The Sprint

A time-boxed period that lasts two to four weeks during which a specific amount of work is completed to achieve the Sprint Goal. Sprints are a fundamental part of Scrum, achieving a concrete towards the Product Goal with each sprint.

The Sprint includes 4 Scrum Events – Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review and the Sprint Retrospective.

Scrum Events Test Questions

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Confusion about the actual job of a Product Owner is very common, partly because the role is relatively new compared to that of a Business Owner, which has existed for decades. While the responsibilities of a Business Owner have been well-established over time, the emergence of the Product Owner role, particularly in the context of Agile methodologies, has introduced a new dynamic to business operations. This contrast in tenure and evolution often leads to misunderstandings about the misunderstandings about the Product Owner’s distinct duties and contributions of each role within an organization.

Is the Business Owner Higher than the Product Owner in the Organizational Hierarchy?

The Role of a Product Owner

A Product Owner is essentially a Product Manager who acts as a Product Owner with the context of Agile and Scrum. So they are known for managing the backlog, planning sprints and collaborate closely with the development team ensuring efficient delivery of features.

Tip: POs operate at a more detailed level, overseeing the day-to-day development process.

A Product Owner’s role is crucial in Agile methodologies, where they play a hands-on part in defining user stories, setting priorities, and maintaining a well-groomed backlog. They work in close collaboration with the Scrum Master and the development team to ensure the product increments meet the defined criteria and that customer needs are met.

In a nutshell, the Product Owner often acts as a bridge between customers, business owners, users and the development team. They are responsible for ensuring that the development team is working on the highest-priority items that align with the overall business goals and objectives.

The Role of a Business Owner

The Business Owner, legally known as the proprietor, is the person who has established and is operating a business. To swiftly establish a presence in the market, business owners draw upon their extensive knowledge of market dynamics and customer needs, launching new products. Additionally, they hire employees to manage various departments within their business. In non technical terns, It’s common for people to mistakenly call the “business owner” the product owner as he’s the owner of the idea and the one that gave the go ahead for the creation of the product. While a business owner is indeed the sponsor of all the business products and is business oriented , a PO focuses on the creative process of the product and is more product and user oriented. Here’s a breakdown of their primary responsibilities:

What is the difference between a Product Owner and a Business Owner?

Now that we have look at the different responsibilities distinguishing a Business Owner from a Product Owner we can see that in an organizational setting these two roles have fewer overlaps than we might have thought of. While a Business Owner holds a comprehensive responsibility for the entire business, overseeing its overall strategy, financial health, legal compliance, and stakeholder engagement, the Product Owner’s focus is more specific, centered on the development, delivery, and success of a particular product or set of products.

Strategic vs. Tactical

Strategically, the Business Owner formulates and executes the long-term vision and goals for the business, making decisions that impact the organization as a whole. In contrast, the Product Owner operates more tactically, working to define and execute a distinct vision for a specific product, aligning it with the broader business strategy set by the Business Owner.

Stakeholder Engagement

In terms of stakeholder engagement, the Business Owner interacts with a diverse range of stakeholders, including investors, employees, customers, and the community. Meanwhile, the Product Owner usually collaborates more directly with development teams, designers, and stakeholders involved in the specific product’s creation. Nevertheless, a Product Owner might also need to communicate with investors, customers and the community in general. The different is that a BO is more concerned about the business rather than the single product.

Decision-Making Authority

Decision-making authority follows a similar pattern, with the Business Owner making decisions on significant business matters, investments, and high-level strategic directions. The Product Owner, however, focuses on decisions related to the product backlog, feature prioritization, and sprint planning, albeit within the scope of the specific product.

Business Health vs. Product Success

While the Business Owner is primarily concerned with the overall health and success of the business, the Product Owner is dedicated to ensuring the success of a particular product or set of products.

Team Management

In terms of team management, the Business Owner oversees the overall team structure, sets the organizational culture, and delegates responsibilities. Simultaneously, the Product Owner collaborates with cross-functional teams involved in the product development process. Basically the Business Owner is at the top of the hierarchy where often has the job managing the executives of the company. The Product Owner is effectively a Product Manager but does not manage any employee – his sole focus is the product though has to be effective in communicating with others

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Finally, the Business Owner is responsible for ensuring legal and regulatory compliance for the business as a whole, while the Product Owner typically focuses on ensuring that product features align with relevant standards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the roles of a Business Owner and a Product Owner share the common goal of driving success within an organization, it’s vital not to overlap the roles for effective business management. The Business Owner should operate at a strategic level, overseeing the entirety of the business and making decisions that impact its overall health. On the other hand, the Product Owner should focus tactically on a specific product or set of products, ensuring their development aligns with the broader business strategy. Unfortunately, it’s very common to have Business Owner’s interfering with the Product Owner’s job with their key products but this usually hinders the operations of the company.

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The integration of increments from multiple Scrum teams working on the same product

The integration of increments from multiple Scrum Teams working on the same product is a key aspect of scaled Scrum. The Scrum Guide, which is the official guide to Scrum written by the creators of Scrum, provides guidance on this.

_{The Developers are required to conform to the Definition of Done. If there are multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done}

_{From the Scrum Guide section “Commitment: Definition of Done”}

So, the Scrum Guide doesn’t prescribe specific practices for how multiple Scrum Teams should integrate their work. However, it does emphasize the importance of creating a “Done” Increment in each Sprint, and this Increment should be in a potentially releasable state.

Step by Step Analysis: How to Handle Increments From Multiple Teams?

Let’s discuss the 4 different statements about whether or not increments from multiple teams working on the same product should be integrated every Sprint.

A. No, that is far too hard and must be done in a hardening Sprint.
B. Yes, otherwise the Product Owners (and stakeholders) may not be able to accurately inspect what is done.
C. Yes, but only for Scrum Teams whose work has dependencies.
D. No, each Scrum Team stands alone.

