The Heretech

And yet it moves

As you might have heard already, Forrester analysts such as Yours Truly have been asked to move our external blogs in-house. I've already been cross-posting at the official Forrester blog for product managers and product marketers, so just point your browser there and voila! the conversation will continue. The Forrester blogs are organized by analyst and team, which means that you can read entries by an individual analyst like me, or by the entire team serving the product manager/product marketer role.

As for The Heretech podcast, I'll be reconstituting it eventually, but at this point, I have no idea how that process will work. While I figure out the right approach, the podcast will be on hiatus. For your convenience, I've re-posted the announcements for all 35 episodes, to make sure that they all appear in the feed, and by extension, in iTunes. 

What does this change mean for the content? Very little. You might not see as many in-jokes about Jansenism or the filioque clause, but I'll still be saying the same things about the technology industry, product management, product marketing, Agile, and social media. A heretic's a heretic, no matter where he lives.

The Heretech, episode 35: Jim Holland on executives and PM

Jim Holland of Mission Creek Partners and I discuss the relationship between PM and executives in technology companies. What do executives really want from the PM team? Plus, some recent news about this week's Forrester open house, and this month's Product Camps in Silicon Valley and Texas. (c) 2010 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 34: Jonathan Penn on security

Forrester analyst Jonathan Penn describes nature of security threats, and how they affect tech industry company's product strategy. Will security ever not be in the top 3 IT concerns? Does that represent an opportunity for security start-ups, or not? Plus, newly-published research on the demographics of technology adoption, and the lessons of the movie Avatar for tech industry professionals. (c) 2010 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 33: Chor-Ching Fan's major mash-ups

Chor-Ching Fan of Jackbe tells us how to build good mash-ups, the reasons for their adoption, and the kinds of solutions that are good fits for mash-ups. Plus, some quick research news (the Agile adoption doc is published!), and a great article on the value of failure. (c) 2010 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 32: Brian Lawley on the PM profession

Brian Lawley of the 280 Group tells us how the PM profession has changed, and what it takes to be an exceptional PM. Plus, advice for taking your application to a social networking platform like Facebook. (c) 2010 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 31: Mike Marfise on innovation

After an unintended hiatus, we're back! This week, Mike Marfise of Jive Software tells us how the tech industry's understanding of innovation has matured. Plus, a good example of how to use social media to share product details and plans with your customers. (c) 2010 Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 30: Cisco's myPlanNet serious game

Stephen Liu and Petra Neiger of Cisco explain how their serious game, myPlanNet, illustrates Cisco's 25 years in the networking business. And it's an amazingly successful marketing tool. Plus, a quick pointer to a site that suggests how to get lots and lots of user-generated content. (c) 2009 Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 29: Marie Kalliney on an innovative PM teamThe Heretech, episode 29: Marie Kalliney on an innovative PM team

Our guest, Marie Kalliney of Ultimate Software, describes their innovative PM team structure that just makes sense. Plus, some quick news about the PM open house and upcoming research. I also ponder a curious omission in some corners of the blogosphere. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

Heretech podcast on vacation this week

But we'll be back next week, as usual.

The Heretech, episode 28: April Dunford on product marketing

April Dunford, who writes the blog Rocket Watcher, explains the product marketing challenges in the tech industry, and the special problems facing startups. We also talk about how PMs can embrace social media without a huge hit to their schedule. Plus, a juicy tidbit from the upcoming research document on requirements. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 27: Rob Koplowitz on SharePoint adoption

Forrester's Rob Koplowitz tells us how organizations adopt SharePoint, and the lessons learned for other technology vendors. But first, a recap of last week's open house on "social product management," and some musings on the product strategy for Google Wave. (c) 2009 Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 26: Brian Drummond on Agile at Yahoo!

