Christoph Schneider

Some thoughts on versioning roles in startups: It is widely accepted that the team that starts a company is rarely the same team that scales it to a large or public entity. Yet in practice this transition is often treated as an unexpected anomaly at each step, causing internal tension and conflict that can be a major distraction to the company to say the least. What happens when the "hacker" CTO who built the v1 of a product is now needed to manage hundreds or thousands of engineers? They either get layered or pushed aside, or have leverage and stay in their role but hinder the company's growth – all of which cause internal strife and inefficiency. Yet, the "growth CTO" may lack the hacker mentality which is required for subsequent product innovation. If you subscribe to the 3 horizons model, you know that both of these CTOs are crucial to the company's future growth, since no company ever exists in a single homogenous stage of maturity. Segmenting roles by functional area is ubiquitous in today's business - CTO, COO, CMO, CSO, and so forth, but segmenting roles by maturity stage is almost unheard of. I have been thinking about this recently, and one of the ideas that comes to mind is formally versioning or staging roles. In software systems, it's very common to use multiple versions of a software package or ML model simultaneously, so perhaps companies, too, can benefit from a "CTO 1.0" and "CTO 2.0", or an "Horizon 1 CTO" and a "Horizon 2 CTO" or a "Pre PM-fit" and a "Post PM-fit" CTO working alongside each other, which is proactively reflected in their titles and responsibilities, rather than a reactive change once the gap between their skills and talents and the company's needs arises. -- I'm curious if there are businesses out there that have successfully addressed this issue in practice, so if you know of any examples please share them below 🙏🏻

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Let's talk about my least favourite topic - product roadmaps. Too often, I roadmaps are treated like some sacred scroll to be passed around to customers, hinting at mystical future features. 🙄 Or even worse, they are presented as full on promises or what’s coming and….. when. Ugh…. Newsflash: That's not what they're for. Well not in my mind anyway. A well-crafted roadmap isn't a list of promises or a crystal ball. It's a strategic tool that aligns your grand vision with the daily nitty-gritty of execution. It's about connecting the dots between: 👀 Your long-term vision and goals  🗓️ Annual themes that balance innovation and evolution 🎯 Quarterly priority projects that actually move the needle 🚀 Smart launch strategies that deliver real value So, next time someone asks to "see the roadmap," let's flip the script. Instead of handing over a document, start a conversation about strategy. Ask how we're turning big ideas into tangible outcomes. Discuss how we're balancing customer needs with business goals. A roadmap is a compass, not a contract. It's meant to guide us, challenge us, and keep us focused on what truly matters. #ProductStrategy #Roadmapping #RealTalk #ProductManagement

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🌟 Delving into the Dynamics of AI Product Management 🌟 Having recently immersed myself in the illuminating article "AI Product Management" penned by Marty Cagan and Marily Nika, I'm eager to share some key takeaways and reflections with you all. As a seasoned leader in the Facilities Management Software industry, I've had the privilege of spearheading transformative initiatives and guiding teams through periods of significant growth. Today, armed with insights from Cagan and Nika, I'm even more invigorated to navigate the dynamic world of AI Product Management, leveraging both my experience and passion for innovation. The article underscores the profound impact of emerging technologies like AI, urging leaders to navigate its complexities diligently while harnessing its full potential. In my journey as a product leader, I've learned to appreciate the delicate balance required between feasibility, usability, value, and viability in AI-powered products – pillars that are crucial for success and demand a deep understanding of technology, user needs, and ethical considerations. As we collectively chart the course for the future of product management, it's imperative to embrace the opportunities and challenges that AI presents. By fostering cultures of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning, we can collectively drive meaningful change and shape the trajectory of our industry. Join me as we embark on this journey to explore the frontiers of AI Product Management and pave the way for a future where innovation knows no bounds. #AIProductManagement #InnovationLeadership #FutureofProductManagement

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"Inspired" by Marty Cagan is one of the best digital product books I've ever read. In addition to the cool success stories he shares - many of them from companies/products you know and love - he emphasizes the importance of the product team, what "A" players look like in different key roles, and how they need to work together. He doesn't sugarcoat the process. Product development is hard work. But understanding how the best product teams in the world do it is a great starting place for you and your team. What are some of your favorite digital product/product development books?

