As a product manager, your entire job revolves around deciding what you need to do next, in other words, having a product strategy. Successful product strategy means balancing all factors such as internal capabilities, competitive landscape, user needs and available opportunities. Moharyar discusses these challenges and provides a few simple frameworks one can apply to assess which direction to take to ensure the overall success of their product.
Moharyar has over 5 years’ experience as a product manager, working for companies such as Apple, Bell and Loblaw Digital. Moharyar is passionate about early stage start-ups and is a lead instructor for Product Management at BrainStation. His background in engineering, combined with his Master's in Business Administration from Queen's University, has allowed him to develop a deep understanding of product management. Moharyar blogs on popular Product concepts and at one point was the number 1 “Most Viewed Author” on Minimum Viable Product on Quora.
You can find Moharyar on Twitter @MoeAli454
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3. EDUCATION
WORK
Queen's University
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
University of Waterloo
Bachelor of Science, Mechatronics Engineering
iPhone Operations Intern
Apple
4. EDUCATION
WORK
Queen's University
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
University of Waterloo
Bachelor of Science, Mechatronics Engineering
iPhone Operations Intern
Apple
WORK
Product Manager, Big Data Services
Bell
6. WORK
Product Manager, Big Data Services
Bell
STARTUP
Co-Founder & CEO
Plate Labs
WORK
Senior Product Manager
Loblaw Digital
7. STARTUP
Co-Founder & CEO
Plate Labs
WORK
Senior Product Manager
Loblaw Digital
WORK
Lead Instructor - Product Management
BrainStation
8. WORK
Senior Product Manager
Loblaw Digital
WORK
Lead Instructor - Product Management
BrainStation
WORK
Founder & CEO
Product IQ
productiqL E A R N T H E B E S T. F R O M T H E B E S T.
9. WORK
Lead Instructor - Product Management
BrainStation
WORK
Founder & CEO
Product IQ
productiqL E A R N T H E B E S T. F R O M T H E B E S T.
10. People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to
focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to
the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick
carefully. I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the
things we have done. Innovation is saying "no" to 1,000 things.
STEVE JOBS
13. BUSINESS
TECHUX
I’ve always defined product management as the intersection between business,
technology and user experience. A good product manager must be experienced in
at least one, passionate about all three, and conversant with practitioners in all.
MARTIN ERIKSSON
Founder, Product Tank
14. There are known knowns. These are things we know that we
know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things
that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown
unknowns. These are things we don't know we don't know.
DONALD RUMSFELD
22. PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
BUSINESS
MODEL
CANVAS
The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management template
for developing new or documenting existing business models. It is
a visual chart with elements describing a product's value
proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances.
23. PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
BUSINESS
MODEL
CANVAS
The Product IQ Framework is a lean startup template that helps
you assess the end-to-end viability of new business models or
major changes in strategic direction. The framework covers
analysis of the customer, product, company and competition.
25. BUSINESS
MODEL
CANVAS
$
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PARTNERS
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CUSTOMER
SEGMENTS
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KEY RESOURCES
)
CORE
STRUCTURE
REVENUE
STREAMS
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CHANNELS
*
! ++
26. $
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KEY
PARTNERS
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PROPOSITIONS
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CUSTOMER
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KEY RESOURCES
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STRUCTURE
REVENUE
STREAMS
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CHANNELS
*
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BUSINESS
MODEL
CANVAS
28. ,
-
.
/
COMPETITION
CUSTOMER
PRODUCT
COMPANY
• Segment size and market share
• Growth rates
• Trend
IDENTIFY SEGMENTS
• Identify key needs of each segment
NEEDS
• Identify price points and price elasticity/sensitivity
PRICE SENSITIVITY
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
29. ,
-
.
/
COMPETITION
CUSTOMERS
PRODUCT
COMPANY
• What's your hypothesis?
• What's your unfair advantage to win in the market?
UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
• How will you reach your end user?
DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
• Could you increase differentiation (from a feature perspective)?
COMMODITY OR DIFFERENTIABLEPRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
30. ,
-
.
/
COMPETITION
CUSTOMERS
PRODUCT
COMPANY
• How will you reach your "buyer"? (B2C buyer = user)
SALES CHANNEL
• In tech, typically suppliers are developers/marketers
SUPPLIER POWER
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
• Can you build it (tech)?
• Can you sell it (market/sales)?
