Webinar: How to Build & Manage a System Product by Amazon Sr PM

Summary

In this webinar, Senior Product Manager at AWS, Nit Ja Nen, shares his journey from an engineer to a product manager and delves into the intricacies of building and managing system products. He discusses the complexities of system products, emphasizing the importance of early and accurate planning, multi-disciplinary team coordination, and the challenges of hardware and software integration. Ja Nen also highlights the significance of compliance, packaging, and the balance between meeting customer demand and managing inventory. He concludes with key learnings, stressing the need for upfront planning, critical thinking, and focusing on controllable aspects to enhance customer experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Nit Ja Nen, a Senior Product Manager at AWS, shared his career transition from an engineer to a product manager, emphasizing the importance of gaining diverse experience.
• 🛠️ The webinar focused on system products, defined as anything with an electronic component, and the complexities involved in managing them, including coordination between hardware, software, firmware, and applications.
• 🚀 Nit highlighted the unique challenges of system products, such as the difficulty in pivoting from their original design, long development cycles, and the need for clear communication with management and teams.
• 💡 The importance of understanding the customer's needs and ensuring the product meets those needs was stressed, as system products cannot easily change their primary function post-launch.
• 📈 System product development requires significant upfront capital and a clear value proposition to justify the investment, often making them a core competency for a company.
• 🔄 The webinar discussed the iterative nature of system product development, with different layers (services, system software, hardware) having varying degrees of flexibility and the need for careful planning at each stage.
• 🔍 Nit emphasized the role of user testing and feedback in shaping the product, especially given the limited number of iterations possible with hardware products, and the use of 3D printing to facilitate this process.
• 🌐 The need for compliance with various standards (FCC, UL, RoHS) was highlighted, as non-compliance can delay product launches and incur additional costs.
• 🛑 The script touched on the importance of considering packaging from an ecological standpoint, noting the environmental impact of single-use plastics and the need for more sustainable options.
• 📦 Logistics, both forward and reverse, were identified as critical components of product planning, with the need to manage inventory, shipping, and returns carefully.
• 🔗 Finally, Nit concluded with key learnings, including the necessity for upfront planning, the importance of user testing, the high cost of deviation from the plan in system products, and the focus on controllable aspects to improve customer experience.

Q & A

What is the career progression of the speaker from engineering to product management?

The speaker started as a software engineer in 2004, focusing on C/C++ code for network systems. They pursued a master's degree in electrical engineering and joined Intel as a systems researcher. After realizing the long R&D cycle, they transitioned to a product architect role for laptop and desktop teams. Eventually, they became aware of the product manager role and transitioned to it, becoming a lead product manager for the smart home team at Intel before joining AWS as a product manager.

What is the speaker's current role at AWS?

The speaker is currently a senior product manager at AWS, working with the Snow Services team on Snow Service products, which are edge computing boxes designed to run cloud workloads in disconnected environments.

Why did the speaker feel that product management was the right fit for them?

The speaker felt that product management was the right fit because they wanted to be closer to the product and have a more immediate impact. They realized this after spending over five years in research and development at Intel, where they saw the long cycle from invention to product realization.

What are the unique challenges of managing system products compared to software products?

System products have unique challenges such as longer development cycles due to hardware involvement, the need for coordination between hardware, software, firmware, and applications, and the difficulty of pivoting the product from its original design. Unlike software, system products cannot easily change their core function once released.

How does the speaker define a system product in the context of this webinar?

In the context of this webinar, a system product is defined as anything that has an electronic component in it, such as smart locks, smart coffee makers, or smart cars. These products require coordination between embedded systems, Bluetooth, security mechanisms, and applications.

What are some key considerations when planning for a system product?

Key considerations include understanding the long development cycle of hardware, the need for clear communication with management and teams, managing multiple stakeholders and work streams, and the significant upfront capital expense required for development and manufacturing.

Why is it important for product managers to focus on value-added services for system products?

Focusing on value-added services is important because it can increase the overall net margin for the product, help subsidize hardware development costs, and build lasting brand loyalty by keeping customers engaged for a longer period. It also allows for the extraction of more mileage from customers.

How does the speaker suggest product managers approach the planning of system products?

The speaker suggests that product managers should approach planning by considering the different layers of a system product, such as services, system software, and hardware. They should focus on where they can iterate more and where they cannot, and plan accordingly.

What role does compliance play in the development and launch of system products?

Compliance plays a crucial role as system products must meet various safety and electromagnetic interference standards to be shipped into different countries. Non-compliance can lead to delays and additional costs, making it an essential consideration from the early stages of product development.

How does the speaker address the importance of packaging in the context of system products?

The speaker highlights the importance of packaging as it impacts customer experience and ecological responsibility. They encourage product managers to raise the bar on ecologically sound packaging and consider the environmental impact of single-use plastics.

What are some key learnings from the webinar regarding the management of system products?

Key learnings include the need for months of upfront planning and alignment, the importance of user testing and understanding the target customers, the critical nature of compliance in product development, the necessity of managing the entire supply chain including forward and reverse logistics, and the continuous iteration and improvement of the product based on customer feedback.