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⛔ Product Leaders are NOT problem solvers. ✅ They ask questions to identify the right problem to solve. ✅ They bring the right people together who can solve it. What is your take on this topic? Let me know in the comments👇

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Finally - my review of Stephan 🚀 Schmidt's book. It is a short book with many good thoughts on the whole spectrum of a CTO's job, all general enough to immediately think about how those apply to one's situation - basically like a meditation.

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🚀 Exciting News: Virto Commerce Stable 9 Release is Here! 🚀 We are thrilled to announce the release of Virto Commerce Stable 9, bringing you the latest features and improvements we've worked on over the past four months. Here's a quick rundown of what's new: 🔥 New Features in Stable 9: * Push Messages - Seamlessly communicate with your customers either on Virto Commerce Fronted or through a Web Push. * Whitelabeling - Customize your platform to reflect your brand. * Skyflow - Unified user experience for Credit Card transactions across diverse payment providers. * Saved Credit Card - Simplified checkout process for repeat customers. * Shared Wishlist - Improve customer engagement with shared wishlists. * File Attachment XAPI - Better and Secure file handling capabilities for client applications. * Semantic and Hybrid Search with Elastic Search 8 - Advanced search functionalities. * Blue-Green Indexation for Elastic Search 8 and Azure Search - Minimize downtime and enhance search performance. * Quotes E2E - End-to-end quote management. * Custom Category Page with Builder.io - Flexible and customizable category pages. 🛠️ Plus: * Numerous UX enhancements * Bug fixes * Performance improvements 📰 Monthly News Digests: https://lnkd.in/dFAn6X9g https://lnkd.in/dYN9iKCD https://lnkd.in/dmq8HGAR https://lnkd.in/dJXaHHEE 📈 Virto Commerce Release Strategy: * Stable Releases: These are fully tested and production-ready versions. They include all the latest stable features and improvements. * Edge Releases: These versions preview upcoming features and enhancements. They allow early adopters to test and provide feedback before the features are finalized. #VirtoCommerce #Ecommerce #Stable9 #NewRelease #TechUpdates #Innovation

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A Product Roadmap is all but a wordy description of a bunch of features. It is a picture, as realistic as possible, of the desirable state of the world, after the job’s been well done.

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Bold opinion: 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀. 🤷🏽‍♀️ Or as I like to call them - "feature calendars". They fail, create communication and trust issues, and turn Product Leaders into "roadmap monkeys." I have been talking about this behind the curtains for a while but was brought to surface after hearing a podcast about the topic today and discussing within a PM group about the role of product roadmaps nowadays. 👀 Especially in smaller companies, where goals and priorities can shift rapidly, 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. One method I find effective and really enjoy using is the NOW, NEXT, LATER framework. Why? 𝟭. 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Enables quick adaptation to changing priorities, new opportunities, challenges, and market conditions without being constrained by a rigid long-term plan. 𝟮. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 Provides clear prioritization by organizing tasks into immediate, upcoming, and future phases, which sharpens focus on current priorities and enhances communication with stakeholders. 𝟯. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Aligns product development closely with current business objectives, while delivering tangible results in line with the company’s needs. 🫶🏼 Note: This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. We need to stop blindly adopting methodologies and instead tailor them to fit our unique company culture, team, process and product. #ProductManagement #ProductRoadmap #Startup #SaaS #Startup #Innovation

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"How do I write a good user story?" In today's video, we INVEST into writing a good user story. High-level, what does a good user story need beyond the usual pieces (request, context, acceptancr criteria, etc.)? If you have a question about product management, shoot me a DM. ✉️ I'm here to help! #productmanagement #productmanagers #careeradvice #askaquestion #askmeanything

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Dived into the realm of Digital Adoption for Internal Toolings a little bit. Thanks Pendo.io for the insightful certification course on all things digital adoption, IT portfolio management, and internal product management! #product #useradoption #productanalytics