A. “No, that is far too hard and must be done in a hardening Sprint.”

Delaying integration until a hardening Sprint may introduce risks and so this doesn’t adhere to Scrum principles !

What is a hardening sprint? A hardening sprint, is a sprint which some Agile teams use to focus solely on integration, testing, and fixing bugs before a release. However, this type of sprint is not mention in the Scrum Guide and also contradicts the principles of Scrum that promotes addressing these activities within each Sprint in the process to create a product increment that is always in a ready-to-release state.

B. “Yes, otherwise the POs (and stakeholders) may not be able to accurately inspect what is done.”

Yes, increments from multiple teams working on the same product should be integrated every Sprint. This option highlights the importance of integration for accurate inspection by Product Owners and stakeholders. . (ALIGNED TO SCRUM PRINCIPLES)

Letting each team release its increment is the main Goal of each Sprint and allows Product Owners and stakeholders to accurately inspect what has been done. Integrating the increments every Sprint aligns with the Scrum principles NOT ONLY for continuous integration purposes but because it allows for early detection of integration issues ensuring feedback is given by stakeholders and PO. This solution also increases the chances to deliver value to the user leading to a more cohesive and higher-quality product.

C. Yes, but only for Scrum Teams whose work has dependencies.

This statement is not entirely correct within the context of Scrum. While teams with dependencies certainly need to integrate their work, all Scrum Teams should integrate their increments every Sprint. Specifically, if an increment is not going to affect another team, there is no reason to delay its integration.

D. “No, each Scrum Team stands alone.”

This option suggests a more isolated approach for each Scrum Team and doesn’t adhere to Scrum principles. Similar to what has been said for answers A and C, in Scrum, when multiple teams work on the same product, integrating their work every Sprint is essential.

Conclusion

When many Scrum Teams are working on the same product, should all of their Increments be integrated every Sprint? 

Yes, otherwise the Product Owners (and stakeholders) may not be able to accurately inspect what is done.

1. Accurate Inspection: It allows Product Owners and stakeholders to accurately inspect what has been done, ensuring that feedback can be given in a timely manner.
2. Early Detection of Issues: Continuous integration reduces the risk of last-minute problems and aligns with Scrum principles of ensuring that the product increment is always in a potentially shippable state.
3. Delivering Value: Regular integration with feedback loops increases the chances of delivering value to the user by ensuring a cohesive and high-quality product.

You Might Like More…

• Which Scrum Role is Responsible to do all the Work Required to Turn Product Backlog in Potentially Releasable Items?
• What Happens If Scrum Teams Become Too Large?
• Understanding the Role of Product Manager vs. Product Owner
• Product Management Terms

REFERENCES

Scrum Guide, 2021

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The Product Owner’s Role in Scum

The Product Owner is responsible for measuring the progress of a release and maximizing the value of the product. Contrary to a statement, the Product Owner does not decide which developer does what; it is a collaborative effort with the development team. Additionally, while the Product Owner is involved in the Scrum process, their participation in the Daily Scrum is not mandatory, as it primarily serves the development team in planning their daily activities.

Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.

From the Scum Guide

Let’s discuss the 4 different “supposedly” responsibilities of the Product Owner in scrum:

A. The Product Owner measures the progress of a release. The Product Owner does measure the progress of a release, ensuring that the team is delivering value in line with the product vision and goals.

B. The Product Owner decides which developer does what. The Product Owner collaborates with the development team but does not decide specifically which developer does what. The development team collectively determines how to turn product backlog items into increments of value. (NOT TRUE)

C. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value. The Product Owner is indeed responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the development team.

D. The Product Owner has to participate in the Daily scrum. While the Product Owner is involved in the Scrum process, they are not required to participate in the Daily Scrum. The Daily Scrum is primarily for the development team to synchronize activities and plan for the next 24 hours. The Product Owner can attend if they find it valuable, but it’s not mandatory. (NOT TRUE)

In summary, the Development Team is a crucial component of the Scrum framework, responsible for turning the Product Backlog into valuable and potentially shippable increments of the product. Their autonomy and self-organization are key principles in Scrum

In Scrum who decides which developer does what?

In Scrum, the responsibility for deciding what work each developer will do is typically a collaborative effort within the Development Team. Scrum emphasizes self-organizing teams and encourages a high degree of collaboration, flexibility, and shared accountability. Here are key aspects related to task assignment in Scrum:

• Self-Organizing Teams: Scrum promotes self-organizing teams, meaning that team members collectively decide how to best accomplish the work they commit to in a Sprint. The team is encouraged to organize and manage itself to deliver value.
• Development Team Collaboration: The Development Team collaborates to understand the Sprint Goal and the items from the Product Backlog selected for the Sprint during Sprint Planning. They work together to determine the best approach to delivering the committed work.
• Swarm or Pair Programming: Scrum Teams often encourage a collaborative approach where team members might pair up or “swarm” on particular tasks. This fosters knowledge sharing and helps ensure that the team collectively owns the work.
• Daily Standup Meetings: During the Daily Scrum (standup), team members share updates on their progress, discuss any impediments, and often reorganize work based on the current situation. If a team member needs assistance or if there’s a better way to approach a task, it is discussed and adjusted within the team.

• Skill Sets and Expertise: Team members often have different skill sets and expertise. The team collectively decides how to best leverage these skills to meet Sprint commitments. It’s common for team members to pick up tasks based on their expertise, but the team can adjust based on the needs of the Sprint.
• Rotating Tasks: Some teams implement a practice of rotating tasks among team members to avoid silos of knowledge and to ensure that everyone is cross-functional.
• Product Owner and Scrum Master: While the Development Team is responsible for selecting and delivering work, the Product Owner and Scrum Master can provide guidance, facilitate discussions, and help remove impediments. The Product Owner clarifies requirements and priorities, while the Scrum Master focuses on improving the team’s processes. Remember that the emphasis in Scrum is on the team’s collective ownership of the work. The goal is to maximize the effectiveness and creativity of the Development Team while delivering value to the customer. The way task assignments are handled can vary between teams, and teams often experiment and adjust their approach to find what works best for them.

