iterated at each phase in the lifecycle. Only the parts that are relevant to that
particular phase for your company need be written or considered when passing
through the gate. By using the MPP you can iterate one document through all
seven phases.

By using the MPP (or interim versions of the nine documents), you can also easily go
back and do a postmortem to see how your assumptions and documents changed
over the life of the product. And if you are using MPPs for more than one product, you
will have a standard way of determining where your efforts need to be enhanced so
that you become more efficient and effective.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 34

The Future of
Product Management
The professions of Product Management and Product Marketing will continue to
evolve and become even more important in the corporate world. New advances such
as the Optimal Product Process, additional tools and books as well as more
organizations, conferences and resources will continue to advance the profession.
And 280 Group will continue to be a leader in these efforts.

Make sure you join our mailing list and take advantage of the vast free resources that
we offer in order to leverage our work. It is our hope that the Optimal Product Process
will be embraced widely and will become the basis for the advancement of the
profession and excellence in many companies. With a standardized process,
worldwide standard certifications and exams, in-depth training, books and other
resources, the professions of Product Management and Product Marketing are poised
to become even more important and relevant in the world’s greatest companies.
35 280Group Optimal Product Process

About 280 Group

280 Group is a Product Management and Product Marketing consulting

and training firm located in Silicon Valley, CA. Founded in 1998, 280 Group
helps companies deliver products that delight their customers and
produce massive profits. Products and services include consulting,
contractors, training, certifications, templates, coaching and books. 280
Group’s methodology is based on worldwide standards and is used by tens
of thousands of customers across the world.

Clients include small and medium-sized companies as well as Fortune 500

companies such as Cigna, Aetna, Adobe, SAP, Cisco, Intel, E*TRADE, Symantec, Dell,
Hewlett Packard, Wells Fargo, John Deere and many others. 280 Group was ranked in
the top 10 consulting firms by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, was listed in the Inc
5000 fastest growing companies and has won the AIPMM award for Thought
Leadership in Product Management.

For more information go to 280group.com, call (408) 834-7518 or contact us.

 36 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix A -
Optimal Process Training

Master Core Product Management Skills, Learn the Optimal Product Process and

Become a Certified Product Manager

In-Person Training:

Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing Training

This three-day training teaches the flexible and comprehensive 280 Group Optimal

Product Process. You’ll learn about every important task and all the core skills required

to manage products effectively. Each phase of the framework and the tasks for both

Product Management and Product Marketing are covered in-depth. After you

complete the in-person training you will receive full access to the Certified Product

Manager – Online Course and Exam so you can review and retain the information that

you learned as well as prepare for the certification exam.

Online Courses and Certifications:

Certified Product Manager – Online Course and Exam

This online course covers all of the material from 280 Group’s in-person training,

Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing. The first section teaches the

flexible and comprehensive 280 Group Optimal Product Process™ and the second

section teaches you the remaining material necessary to pass the Certified Product

Manager exam. The course contains everything you need to get up to speed quickly,

master the core Product Management skills and get certified.

Optimal Product Process 280 Group 37

Appendix A -
Optimal Process Training

Certified Product Marketing Manager – Online Course and Exam

This online course covers all of the material from 280 Group’s in-person training,

Optimal Product Management and Product Marketing. The first section teaches the

flexible and comprehensive 280 Group Optimal Product Process and the second

section teaches you the remaining material necessary to pass the Certified Product

Marketing Manager exam. The course contains everything you need to get up to speed

quickly, master the core Product Marketing skills and get certified.

Templates:

Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit

9 Core Templates from the Optimal Product Process

The Product Management Lifecycle Toolkit is a set of corresponding templates that

map to the Optimal Product Process seven-phase framework. These templates are

included with and covered in our in-person training and online courses.
38 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix B - Creators of the

Optimal Product Process

Founder, 280 Group

Brian is the Founder of 280 Group. He is the author of six
bestselling books including Product Management for
Dummies and The Phenomenal Product Manager. He is the
former President of the Silicon Valley Product Management
Association (SVPMA) and was awarded the Association of
Brian Lawley International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM)
award for Thought Leadership in Product Management, and
has been featured on World Business Review and the Silicon
Valley Business Report. Prior to founding and running 280
Group, Brian spent many years working on innovative
products at world-leading companies, (Apple, Symantec,
Digidesign, Claris and Whistle as an employee and hundreds
of great companies as a consultant).
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 39