Brian Drummond tells us how Agile adoption worked at Yahoo! How did it start? How did different teams share best practices? How do you make Agile the status quo in a big software company? Plus, news of the first PM open house at the Forrester office in Foster City, CA. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 25: Val Workman on the profession of PM

Val Workman of Ryma technologies talks about the professionalization of product management, by way of a visit to the metaphorical zoo. Oh, and Frank Capra is there, too. (You have to listen to the interview to understand.) Plus, for this week's review, I put my personal agony with a popular application on display for all to see. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 24: Ellen Gottesdiener on building better requirements

Ellen Gottesdiener of EGB Consulting tells us why requirements depend more on group dynamics than templates. On a related front, where are the cross-industry requirements blogs? (c) 2009 Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 23: Catherine Connor on PM, CRM, and Agile

Catherine Connor and I talk about customer insights--how Agile adoption changes their significance, and how CRM systems can provide them. Plus, a review of one of the best little blogs about the best little innovations in the SaaS world. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech is taking the week off

I've had a massive amount of end-of-Q3 work to do, so the podcast is on hold until next week, when it will return to its regularly scheduled broadcasting schedule. I'll also pick up where I left off, blogging-wise, later this week.

Links to things I've reviewed

I've done a long-overdue housekeeping task, adding links to everything I've reviewed on the weekly Heretech podcast. Look for them to the right at the bottom of the column immediately to the right.

The Heretech, episode 22: Alex Bender on inbound social media

This week, our guest is a prime example of "inbound" social media, used to make smarter product decisions. Alex Bender of Archer Technologies describes how their community helps with the entire release cycle, from starting with the generation of good ideas. And whaddaya know, there's another research document, by Yours Truly, about this topic in the Forrester publication queue. Finally, if you're looking for a primer on Lean approaches to development and delivery, look no further than this week's review. Copyright (c) Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 21: Steven Haines on PM as a profession

This week, Steven Haines, author of The Product Manager's Desk Reference, discusses the growth of PM as a profession, and the harmonic convergence that led him to found Sequent Learning. Plus, if you don't know who Karl Popper is, maybe you're in the wrong job. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 20: Luke Hohmann on serious gaming

This week, Luke Hohmann of Enthiosys tells us why people in the tech industry should take games seriously as a way of generating ideas and understanding customers. Or would you rather roll the dice and hope you're building the product that people want to use and buy? Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 19: Steve Johnson on PM, pre- and post-Agile

Hot on the heels of Agile 2009, I talk with Steve Johnson of Pragmatic Marketing, who has been training PMs for over a decade. Steve gives his overview of the PM track at Agile 2009, and I give a quick review of the event. (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 18: Mary Gerush on requirements

This week, Forrester analyst Mary Gerush and I discuss product requirements, business analysts, and product managers. Plus, news from Day One of Agile 2009, and a review of a blog series on the future of publishing that should have known when to stop. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 17: Rich Mironov on Agile PM

This week, Rich Mironov of Enthiosys tells us what happens when the two worlds of Agile and product management collide. Plus, a look ahead at the Agile 2009 conference, a reminder about the two surveys we're running, and musings on why technology coverage in mainstream newspapers generally stinks. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 16: Stefan Ried on cloud computing

Stefan Ried and I discuss cloud computing, the technology and the business model. Plus, news of two surveys, and a prime example of inbound social media. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

And now, back to your regularly scheduled podcast

I really tried to get time to finish this week's Heretech podcast. Really, really tried. But it didn't happen. On Monday, we'll have the next exciting episode, in which Stefan Ried and I talk about cloud computing technological platforms and business models.

The Heretech, episode 15: Cindy Alvarez on market development

Cindy Alvarez, ace product manager and fellow blogger, tells us why it's hard for tech companies to build a products that are easy to use. We also discuss product manager's responsibilities for identifying new markets. 

Plus, a review of a fascinating book about a highly successful tech company, and the requirements survey is underway!  Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant.

The Heretech, episode 14: Israel Gat on Agile adoption

In this episode, Israel Gat illuminates the ways in which Agile adoption depends on organizational and cultural factors. We also muse about Helmut von Moltke, 19^th century military Agilist. (Go look it up!)