Who has to participate in the Daily Scrum?

The Daily Scrum, also known as the Daily Standup, is a short, time-boxed event in Scrum that occurs every working day during a Sprint. The purpose of the Daily Scrum is for the Development Team to synchronize activities, discuss progress, and identify any obstacles. The key participants in the Daily Scrum include:

1. Development Team: All members of the Development Team are required to attend the Daily Scrum. Each team member provides an update on their progress since the last Daily Scrum, shares their plans for the day, and communicates any impediments.
2. Scrum Master: The Scrum Guide does not explicitly require the Scrum Master to be present at the Daily Scrum. The Scrum Guide provides flexibility for the Scrum Master’s involvement in the Daily Scrum and other Scrum events. While the Scrum Master is encouraged to attend the Daily Scrum to support and facilitate the team, their presence is not mandatory. The Scrum Master’s role is one of service to the Scrum Team, and they may choose the level of involvement that best serves the needs of the team.
3. Product Owner: The Product Owner is invited to attend the Daily Scrum but is not required. If the Product Owner chooses to participate, it is usually in a passive role, listening to the team’s updates. The Product Owner may use the information to gain insights into the team’s progress.

You might like more…

• Which Scrum Role is Responsible to do all the Work Required to Turn Product Backlog in Potentially Releasable Items?
• Understanding the Role of Product Manager vs. Product Owner
• Product Management Terms

REFERENCES

Scrum Guide, 2021

The post Which two of the following answers are not correct about the Product Owner role? appeared first on AYALR.

The Development Team’s Role in Scum (Option C)

In Scrum, the Development Team is responsible for doing all the work required to turn Product Backlog items into potentially releasable increments of the product. The Development Team is a self-organizing and cross-functional group of professionals who have the skills and expertise to deliver a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each Sprint. The team works together collaboratively and is responsible for tasks such as analysis, design, implementation, testing, and documentation. The other options (A. The Business Analyst, B. The Stakeholders, D. The Project Manager) do not have the primary responsibility for the actual development work in the Scrum framework.

Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.

From the Scum Guide

• The Development Team in Scrum is a self-organizing and cross-functional group of individuals who have the skills and expertise to turn Product Backlog items into a potentially releasable product increment.
• The team is responsible for all aspects of product development, including but not limited to analysis, design, implementation, testing, and documentation.
• They collaborate closely with the Product Owner to understand the requirements and with the Scrum Master to continuously improve their processes.
• The Development Team is empowered to make decisions on how to achieve the goals set by the Product Owner and is accountable for delivering high-quality increments at the end of each Sprint.

Now let’s look at the Scrum Guide taking some quotes relevant to developers.

In summary, the Development Team is a crucial component of the Scrum framework, responsible for turning the Product Backlog into valuable and potentially shippable increments of the product. Their autonomy and self-organization are key principles in Scrum

The Other Roles in Scum

A. The Business Analyst:

• While the Scrum Guide doesn’t explicitly mention the role of a Business Analyst, in some organizations, a Business Analyst may still play a supportive role.
• Their involvement might be more prominent during Sprint Planning, helping to refine and elaborate on Product Backlog items.

B. The Stakeholders:

• Stakeholders are individuals or groups with an interest in the product. They may include customers, users, managers, and others.
• Stakeholders are involved throughout the Scrum process. They provide input during Sprint Reviews, offering feedback on the product increment. Their feedback can influence the priorities in the Product Backlog.

D. The Project Manager:

• In traditional project management, the Project Manager has a central role in planning, executing, and closing projects. In Scrum, the role of a Project Manager is less defined.
• Scrum emphasizes a self-organizing Development Team and often does not have a traditional Project Manager role. Scrum Masters serve as facilitators, and teams are encouraged to self-manage.

While these roles may exist in an organization using Scrum, it’s crucial to understand that Scrum distributes responsibilities in a way that fosters collaboration and empowers the Development Team to make decisions about how to achieve the goals set by the Product Owner. The Scrum Master supports the Scrum Team and helps remove impediments, while the Product Owner prioritizes the work based on business value. The Development Team is responsible for delivering a potentially shippable product increment.

References:

Scrum Guide, 2021

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“A Product Manager often holds a higher position in the organizational structure. However, the roles differ significantly in their focus and responsibilities.”

RELATED:

• Which answers are not correct about the Product Owner?

The Role of a Product Manager

At the core of any successful product, there’s a Product Manager who steers the ship. These professionals bear the responsibility of defining the product vision, strategy, and its overall success. Their role transcends that of the Product Owner, extending to a broader perspective, where they need to take into account the market, competition, and the long-term business objectives.

Let’s break down one by one the common responsibilities of a Product Manager:

1. Strategic Direction: Product Managers are responsible for aligning the product with the overall strategic goals of the company. They need to have a deep understanding of the market, industry trends, and the competitive landscape to inform the strategic direction of the product.
2. Product Vision: Product Managers create and communicate a compelling product vision. This involves defining where the product is headed in the long term and how it will fulfill the needs of its users or customers.
3. Product Discovery: Product Managers are often involved in the discovery phase, which includes researching and understanding customer needs, market trends, and potential opportunities. This information is crucial for making informed decisions about what features or improvements to prioritize.
4. Pricing & Marketing: Product Managers play a role in determining the pricing strategy for the product and developing marketing plans to promote and sell it. This involves understanding the value proposition of the product and how it fits into the market.
5. Cross Team Alignment: Product Managers need to collaborate with various teams within the organization, including development, marketing, sales, and customer support. Ensuring alignment and effective communication between these teams is crucial for successful product development and delivery.
6. Portfolio Management: In larger organizations with multiple products or a product portfolio, Product Managers may be involved in managing the overall portfolio. This includes prioritizing investments, balancing resources, and ensuring that the portfolio aligns with the company’s strategic objectives.