Director of Products and Services, 280 Group

Pamela is the Director of Products and Services with 280
Group and co-author of Product Management for Dummies.
She is a 25 year Product Management, Product
Marketing and international business veteran with extensive
full lifecycle experience in product definition, Product
Pamela Schure Marketing, business development, team and relationship
building and operational management. Prior to 280 Group,
she worked for multi-national companies such as Apple, Sun
Microsystems and Adaptec. She also enjoys working with
smaller teams and companies to ensure that they create and
maintain competitive differentiation with their products.
She combines strategic overviews with hands-on tactical
execution expertise to deliver excellent business
growth results.

Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group

Tom is an internationally recognized authority in Product
Management, Product Marketing, international business,
go-to-market strategies, business partnerships and
entrepreneurship. In his extensive experience, he has helped
start-ups through Fortune 500 companies create and launch
Tom Evans winning products and has led go-to market and business
development eorts in the US and global markets. Tom has
been responsible for successfully developing and
implementing Product Management and Product Marketing
methodologies at multiple companies. His industry
experience includes complex software solutions for
manufacturing, document management, call centers,
financial services, and project management.
40 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group

Roger has over 25 years of experience in high technology, first
working in development, project management, and business
development before finding his true passion – Product
Management. Roger has been leading Product Management
teams for the last 15 years, serving as Sr. Director or Vice
Roger Snyder President of Product Management at multiple firms. He was
a key contributor to the success and growth of Openwave,
increasing revenues in the core infrastructure business to
over $100M in 3 years. At Danger, Roger led the Product
Management team to expand the successful Sidekick
product line from a single product to multiple products
across multiple manufacturers, leading to the acquisition of
Danger by Microsoft.

Senior Principal Consultant and Trainer, 280 Group

Phil has executed assignments for US and non-US clients
with B2B products and services covering both applications
and infrastructure. His projects have covered the entire
product life cycle, including portfolio management and
pricing, writing market requirements documents, planning
Phil Burton product launches and creation of sales tools. Phil has trained
thousands of 280 Group customers in principles and best
practices of Product Management and Product Marketing.
Prior to consulting Phil had more than 25 years of hands-on
Product Management and Product Marketing
experience. He has worked for both established companies
such as Sun Microsystems, Novell Inc., Convergent
Technologies (acquired by Unisys), Octel (acquired by
Lucent Communications).
41 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix C -
Other 280 Group Press Books

Product Management for Dummies

The Definitive Guide to Product Management. By Brian
Lawley, Founder of 280 Group and Pamela Schure, 280 Group
Director of Products and Services.

The definitive guide to Product Management and a

must-read for any and all Product Managers. This book gives
you the tools to vastly increase your skill level and become
agreat Product Manager.

The Phenomenal Product Manager

The Product Manager’s Guide to Success, Job Satisfaction
and Career Acceleration. By Brian Lawley, Founder of 280
Group.

The Product Manager’s guide to success, job satisfaction and

career acceleration. Read what has made the best Product
Managers more successful and more satisfied with their
careers.
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 42

Appendix C -
Other 280 Group Press Books

Agile Excellence for Product Managers

Learn how to work more effectively with development teams
using Agile processes. By Greg Cohen, 280 Group consultant
and trainer.

A must-read for Product Managers making the switch to

Agile development, as well as Product Owners and project
managers looking for better ways to organize and
lead in their organizations.

Expert Product Management

Advanced Techniques, Tips and Strategies for Product
Management and Product Marketing. By Brian Lawley,
Founder of 280 Group.

Advanced techniques, tips and strategies for Product

Management and Product Marketing. Learn how to create
compelling roadmaps, run better beta programs, launches,
and get great product reviews.
43 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix D -
Business Case Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 1 5 Financial and Impact Analysis - 8