CAPABILITIES & EXPERTISE
39. CUSTOMER!
Segment size and marketshare, growth
rates, trend
Identify Segments
Needs
What'
a
Three main segments:
1. Candidate Experience (Job Tracking)
2. Corp. Recruitment (costs employers 1.4 time salary $50K)
3. Retail Recruitment (costs employers 16% of salary ~$4K)
New space, so market share and growth rates are difficult to
access, but trending up based on investments
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
40. Segment size and marketshare, growth
rates, trend
Identify key needs of each segment
Needs
Identify price points and price elasticity/
sensitivity
Price Sensitivity
What'
a
Ho
Could
C
3. Retail Recruitment (costs employers 16% of salary ~$4K)
New space, so market share and growth rates are difficult to
access, but trending up based on investments
1. Candidate Experience (Job Tracking)
Save time, better candidate experience
2. Corporate Recruiting
Better, faster employees hired
3. Retail/Sales Recruitment
Save time - extremely high number of applications for these jobs
"It's harder to get a job at McDonalds (6.2% acceptance rate) Than to
Get into Harvard (7% acceptance rate)" (Businessweek)
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
42. CUSTOMER PRODUCT" #
ze and marketshare, growth
rates, trend
dentify Segments
Needs
What's your hypothesis? what's your unfair
advantage to win in the market?
Unfair Advantage
Distribution Channel
Ca
H
nts:
ence (Job Tracking)
nt (costs employers 1.4 time salary $50K)
nt (costs employers 16% of salary ~$4K)
ket share and growth rates are difficult to
g up based on investments
nce (Job Tracking)
didate experience
ng
ees hired
itment
- Hypothesis: For sales/customer service jobs facial
interaction can be a used as a predictor of job success
- IBM Watson tech can quantify facial interactions and provide
quantitative measurements, something that previously can
only be done by human intuition
- Very well suited for the high number of applications received
for sales/customer service/retail jobs
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
43. ze and marketshare, growth
rates, trend
ey needs of each segment
Needs
e points and price elasticity/
sensitivity
Price Sensitivity
What's your hypothesis? what's your unfair
advantage to win in the market?
How will you reach your end user?
Distribution Channel
Could you increase differentiation (from a
feature perspective)?
Commodity or differentiable
Ca
H
In tech
nt (costs employers 16% of salary ~$4K)
ket share and growth rates are difficult to
g up based on investments
nce (Job Tracking)
didate experience
ng
ees hired
itment
y high number of applications for these jobs
b at McDonalds (6.2% acceptance rate) Than to
acceptance rate)" (Businessweek)
erately sensitive ($$)
ng = Moderately sensitive ($$)
very sensitive ($),however, higher volume
- IBM Watson tech can quantify facial interactions and provide
quantitative measurements, something that previously can
only be done by human intuition
- Very well suited for the high number of applications received
for sales/customer service/retail jobs
App Store/Web - costs almost nothing to reach billions of
users
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
44. oductIQ. All Rights Reserved.
productiqLEARN THE BEST. FROM THE BEST.
ey needs of each segment
e points and price elasticity/
sensitivity
Price Sensitivity
How will you reach your end user?
Could you increase differentiation (from a
feature perspective)?
Commodity or differentiable
H
In tech
ees hired
itment
y high number of applications for these jobs
b at McDonalds (6.2% acceptance rate) Than to
acceptance rate)" (Businessweek)
erately sensitive ($$)
ng = Moderately sensitive ($$)
very sensitive ($),however, higher volume
App Store/Web - costs almost nothing to reach billions of
users
Job Tracking = Moderately sensitive ($$)
Corporate Recruiting = Moderately sensitive ($$)
Retail Recruiting = very sensitive ($),however, higher volume
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
45. PRODUCT COMPANY# $
hypothesis? what's your unfair
ge to win in the market?
nfair Advantage
you reach your end user?
tribution Channel
Can you build it (tech)? Can you sell it
(market/sales)?
Capabilities & Expertise
How will you reach your "buyer"?
B2C buyer = user
Sales Channel
Mar
Do you
es/customer service jobs facial
used as a predictor of job success
an quantify facial interactions and provide
ements, something that previously can
man intuition
r the high number of applications received
service/retail jobs
osts almost nothing to reach billions of
- Tech partner is IBM Watson
- Leveraging existing Watson APIs
- CEO has direct sales experience
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
46. hypothesis? what's your unfair
ge to win in the market?
you reach your end user?
tribution Channel
crease differentiation (from a
ature perspective)?
odity or differentiable
Can you build it (tech)? Can you sell it
(market/sales)?