In a nutshell, the Product Manager is the one who defines what will be built and why it should be built. They are the visionaries who keep the team aligned with the product’s goals. Moreover, they act as the bridge between stakeholders, team members, and customers. Their deep understanding of customer needs and market trends helps them prioritize features, set product strategy, and define the roadmap.

While there can be some overlap in responsibilities between Product Managers and Product Owners, the former often focuses on the broader strategic aspects of the product, market, and business, while the latter tends to be more involved in the day-to-day aspects of product development, iteration planning, and team collaboration.

The Role of a Product Owner

Product Owners, on the flip side, operate at a more detailed level, overseeing the day-to-day development process. Their main responsibilities include managing the backlog, planning sprints, and closely collaborating with the development team to ensure the efficient creation and delivery of the right features.

Now, let’s break down the common responsibilities of Product Owners within the context of Agile and Scrum methodologies:

1. Backlog Ownership: The Product Owner is accountable for maintaining and owning the product backlog, a prioritized list of features, enhancements, and fixes requiring attention in the product.
2. Iteration Definition: Playing a pivotal role in defining the content and priorities of each iteration or sprint, the Product Owner collaborates with the development team to plan the features and tasks to be addressed in each iteration.
3. Increment Acceptance: At the conclusion of each iteration or sprint, the development team presents a potentially shippable product increment. The Product Owner is tasked with reviewing and accepting this increment, ensuring alignment with acceptance criteria and fulfillment of business requirements.
4. Prioritization: A key responsibility involves prioritizing items in the product backlog by assessing their value and determining the order in which the development team should address them.
5. User Stories: Typically engaged in creating and refining user stories—concise descriptions of a feature or functionality from an end user’s perspective—the Product Owner aids in communicating the product requirements in a way that is easy to understand.

A Product Owner’s role is crucial in Agile methodologies, where they play a hands-on part in defining user stories, setting priorities, and maintaining a well-groomed backlog. They work in close collaboration with the Scrum Master and the development team to ensure the product increments meet the defined criteria and that customer needs are met.

In addition to these tasks, the Product Owner often acts as a bridge between stakeholders (such as customers, business leaders, and users) and the development team. They are responsible for ensuring that the development team is working on the highest-priority items that align with the overall business goals and objectives.

What is the difference between a Product Owner and a Product Manager?

A Product Manager takes a broader approach, dealing with product strategy, market analysis, and aligning the product with the overall business objectives. They typically interact with stakeholders and customers at a higher level, seeking to understand their needs and prioritize features accordingly.

In contrast, a Product Owner focuses on the day-to-day development process. They work closely with the development team to ensure that user stories are well-defined, sprint goals are met, and that the product backlog is effectively managed. The Product Owner is more hands-on in terms of execution.

While Product Managers and Product Owners may have different responsibilities, it’s important to emphasize that these roles are complementary, not in competition. The relationship between Product Managers and Product Owners is built on collaboration and synergy. They must work together seamlessly to ensure that the product is not only strategically sound but also well-executed.

In many organizations, Product Owners do not report directly to Product Managers. Instead, they work alongside them, sharing responsibilities and collaborating on different aspects of the product. The goal is to ensure that the product is well-rounded, both in terms of vision and execution.

How PO & PM work together on a product?

The Product Lifecycle

The roles of Product Managers and Product Owners also differ throughout the product lifecycle. Product Managers are heavily involved in the initial stages, defining the product vision and strategy during the ideation phase. They set the product’s direction, considering market trends and customer needs. As the product progresses, Product Managers remain involved, overseeing the strategy and making adjustments as necessary.

Product Owners become increasingly active as the product moves into development. They focus on defining user stories, managing the backlog, and working closely with the development team during sprints. While Product Managers have a long-term vision, Product Owners focus on the short-term, ensuring that the product is built effectively and aligning with the immediate goals.

Let’s look at how both Product Managers and Product Owners work together and contribute to the success of a product.

• Mobile App Example: Imagine a company wants to launch a successful fitness tracking app. The Product Manager can be instrumental in defining the app’s vision, identifying the target audience, and creating a roadmap for its development. The Product Owner will need to work closely with the development team to prioritize features, manage the backlog, and ensure the app’s daily development goals were met. Together, they delivered a fitness app that not only aligned with the company’s business objectives but also met the needs of health-conscious users.
• E-commerce Platform Example: For an e-commerce platform, the Product Manager is responsible for defining the platform’s long-term strategy and include responsibilities like conducting market research, identifying key trends, and set the direction for the platform’s growth. The Product Owner, in this case, manages the day-to-day development process. They collaborated with the development team to define user stories, prioritize features, and ensure that the platform’s functionality aligned with the business goals. The collaboration between the Product Manager and Product Owner results in a successful e-commerce platform that meets customer needs and aligned with the company’s strategic vision.

Collaboration and Communication

The success of a product often hinges on the collaboration and communication between Product Managers and Product Owners. Both roles need to work closely and communicate effectively to ensure the product’s success. Here are some key aspects of collaboration and communication between these two roles:

