The event attracted about 200 participants from 30 local companies, including product managers, entrepreneurs and various technology professionals. For those who did not make it to the event, in this article we offer an overview of the most important lessons and ideas offered by product management experts.
The Product Management Conference 2023 was dedicated to community and support
The event partners created a favourable basis for the professional development of product managers. We appreciate the participation of training platforms such as Skillbox, IAMPM and Pivotal by Dreamups, which provided valuable learning opportunities. In addition, the conference was supported by two leading players in the development of the product management field in Moldova, namely: the Future Technologies project, funded by USAID, Sweden and UKAid, which through vision and support contributes to the active development of this industry in Moldova; and Moldova Innovation Technology Park, an advocate of unlocking the potential of product management in the IT sector.
The organising team and co-founders of Product Management Community Moldova had a fantastic experience
"Product Management Conference 2023 was an event full of valuable content and great people. I would like to thank all the attendees, our trusted partners, in particular Future Technologies Project, MITP and Tekwill, the organising team, speakers and family members for their unconditional support and encouraging words. We are proud to host exceptional speakers from world-class companies such as Google, Amazon, Spotify and Bolt. We also value the development of our local talent such as Ina Botnaru, Sava Virtosu, Serghei Komarov, Alexei Ciobanu. Thanks to Product Management Community Moldova, together we provide opportunities for growth and tangible success," said Mary Nemciuc, CEO of Technovator and co-founder of Product Management Community Moldova.
"We are all part of a community that is committed to advancing and improving product management. Product Management Conference 2023 was a testament to our shared passion for the field and our commitment to continuous learning. I am truly proud of what we have achieved together, and we will continue to innovate and improve the world of product management. When the entire team involved in product development excels, the quality of products in Moldova becomes much higher and the focus is on users/consumers, not just profit. We continue to create opportunities for improvement," - Elena Pavlovskaia, co-founder of Product Management Community Moldova and Senior Product Manager in Portside, founder of Techdoor.md
Lessons to pass on and insights from top product management professionals
At the conference, guest speakers, professionals and experts in product management, shared their product development experiences, challenges and successes, skills needed by a product manager, etc. Here are just a few of the lessons and tips offered:
Leon Barrett, Senior Product Manager at Amazon.comspoke on "Solving customer problems through results-oriented product management". According to Leon, we can be guided by three basic principles:
- Results-oriented thinking;
- rapid prototyping;
- Agile Delivery.
"Sometimes it takes time to find ways to achieve expected results, but that comes with a lot of observation and customer insight," Leon emphasised.
Sava Virtosu, Senior Software Engineer at Spotify, shared his invaluable experience on how to cultivate a product engineer mindset in teams. Here are the key insights:
- Clearly define your mission;
- A common goal unites and guides the team;
- Organisation is the foundation of productivity;
- Collaborate cross-functionally to gain diverse perspectives;
- Use a user-centred mindset;
- Encourage constructive confrontation.
Mikhail Shcheglov, Product Manager, Bolt Group of Companies, inspirationally conducted an interview with PM. In addition to discussing pitfalls to avoid, he highlighted three fundamental steps for success:
- Product Design;
- Product Performance;
- Product Strategy.
"Do you feel excitement? That's normal. But here's the secret: approach your role as a product manager with unwavering focus. Treat it like running a business - with knowledge, problem solving and strategic thinking," Michael advised.
Horia Niculescu, Customer Engineer at Google, spoke on "The journey to a 1bn user base and the benefits of cloud technology for product management". He explained that artificial intelligence can make product management easier, but it's not just about having AI in your product, it's also about the art of integrating it.
Andrey Brad, Co-founder & COO at RisersNethe urged product managers not to focus on problems, but to look for new opportunities to develop their product. "Every interaction with your product is an opportunity to learn from your users," emphasised Andrey.
Inna Botnaru, Product Manager at WachangaMs. Wachanga introduced a concept that works at Wachanga - focussed, systematic meetings with the product management team. At these meetings, she presents her data-driven hypotheses, receives immediate feedback from experts from different disciplines, and participates in discussions that lead to immediate and concrete recommendations. Inna is convinced: "Together we can achieve more than we can alone".
Sergey Komarov, Head of Digital Banking and Big Data, spoke on "The Art of Product Design: Shaping Customer Decisions". According to Sergey, a well placed call to action in the design can influence our actions, guiding us to make decisions.
Alexei Ciobanu, Head of Product Management at Wisecubeemphasised the importance of aligning sales with product development. "It's not just about individual problems, but about creating business-oriented solutions. Standing out in a crowded market is the ultimate goal," emphasised Alexey.
The Product Management 2023 conference was organised by Product Management Community Moldova, established within Technovator, a non-governmental organisation whose mission is to identify local talent for the development and implementation of innovations. The conference is supported by the Future Technologies Project, funded by USAID, Sweden and UKAid. Partners: Moldova Innovation Technology Park, Tekwill, Simpals, IAMPM, Techdoor.md.
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