How will you reach your "buyer"?
B2C buyer = user
Sales Channel
In tech, typically suppliers are developers/
marketers
Supplier Power
Mar
Do you
Can
an quantify facial interactions and provide
ements, something that previously can
man intuition
r the high number of applications received
service/retail jobs
osts almost nothing to reach billions of
erately sensitive ($$)
g = Moderately sensitive ($$)
ery sensitive ($),however, higher volume
- "Buyer" for Knockri would be the store manager/recruiter,
where as users are both the store manager and applicants.
- If a retailer uses Knockri, all applicants applying to that
retailer would have to use the platform which is great for
growth.
- Tech partner is IBM Watson
- Leveraging existing Watson APIs
- CEO has direct sales experience
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
47. productiqLEARN THE BEST. FROM THE BEST.
you reach your end user?
crease differentiation (from a
ature perspective)?
odity or differentiable
How will you reach your "buyer"?
B2C buyer = user
In tech, typically suppliers are developers/
marketers
Supplier Power
Do you
Can
osts almost nothing to reach billions of
erately sensitive ($$)
g = Moderately sensitive ($$)
ery sensitive ($),however, higher volume
where as users are both the store manager and applicants.
- If a retailer uses Knockri, all applicants applying to that
retailer would have to use the platform which is great for
growth.
- Very difficult and expensive to get developers
- AI talent is even harder
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
48. COMPANY COMPETITION$
uild it (tech)? Can you sell it
(market/sales)?
abilities & Expertise
you reach your "buyer"?
Sales Channel
Marketshare concentration, monopoly
Competitive Rivalry
Do you need to worry about new entrants?
Barriers to Entry
i would be the store manager/recruiter,
both the store manager and applicants.
nockri, all applicants applying to that
M Watson
g Watson APIs
es experience
- Lots of new players coming into the market.
- Most have "beta" on their site suggesting industry is in
nascent stage. Competitors include: Mya.ai, Tara.ai,
Estherbot.ai, recruitment.ai, Olivia.ai
- No major saturation in industry, most focused on Segment
1 and 2.
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
49. uild it (tech)? Can you sell it
(market/sales)?
you reach your "buyer"?
B2C buyer = user
Sales Channel
ally suppliers are developers/
marketers
Supplier Power
Marketshare concentration, monopoly
Do you need to worry about new entrants?
Barriers to Entry
Can you differentiate yourself based on
brand?
Brand Loyalty & Replicable
i would be the store manager/recruiter,
both the store manager and applicants.
nockri, all applicants applying to that
to use the platform which is great for
M Watson
g Watson APIs
es experience
xpensive to get developers
arder
nascent stage. Competitors include: Mya.ai, Tara.ai,
Estherbot.ai, recruitment.ai, Olivia.ai
- No major saturation in industry, most focused on Segment
1 and 2.
- Since the space is new, someone could beat Knockri to
market.
- In AI, better algorithm is key to better results and algorithm
improves with data (as it learns)
- Knockri's barrier to entry would significantly improve if they
can get a ton of data by getting more users on their platform
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
50. productiq.io
you reach your "buyer"?
B2C buyer = user
ally suppliers are developers/
marketers
Supplier Power
Do you need to worry about new entrants?
Can you differentiate yourself based on
brand?
Brand Loyalty & Replicable
both the store manager and applicants.
nockri, all applicants applying to that
to use the platform which is great for
xpensive to get developers
arder
- In AI, better algorithm is key to better results and algorithm
improves with data (as it learns)
- Knockri's barrier to entry would significantly improve if they
can get a ton of data by getting more users on their platform
- No brand loyalty yet as start-up is new, however,
partnership with IBM provides credibility.
- Additionally, initial customer base (recognizable retailers
signed up to try the platform) provides some credibility
PRODUCT IQ
FRAMEWORK
59. MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT
The Minimum Viable Product is the version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount
of validated learning about customers with the least effort.
66. Hello world.
It’s not that we forgot to put in that feature,
we hadn’t figured out how to do it well,
so we didn’t include it at all.
JONY IVE
MVE