1. Alignment on Vision: Product Managers and Product Owners need to be on the same page when it comes to the product’s vision. The Product Manager sets the long-term strategy, and the Product Owner must understand and align the short-term goals with that vision. Regular discussions and meetings can help in achieving this alignment.
2. Stakeholder Collaboration: Both roles interact with stakeholders, but at different levels. Product Managers often engage with high-level stakeholders, such as executives and business leaders, to understand their strategic goals. Product Owners, on the other hand, collaborate more with the development team and sometimes end-users. Effective communication between the two roles is essential to ensure that stakeholder input is considered at all levels.
3. Prioritization: Collaboration on feature prioritization is critical. Product Managers provide the broader context and business goals, while Product Owners understand the technical and development aspects. They need to work together to decide which features should take precedence and ensure that the backlog reflects these priorities.
4. Roadmap Development: Product Managers are responsible for creating the product roadmap. They should regularly involve Product Owners in this process to make sure the roadmap is both strategic and feasible. Product Owners can provide valuable insights into what can realistically be accomplished within the development team’s capacity.
5. Feedback Loop: A continuous feedback loop is essential for iterative product development. Product Owners should relay feedback from the development team and end-users back to the Product Manager. This feedback helps the Product Manager make necessary adjustments to the product strategy.
6. Sprint Planning: Effective collaboration is crucial during sprint planning meetings. Product Owners present user stories and work closely with the development team to ensure they have a clear understanding of the requirements and objectives.
7. Problem Solving: When issues or challenges arise during development, Product Managers and Product Owners should collaborate to find solutions. This may involve adjusting the product strategy, re-prioritizing features, or exploring new opportunities.
8. Transparency: Open and transparent communication is key. Both Product Managers and Product Owners should share insights, data, and information that can inform decision-making. Transparency helps build trust and ensures that both roles are well-informed.
9. Adaptation to Change: The software industry is dynamic, and changes in the market or technology landscape can impact the product. Product Managers and Product Owners must be adaptable and open to making adjustments when necessary. This requires continuous communication and collaboration.

Challenges for Product Managers and Product Owners

Despite the crucial roles played by Product Managers and Product Owners, there are challenges and misconceptions associated with these positions. Some of the common issues include:

1. Role Overlap: In some organizations, there may be confusion or overlap between the responsibilities of Product Managers and Product Owners. Clarifying the boundaries of each role is essential to avoid conflicts.
2. Limited Resources: Both roles may face resource constraints, such as time and budget limitations. Managing expectations and making the most of available resources can be challenging.
3. Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals: Striking the right balance between short-term execution (Product Owner’s focus) and long-term strategic vision (Product Manager’s focus) can be a challenge.
4. Stakeholder Management: Dealing with diverse stakeholders with varying expectations and priorities can be complex. Effective stakeholder management is a skill that both Product Managers and Product Owners need to develop.
5. Technology Trends: Keeping up with rapid technological advancements and understanding their impact on the product can be challenging. Both roles need to stay informed and adaptable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the success of a product depends on the harmonious collaboration between Product Managers and Product Owners. These roles are not in competition but rather complement each other. By working together effectively, they can ensure that the product aligns with the business’s long-term vision while meeting short-term development goals.

Key takeaways for creating successful products include:

1. Clear Role Definitions: Ensure that the responsibilities of Product Managers and Product Owners are well-defined and understood throughout the organization.
2. Effective Communication: Foster open and transparent communication between the two roles to maintain alignment and make data-driven decisions.
3. Agile Adoption: Embrace Agile methodologies and principles to adapt to the fast-paced nature of the software industry.
4. User-Centric Focus: Prioritize user needs and experiences in all product development efforts.
5. Adaptation to Change: Be prepared to adapt to industry changes and evolving technologies.

Further Readings and Additional Resources

To delve deeper into the world of Product Management

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Boosting Your Productivity: The Must-Have Google Chrome Extensions

In today’s fast-paced digital world, productivity is the key to success. Whether you’re a professional, a student, or simply someone looking to make the most of your time online, Google Chrome extensions can be your secret weapon. These little add-ons can turn your browser into a productivity powerhouse, helping you work smarter, not harder.

In this article, we will explore a curated list of Google Chrome extensions that have been handpicked based on research and recommendations from various sources. We’ll cover a wide range of extensions that cater to different needs and industries. From tools for online marketers to those for avid readers, we’ve got you covered

1. Built with

• Purpose: Find out which tools a company is using or download lists of companies using a tool.
• Benefits: Gain insights into the technology stack of your competitors or potential clients, helping you make informed business decisions.

2. AuthoredUp

• Purpose: Enhance your LinkedIn experience by formatting posts, generating hook ideas, and repurposing content easily.
• Benefits: Boost your LinkedIn engagement and personal brand with professionally crafted posts.

3. Grammarly

• Purpose: Improve your writing by checking and fixing grammar and language errors.
• Benefits: Enhance your communication skills and create polished content.

4. uBlock

• Purpose: Block ads and improve page loading speed.
• Benefits: Enjoy an ad-free browsing experience, reducing distractions and saving time.

5. Save to Notion

• Purpose: Save web content directly to Notion, a versatile productivity tool.
• Benefits: Organize your online research and ideas efficiently.

6. Favikon

• Purpose: Analyze your personal brand’s success metrics, including ranking, scores, and engagement rates.
• Benefits: Gain valuable insights into your online presence.

7. Momentum

• Purpose: Transform your Chrome homepage into a productivity hub with daily quotes, to-do lists, and relaxing images.
• Benefits: Stay focused and motivated every time you open your browser.

8. Scribe

• Purpose: Create complex how-to guides effortlessly.
• Benefits: Save time and effort when documenting processes or tutorials

9. eesel AI

• Purpose: Turn your Chrome tabs into a productivity tool, enabling quick access to documents, projects, and tabs.
• Benefits: Streamline your workspace and work more efficiently.

10. Cargo (YC S23)

• Purpose: Integrate ChatGPT into Google Sheets, allowing for easy template creation and mass execution.
• Benefits: Automate tasks and make data processing more efficient.

11. Fireflies

• Purpose: Record calls, transcribe conversations, and summarize key topics.
• Benefits: Enhance your online meetings with accurate transcripts and summaries.

12. GoFullPage

• Purpose: Capture full-screen, scrolling screenshots of web pages.
• Benefits: Simplify content research and documentation.

13. Similarweb

• Purpose: Check website statistics and gain insights into your competitors’ online presence.
• Benefits: Make data-driven decisions and improve your web strategy.

14. NordVPN

• Purpose: Ensure online security and privacy by using a reliable VPN service.
• Benefits: Protect your data and browse the web securely.

15. Vidyard

• Purpose: Record videos and screen recordings easily.
• Benefits: Enhance your communication with video content.