1.1 Problem Statement - 1 5.1 Summary - 8
1.2 Vision - 1 5.2 Break-Even Point - 8
1.3 Project Evaluation - 1 5.3 Resource Impact - 9
1.4 Risks - 1 5.4 Cannibalization - 10
1.5 Return On Investment - 1 5.5 Funding - 10
1.6 Recommendation - 2 6 Risk Analysis - 10
2 Problem and Opportunity - 2 7 Assumptions - 11
2.1 Problem Statement - 2 8 Open Issues - 11
2.2 Vision of the Solution - 2 9 Conclusions & Recommendations - 11
2.3 Current Alternative s- 2 9.1 Other Options - 11
2.4 Strategic Alignment and Business Value - 3 10 Governance - 12
2.5 Goals and Objectives - 3 10.1 Document Approval - 12
2.5.1 Key Performance Indicators - 3 10.2 Core Project Team - 13
2.6 Window of Opportunity - 3 11 Exhibits and Appendices - 13
2.7 Exit Strategy - 3 11.1 Glossary - 13
3 Market Landscape - 4 11.2 Profit and Loss Projection - 14
3.1 Overview - 4 11.3 Supporting data - 15
3.2 Trends - 4 11.4 External References - 15
3.3 Barriers to Entry - 4
4 Competitive Landscape - 5
4.1 Our Company - 5
4.1.1 Vision and Mission - 5
4.1.2 Goals and Objectives - 5
4.1.3 Values 5
4.1.4 Core Competencies - 5
4.1.5 Competitive Advantages - 6
4.1.6 Differentiation - 6
4.2 Competitors - 6
4.3 Competing Products - 7
4.4 Situational Analysis - 8
4.5 Product History - 8
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 44

Appendix D - Product Description

& Requirement Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
2 Personas - 4
2.1 Buyer Personas - 4
2.1.1 Financial Decision Maker (CFO) - 5
2.1.2 Technical Decision Maker (CIO) - 5
2.2 Users Personas - 6
2.2.1 Persona A - 6
2.2.2 Persona Example Tom - 7
3 Problem Scenarios - 8
3.1 Problem Scenarios #1 8
3.2 Problem Scenarios #2 - 9
4 Needs - 9
4.1 Functional - 11
4.2 Compatibility - 1
4.3 Security - 11
4.4 Performance - 11
4.5 Usability - 12
4.6 Operational - 12
4.7 Internationalization - 12
4.8 Documentation - 12
4.9 Support - 13
4.10 Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance - 13
4.11 Distribution and Packaging - 3
4.12 Miscellaneous - 13
5 Success Criteria - 13
6 Assumptions - 14
7 Open Issues - 14
8 Exhibits and Appendices - 14
8.1 Glossary - 14
8.2 Supporting data - 5
8.3 External References - 15
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 45

Appendix D - Market Needs

/Requirements Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
1.1 Product Vision - 4
1.2 Objectives - 4
1.3 Scope -4
1.4 Risks - 4
2 Features - 5
2.1 Functional - 6
2.2 Compatability -6
2.3 Security - 6
2.4 Performance - 6
2.5 Usability - 6
2.6 Operational - 6
2.7 Internationalization - 6
2.8 Documentation - 7
2.9 Support - 7
2.10 Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance - 7
2.11 Distribution and Packaging -7
2.12 Miscellaneous - 7
3 Architectural Vision - 7
4 High Level Scope - 8
4.1 Resources - 8
4.2 Tools - 8
4.3 Expected Release Date and Milestones - 8
5 Risk Analysis - 8
6 Assumptions - 9
7 Open Issues - 9
8 Conclusions and Recommendations - 9
8.1 Other Options - 10
9 Exhibits and Appendices - 10
9.1 Glossary - 10
9.2 Supporting Data - 10
9.3 External References - 11
 46 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix D -
Roadmap Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
1.1 Product Vision - 4
1.2 Strategy and Objectives - 4
1.3 Risks - 4
2 Roadmap - 4
3 Assumptions - 7
4 Open Issues - 7
5 Exhibits and Appendices - 7
5.1 Supporting data - 7
5.2 External References - 7
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 47

Appendix D -
Market Strategy Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4 9 Budget - 14