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🚀 Introducing Layers in Eppo: Mutual Exclusion for Concurrent Experimentation! 🔬 Imagine needing to run several tests on the same product area without conflicts or degrading the user experience. I like the example of one experiment testing a red font color and another experiment testing a red background. You don't want a user seeing all red! More realistically, what if multiple teams have changes to the search algorithm they want to test? Instead of having to wait to test them sequentially, both tests can run in parallel. With Eppo Layers, you can easily: ✅ Set up a structured environment to isolate experiments ✅ Control traffic allocation and experiment ordering ✅ Exclude specific user groups (e.g., internal users) ✅ Roll out winning variations with a single click But wait, there's more! Eppo Layers also offers: 📊 Powerful statistical engines and guardrails for rigorous analysis 🔍 Automated diagnostics and traffic balance monitoring 💡 No-code variant creation with Parameters Layers empowers cross-functional collaboration, enabling teams like product and marketing to maximize learnings through disciplined, concurrent experimentation. 🤝 Whether you're an existing Eppo customer or new to our platform, Layers is a game-changer for your experimentation program. Request a demo today and unlock the power of structured, concurrent testing! 🚀 Thanks to the hard work of Sameeran Kunche Summer Tan Leo Romanovsky Sven Schmit https://lnkd.in/gVRx-cfT

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Fantastic guide on how to optimize existing products for growth - the only thing I disagree with is focusing on the number of steps, I think it's better to look at it from a mental load perspective, as sometimes multiple steps is fine if the steps are easy. Just don't make me think. https://lnkd.in/gRyjFptT

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How much time do you spend on testing? TestRigor users spend 95% less time on test maintenance than other tools. Standing out in the booming and increasingly competitive SaaS market means building a stellar product. And to do that, testing quickly and efficiently is non-negotiable. But let's be honest. Testing is complicated, time-consuming, and requires technical knowledge and coding expertise. But what if it doesn't have to be? testRigor simplifies testing with AI ⤵️ ➕ Get set up in just 5 minutes and start testing within an hour. ➕ User-friendly interface anyone can use, not just engineers. ➕ All tests are written in plain English, removing barriers. Saving you time and money while still ensuring your product is A+ Save even more with this free trial: https://lnkd.in/eRHBNFKh testRigor | AI-powered codeless test automation #AI #Automation #Technology #Future #Softwareengineering #Tech

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🌟 From Coding to Leading: A Developer's Journey 🌟 Are you passionate about Spryker development? Don't miss out on this interview with our brilliant community member Vasily Rodin, where he will be discussing topics that will be sure to inspire and inform you! 🔥💻 Topics to be covered include: * Vasily's developer journey * Learning curve and experience with Spryker * Advice for those eager to learn about Spryker * ...and much more! 📹 Watch the recording with Vasily and our host Samuel now and level up your Spryker game! Don't miss this opportunity to grow and excel in your development journey. Check out the video below to watch the interview! 👇 #Spryker #Development #Interview #Tech #Innovation #LearnAndGrow

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This new article is for PMs and POs to demistify couple of concepts related to product management like priorisation, strategy, risk management and research. Often thought of very complex things we are afraid to touch, while there are ways to fear not, and get started. Hope you'll find those helpful. #productmanagement #prioritization #frameworks #research #riskmanagement #backlog #strategy

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The global software testing industry is a $120bn market. $34bn of this is spent in Japan. Software defect density in Japan is 0.02% per KLOC. In the west it is > 1% per KLOC. Coincidence? See how you can increase your coverage 10x with 1/10th of the effort using AI Script Generation from Appvance.

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Been a while, but let's pick up from where we left off regarding systemization and frameworks. Here are some thoughts on key questions posed: - Systematization can be applied broadly, but the approach should align with task complexity and variability. Detailed guides suit standardized tasks, while dynamic tasks benefit from flexible frameworks allowing for judgment and improvisation. - Not every scenario benefits from systematization—tasks with clear inputs and outputs thrive, but unpredictable or creative challenges may require adaptability. Although with AI applications evolving, they're offering new perspectives. - Continuous framework improvement is vital—there's always room for enhancement, particularly with emerging technologies. Challenging and refining frameworks fosters more efficient processes. - Diverse problem-solving pathways exist, and a good framework accommodates various strategies. Embracing multiple approaches fuels innovation and prevents stagnation. - Creativity isn't hindered by frameworks if they allow for exploration. Balancing structure with creative freedom is crucial for nurturing innovation. Let me know your take on these in the comments. #Systemization #Frameworks #Innovation #Creativity #AI

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