16. Apollo

• Purpose: Utilize AI email writing assistance.
• Benefits: Improve your email communication with AI-generated content.

17. WhatFont

• Purpose: Identify fonts used on web pages.
• Benefits: Simplify design and branding research.

18. Toucan

• Purpose: Translate web content without opening a new tab.
• Benefits: Break language barriers and access information more effectively.

19. Manganum

• Purpose: Provides stunning pictures, videos, and motivational quotes on your browser’s new tab page.
• Benefits: Boosts your mood and productivity with inspiring content.

20. LaunchPad

• Purpose: Speed dial for your favorite and most visited sites, including links to popular Google services.
• Benefits: Access your go-to websites quickly, streamlining your online activities.

21. Mozbar

• Purpose: MozBar is a versatile Chrome extension from Moz that provides on-the-fly access to important SEO metrics. It displays domain authority, page authority, and spam score for any website you visit.
• Benefits: Quickly assess the authority of websites, analyze on-page elements, and access valuable SEO data while browsing the web. MozBar is a must-have for SEO managers.

22. Linkclump and Liner

Purpose: Enhance online reading and research by opening multiple links with a single click and saving highlighted articles.

Benefits: Save time when gathering information and referencing articles.

23. MeaVana

• Purpose: Customize your browser’s new tab page, organize tasks, and access multiple search engines.
• Benefits: Stay organized and search efficiently across various platforms.

24. Feedly

• Purpose: Curate and organize your daily reading in one place, follow your favorite outlets and set keyword alerts.
• Benefits: Stay up-to-date with industry news and relevant content.

25. Web Clippers (OneNote, Evernote, Pocket)

• Purpose: Quickly save web content for later reference.
• Benefits: Create a centralized repository of valuable information.

26. Buffer

• Purpose: Streamline social media sharing and scheduling.
• Benefits: Manage your social media presence efficiently.

27. Gmelius

• Purpose: Enhance Gmail with email tracking, automation, and collaboration tools.
• Benefits: Optimize your email communication and team collaboration.

28. Project Naptha

• Purpose: Extract text from images with ease.
• Benefits: Save time when working with images containing valuable text.

29. Tabwave

• Purpose: Provides a homepage for your browser with task scheduling and shortcuts to all tabs.
• Benefits: Keep your coding projects organized and accessible.

30. Night Eye

• Purpose: Enable dark mode on websites.
• Benefits: Reduce eye strain and enhance your coding experience, especially during late-night sessions.

Best Chrome extensions for SEO managers

In the ever-evolving realm of digital marketing, SEO managers are tasked with staying on top of their game to ensure that websites rank well in search engine results. Fortunately, a suite of powerful Chrome extensions is available to assist SEO managers in their quest for online visibility and success. These extensions not only save time but also provide invaluable insights and tools directly within the web browser, making the job of an SEO manager significantly more efficient and effective.

1. MozBar: When it comes to SEO, domain authority and page authority are crucial metrics to consider. MozBar is a versatile Chrome extension from Moz that offers quick access to these essential metrics. As SEO managers browse the web, MozBar provides real-time data, enabling them to assess the authority of websites they encounter. This information is invaluable for evaluating potential link-building opportunities and gauging the competitive landscape.
2. Keyword Surfer: Keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO campaign. Keyword Surfer is a handy Chrome extension that simplifies this process by providing keyword search volume and related keyword suggestions directly within Google’s search results. This feature allows SEO managers to conduct on-the-fly keyword research and assess the popularity and competitiveness of specific keywords without leaving the search page.
3. SEOquake: SEOquake is a comprehensive SEO extension that offers a wide range of features to assist SEO managers in their tasks. From on-page analysis to keyword density measurement and a plethora of SEO metrics, SEOquake provides an in-depth view of a webpage’s SEO health. This extension is particularly useful for SEO managers looking to perform a quick audit of a webpage to identify areas for improvement.
4. Check My Links: Broken links can harm both user experience and SEO efforts. Check My Links is an invaluable Chrome extension that simplifies the process of finding broken links on a webpage. As SEO managers browse websites, this extension scans for both valid and broken links and highlights them in real time. This feature not only helps maintain a clean and error-free website but also ensures that users don’t encounter frustrating dead ends.
5. Redirect Path: Website redirects can be a double-edged sword. While they are sometimes necessary, too many redirects or misconfigured ones can negatively impact SEO and user experience. Redirect Path is an extension designed to flag HTTP status codes for URLs as you browse the web. It aids SEO managers in quickly identifying and troubleshooting any redirect issues, ensuring that they are properly configured and not detrimental to SEO efforts.
6. Page Load Time: Page speed is a critical SEO factor. Slow-loading websites can result in higher bounce rates and lower search engine rankings. Page Load Time is a lightweight Chrome extension that measures the loading time of webpages. SEO managers can use it to monitor and ensure that their websites are fast and responsive, providing a positive user experience and satisfying search engine algorithms.
7. NoFollow: In the world of SEO, understanding link attributes is essential. NoFollow is an extension that highlights nofollow links on web pages. SEO managers can quickly identify whether external links are passing link equity or not. This knowledge is valuable when assessing the impact of specific links on a website’s SEO strategy.
8. META SEO Inspector: Properly optimized meta tags play a significant role in SEO. META SEO Inspector is a Chrome extension that provides a comprehensive analysis of a webpage’s meta tags, including the title, description, and meta keywords. SEO managers can use this extension to check if meta tags are optimized effectively and make adjustments as needed to improve click-through rates in search results.
9. Ayima Page Insights: Technical SEO elements are critical to a website’s performance in search engines. Ayima Page Insights is an extension that offers a range of technical SEO data. It provides insights into factors like canonical tags, hreflang attributes, and more. SEO managers can quickly assess a webpage’s technical SEO health, identify areas for improvement, and take action to enhance overall search engine visibility.