1.1 Strategy - 4 10 Risk Analysis - 15
1.2 Objectives - 4 11 Assumptions - 15
1.3 Risks - 4 12 Open Issues - 15
1.4 Recommendation - 4 13 Conclusions and - 15
2 Whole Product Offer - 4 13 Recommendations - 15
2.1 Features and Benefits - 5 14 Exhibits and Appendices - 16
2.2 Release Theme - 5 14.1 Supporting data - 16
2.3 Strategic Alignment - 5 14.2 External References - 16
2.4 End of Life Issues - 6
3 Pricing - 6
4 Segmentation - 6
4.1 Market Segments - 6
4.2 Target Markets - 7
4.3 Targeted Audience - 8
5 Positioning - 8
5.1 Position Map - 8
5.2 Positioning Statement - 9
5.3 Portfolio Positioning - 10
6 Messaging - 10
6.1 Value Proposition - 10
6.2 Unique Selling Proposition - 10
6.3 Key Messages - 11
6.4 Channel and Partner
6.5 Messages - 11
6.6 Press/Analyst Messages - 11
6.7 Elevator Pitch - 11
72 Tag Line - 12
7.1 Strategy - 12
7.2 Go-to-Market Strategy - 12
7.3 Leadership Evidence - 13
7.4 Company Alignment - 13
Barriers to Entry - 14
 48 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix D -
Beta Program Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
2 Goals and Objectives - 4
3 Recruiting customers - 4
3.1 Incentives to Participate - 4
4 Criteria for Starting the Program - 4
5 Schedule and Deliverables - 5
5.1 Support - 5
6 Budget - 5
75 Success Criteria - 5
8 Risk Analysis - 5
9 Assumptions - 6
10 Open Issues - 6
11 Governance - 6
11.1 Document Approval - 7
11.2 Core Project Team - 8
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 49

Appendix D -
Launch Plan Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
1.1 Product Description - 4
1.2 Target Audience - 4
1.3 Key Messages - 4
2 Critical Success Factors - 4
2.1 Critical Dates and Milestones - 5
2.2 Internal Commitments and Owners - 5
3 Marketing Communications Plan - 5
3.1 Milestones - 6
4 Financials - 7
4.1 Marketing Mix - 7
4.2 Launch Budget and ROI - 7
5 Risk Analysis - 8
6 Assumptions - 8
7 Open Issues - 9
8 Governance - 9
8.1 Document Approval - 9
8.2 Core Project Team - 10
 50 280 Group Optimal Product Process

Appendix D -
Marketing Plan Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
1.1 Situation Analysis - 4
1.2 Key Objective(s) - 4
1.3 Key Strategy and Approach - 4
1.4 Risks - 4
1.5 Return On Investment - 4
1.6 Recommendation - 5
2 Situation Analysis - 5
2.1 Market Landscape - 5
2.2 History - 5
2.3 Opportunity - 5
2.4 Resources - 5
3 Marketing Objectives and Strategy - 6
3.1 Objectives - 6
3.2 Marketing Strategy - 6
3.3 Target Markets - 6
3.4 Considerations - 7
4 Program Mix - 7
4.1 Branding/Messaging - 7
4.2 Advertising - 7
4.3 Social Media Plan - 7
4.4 Public Relations - 8
4.5 Direct Mail - 8
4.6 Trade Shows & Events - 8
4.7 Channel - 8
4.8 Timeline - 8
4.9 Deliverables - 9
5 Budget and ROI - 11
6 Governance - 11
6.1 Document Approval - 11
6.2 Core Project Team - 12
Optimal Product Process 280 Group 51

Appendix D -
End of Life Plan Table of Contents

Appendix D: The Nine Key Optimal Product Process Documents

1 Executive Summary - 4
2 Overview - 4
2.1 Product Description - 4
3 Audiences - 4
3.1 Employees - 4
3.2 Outside Resellers - 4
3.3 Customers - 5
3.4 Public - 5
4 Product Discontinuance - 5
4.1 Sell-Off Product To Another Company - 5
4.2 Spin-Out Product via IPO - 5
4.3 Continued Sale for Limited Time - 6
4.4 Near-term Product Shutdown - 6
5 EOL Announcement Plan - 6
5.1 Dates - 6
5.2 Manufacturing Plan - 7
5.3 Spare parts supply plan - 7
5.4 Upgrade Assistance - 7
5.5 Customer Support Options - 7
5.6 Technical Support Plan - 7
5.7 Compatibility - 8
5.8 Recycling/Disposition Guidelines - 8
5.9 Trade-In or Upgrade Programs - 8
6 Critical Success Factors - 8
6.1 Corporate Website Update - 8
6.2 Critical Dates and Milestones - 9
7 Risk Analysis - 9
8 Open Issues - 9
9 Governance - 10
9.1 Document Approval - 10
9.2 Core Project Team - 11