Plus, a brief review of an even briefer document about innovation in “knowledge-creating” companies, and a heads-up about some upcoming survey research about product requirements and Agile adoption. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, Episode 13: Dave West on Agile adoption

Dave West, fellow Forrester analyst, tells us how and why Agile adoption has spread. We ponder the ailments of software development that inspired Agile, and we discuss the overlap among Agile, Lean, and other methodologies. Plus, a thumbs up to a good PM blog, and news of social media research. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 12: Saeed Khan on the PM role

Saeed Khan of the "On Product Management" blog identifies the dangers of defining product management the wrong way. Plus, a quick review of some inspirational material about the political aspects of a PM's life. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech, episode 11: Laura Ramos on B2B marketing

Laura Ramos talks about how effective B2B marketing is a mix of old and new techniques. Plus, why even the best books on Agile are often not enough. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

Podcast follow-up: A movie recommendation

Here's the movie, Witnesses, that I recommended in this week's podcast. For those of you who haven't listened to this week's episode of The Heretech podcast, I cite Witnesses as a great way of showing how hard it can be to understand people with whom you have the briefest of contacts. On top of that, the lack of information matters a great deal.

The movie is about the conflict between Croats and Serbs, but the moral applies to a  lot of situations.  For example, an enhancement request is a small piece of information that, because of its incompleteness, can be wholly misleading.

The Heretech, episode 10: The Cranky Product Manager speaks!

The Cranky Product Manager talks about the sources of crankiness, and not just for product managers. We've masked the CPM's voice to protect the satirized. Plus, a movie recommendation for anyone who thinks it's easy to understand what customers really want. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech podcast, episode 9: Adam Bullied

In this week's interview, Adam Bullied and I talk about product management, product strategy, and why PMs aren't mini-CEOs. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech podcast, episode 8

You've heard of the ubiquitous Ed Yoozer, measure of all technology design, but have you actually heard him? We rectify that gap with this week's interview. (Be sure to stick around for Yoozer's views on social media.) Plus, a short review of a small book on product requirements. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech podcast, episode 7

Jeff McKenna's role in the history of Agile is as long as it is deep. This week on the Heretech podcast, Jeff and I talk about Agile adoption in the technology industry, and why Agile is much more than just a process. Copyright (c) 2009 Tom Grant

The Heretech podcast, episode 6

In this week's episode, Stewart Rogers and I talk about the past, present, and future of product management as a profession. We also ponder why there are a surplus of smart Canadians. Plus, a quick review of two books on serious gaming and simulations as tools for innovation and insight.

The Heretech podcast, episode 5

In our fifth episode, John Rymer and I delve into the ramifications of the Oracle/Sun deal, with a special eye to what it means for the developer community. After that, I review The Product Manager's Desk Reference. Click here for the MP3.

The Heretech podcast, episode 4

This week, I interview Tim Harmon, senior analyst at Forrester, about channel partnerships in the tech industry, and the importance of SMBs during the economic crisis and recovery. We then match wits about tech industry history. Later, I recommend a great blog that demonstrates how product management is all a question of attitude. (And I promise, with God as my witness, this will be the last week of irritating audio glitches.) Click here for the MP3.

The Heretech podcast, episode 3

Forrester senior analyst Jennifer Belissent talks about how technology companies can tap emerging markets. Plus, tips for avoiding the potholes on the road to expanding business internationally. All that, and French language tips, in episode 3 of the Heretech podcast.

Podcast now available through iTunes

Here's the URL.

The Heretech podcast, episode 2

In this second episode, I interview Peter Burris, a principal analyst at Forrester Research. Peter leads a group of analysts (myself included) focused on product management and product marketing issues in the technology industry. Topics include community marketing, the real meaning of innovation (as opposed to invention), the effect of the economic crisis on the technology industry, and the mediocre genius of Lionel Richie.

The Heretech podcast, episode 1

In this inaugural episode, Tom interviews Oliver Young, senior analyst at Forrester Research, about social media and their growing role in B2B buying decisions.