In conclusion, the role of an SEO manager is demanding, requiring a keen eye for detail and an array of tools to navigate the ever-changing landscape of search engine optimization. These Chrome extensions serve as indispensable allies, equipping SEO managers with the capabilities to streamline tasks, conduct in-depth analyses, and maintain websites optimized for search engines. With these extensions in their toolkit, SEO managers can work more efficiently and effectively to achieve better search engine rankings and online visibility for their websites.

Best Chrome Extensions for Product Managers

Apart from the ones already mentioned there are several other Chrome extensions that can be highly beneficial for product managers. Here are a few more that can enhance your productivity and help you manage tasks effectively:

1. Asana for Chrome: If you use Asana for project management, this extension allows you to quickly add tasks and projects from your browser, making it easier to keep track of your to-do list.
2. Trello: Similar to Asana, Trello has a Chrome extension that enables you to create and manage cards on your boards directly from your browser, streamlining project management.
3. Panda 5: This extension acts as a newsfeed for all your favorite websites, allowing you to stay up-to-date with industry news, competitor updates, and product-related information without leaving your browser.
4. Momentum: Though initially mentioned, Momentum deserves another nod for its role as a daily productivity dashboard. It provides a clean interface with to-dos, inspirational quotes, and the option to set your main focus for the day.
5. Clockify: If you need to track your time spent on tasks, Clockify’s Chrome extension allows you to start and stop timers, making time tracking effortless.
6. Hunter: Hunter is excellent for finding email addresses associated with a website or domain. It’s useful when you need to contact potential partners or clients.
7. Zapier: Zapier’s Chrome extension makes it simple to create automated workflows, connecting various apps and services to streamline tasks and data management.
8. StayFocusd: For those who struggle with online distractions, StayFocusd helps you limit your time on time-wasting websites, helping you stay focused on important tasks.

These Chrome extensions cater to different aspects of product management, from task organization to time tracking and communication. Depending on your specific needs and preferences, you can explore and integrate these extensions into your workflow to enhance your productivity and efficiency as a product manager.

Best Chrome extensions for Content Creators

Some Chrome extensions that we have already mentioned and are very useful for content creators include Grammarly for improving writing quality, Mozbar and SimilarWeb for accessing keyword insights and engagement metrics, Buffer to streamline social media sharing, Feedly for curating and organizing daily reading, and Save to Notion to efficiently save and organize web content for future reference. These extensions collectively enhance content creation, marketing strategies, and productivity, ensuring that content creators produce high-quality, error-free, and well-informed content while effectively managing their online presence.

There are several other Chrome extensions that can be highly beneficial for content creators and marketers. These tools can help streamline content creation, research, and promotion efforts. Here are a few additional extensions that can enhance your productivity and effectiveness in content marketing:

1. BuzzSumo: BuzzSumo’s Chrome extension allows you to quickly analyze the social engagement and popularity of content on any webpage. It provides insights into what type of content is performing well in your niche, helping you identify trends and content opportunities.
2. TubeBuddy: For YouTube content creators, TubeBuddy offers a Chrome extension that provides valuable insights and optimization tools for your videos. It helps with keyword research, tags, and more to improve your video’s visibility.
3. Liner: Liner’s Chrome extension lets you highlight and save text from web pages, making it a handy tool for research and content curation. You can store and access your highlighted content for future reference.
4. SEO Minion: SEO Minion provides a suite of on-page SEO tools within your browser. It can help with tasks like checking broken links, analyzing SERP previews, and checking hreflang tags.
5. Check My Links: Similar to SEO Minion, Check My Links is a tool that scans web pages for broken links. It’s particularly useful for ensuring that the links you include in your content are working correctly.
6. Awesome Screenshot: This extension lets you take screenshots of web pages and annotate them. It’s handy for creating visual content or for capturing important information during research.
7. Trello: Trello’s Chrome extension allows you to create Trello cards from web pages, making it easy to organize content ideas, tasks, and projects within Trello boards.
8. Pinterest Save Button: If Pinterest is part of your content distribution strategy, this extension lets you save images and content directly to your Pinterest boards, helping you curate and share content with your audience.

These Chrome extensions can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of content creators and marketers. Whether you’re looking to improve your social media strategy, optimize SEO, or streamline your content research and curation, these tools can be valuable additions to your toolkit.

Best Chrome Extensions for Software Developers

Software developers rely on a range of tools to enhance their coding efficiency and problem-solving abilities, and these Chrome extensions are indispensable for those looking to boost their productivity.

1. eesel AI transforms Chrome tabs into a productivity hub, facilitating quick access to documents, projects, and tabs, thereby streamlining the workspace and expediting the coding process.
2. WhatFont simplifies design research by identifying fonts on web pages, facilitating informed font selection for development projects.
3. Project Naptha empowers developers by effortlessly extracting text from images, saving valuable time when working with images containing essential text.
4. Tabwave offers a personalized homepage for the browser, featuring task scheduling and shortcuts to all tabs, aiding developers in keeping their coding projects organized and readily accessible.
5. Night Eye enhances the coding experience by enabling dark mode on websites, reducing eye strain during late-night coding sessions.

These extensions are tailored to the specific needs of software developers, assisting them in optimizing their workflows and achieving superior results in their coding endeavors.

Conclusion

In today’s digital age, productivity is essential, and Google Chrome extensions can be your greatest allies. From enhancing your LinkedIn presence to improving your writing, blocking ads, and streamlining your online research, these extensions offer a wide array of benefits. Whether you’re a marketer, reader, or professional in any field, there’s an extension that can help you work smarter and achieve more. Explore these extensions, experiment with them, and transform your online experience into a more productive and efficient one. Remember, the key to success is not working harder; it’s working smarter with the right tools at your disposal.

The post Which Google Chrome extensions do you find most productive for you? appeared first on AYALR.

Design

Aesthetics play a fundamental role in deciding on buying a smartwatch. The design of the watch is even more important even than the functionality itself. Why? The reason is very simple – a smartwatch is meant to be worn day and night, actually more than the mobile itself. Hence, if you’re not planning it of keeping the watch on, you might better think it twice before spending any money. Case in point, most functionality depends on wearing the device.

Versa 2’s AMOLED screen is quite big measuring around 35mm with the glass rounded on the front. The case is made of aluminum had the smooth edges make it feel nice. Actually, if you look at it from different angles it looks highly premium. It has also one button on the left side to access the main options.

Different clock faces can be downloaded from the Fitbit site according to your style and needs. Personally, I have been using the Modern Analog for quite some time because of its classic look. I never liked the digital watch faces much despite the fact that most of them display much more handy data. Effectively, I am thinking of changing the watch face because I find myself checking my stats so often that it gets boring going through the menu when you can have the data constantly on the screen. Besides, now many of these first-and third-party watch faces support the always-on-display with the option to switch it at night time to save battery life. With the always-on-display turned on the battery needs recharging in 2.5 days.

Versa 2 also comes with a number of accessories you can buy. I have the Petal Classic band with the Copper Rose Aluminium case. I find this combination very suitable whatever the color of my clothes and occasion. I have received this as a present. At first, it felt a bit strange wearing a colorful watch after being used with a silver band for decades but now I cannot be happier with the choice. Nevertheless, if you’re in doubt don’t worry cause the bands start from 30 Euro and you can buy one for every occasion: Sport & Classic, Horween Leather, Woven, or Kim Shui Collection.

Fitness and Health Tracking

Versa 2 is a great fitness and health tracker with very accurate results especially health related data. However, it’s a pity that it lacks a built-in GPS. This is a big omission makes it calculating distance metrics difficult and tracking the route while running and swimming is not very accurate. Additionally, to track your run you would need to take the phone which defies a little bit the purpose of the smartwatch.

A new useful feature in the Versa 2 is setting a goal before starting an exercise and this is compatible with 15 workout modes that include running and yoga.

You can also allow Versa 2 track non-goal based exercise including running, biking, swimming, treadmill, and much more including a generic workout.

Heart Rate Monitoring

Unexpectedly, I found the heart rate monitoring an addicting tool. From the Fitbit app you can optionally set the heart rate levels for Fat Burn and Cardio depending on your fitness level.

Amazingly, comparing the heart rate data of the watch is very close to results using a chest strap which should be the most accurate. This means that the optical heart rate sensors of Fitbit are becoming very good competing with the most advanced running watches.

Disappointingly, the heart rate is not monitored during a swim. In all other exercises, I configured the screen so that it always show me the heart rate. However, after failing a couple of times then I found an answer to my same question saying that the heart rate monitor is disabled while swimming.

Cardio Fitness Level

As a matter of fact, the Cardio Fitness Level is nothing different than VO2 max or maximal oxygen consumption. It does in fact reflect cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance capacity in exercise performance. It is also widely used for cardiovascular disease risk assessment as it is believed that this value is related to life expectancy.

Sleep Score

The Sleep Score is a feature that is not offered on every Fitbit. Versa 2 comes with this feature giving you many insights into your sleep habits also collecting more data through the heart rate monitor and the pulse oximeter sensors. The actual score is calculated on the:

TIME ASLEEP (On target, -)

SLEEP STAGES (Light, Deep, REM)

ESTIMATED OXYGEN VARIATION (Low, High)

Finally, in February 2020, Fitbit announced that it was going to turn on the Sp02 sensor. This would estimate the variability in the blood oxygen saturation level while you’re sleeping. Additionally, there is more information such as Sleeping heart rate and Restlessness if you have a premium membership.

Fitbit Versa 2 Review – Best Features

One of the features that changed my day is not having to carry my mobile phone around to check notifications. Luckily my phone is an Android and I can answer the notifications by hitting the voice reply button and just answer loud and clear to be captured by the voice recognition and then hit a send button.

Furthermore, you can also answer a phone call but this time the built-in microphone used to reply to messages won’t work. You need to have a Bluetooth headset with a microphone in order to answer a call. However, if you’re in a meeting you can also stop the call immediately from the watch.

Another key point is by the Sleep Mode feature that will silence notifications as soon as the night time hits. Of course, this can also be configured from the Fitbit app. Unquestionably, this is an essential frill that makes “cohabitation” with the smartwatch plain sailing. To rephrase it, if this feature was missing I would certainly throw the watch into my old gadgets drawer!

When I was configuring by watch for the first time I was very anxious to go and download more applications beyond the default ones that come with it. However, there was little choice especially without paying a subscription for Apps such as Strava or Deezer. Moreover, the Spotify app lets you control the music on your phone but not downloading an offline playlist to listen without having to carry with you the mobile phone. However, Versa 2 has around 2.5GB of free storage available to download music from local files or through Pandora or Deezer.

The post Fitbit Versa 2 review: The smartwatch that changes your day appeared first on AYALR.

Introduction

Let me introduce my venture with photography. I am an amateur photographer who enjoys taking photos to create memorable instances of my family, kids, pets, and nature. For the past 15 years, I have been using digital point-and-shoot cameras, however, I started to feel I was limited by the quality of such cameras. For this reason, I decided to delve into the world of digital SLR cameras.

Nikon D5500 SLR with 18-300mm Sigma lens

As a result of a lengthy online search, I opted to buy the Nikon D5500 camera. It is an amazing entry-level camera, offering all the features one needs to learn and play around. This comes with a standard Nikon 18-55mm lens which has less optical zoom capability than man. Hence, I upgraded the lens and bought an 18-300mm Sigma lens.

The lens proves to be a very versatile solution because, given the 18-300mm range, you won’t need to stay changing lenses between say the standard 18-55mm and some other 55-300mm lenses.

Sample Photos

Let me show you a number of unedited photos from my personal collection. The photos are in JPG format as saved by the camera. Click on the images to download the full JPG files.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown the quality and range of photos that can be achieved by using the Nikon D5500 Digital SLR Camera and the Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Lens combo.  So if you are an amateur photographer who wants quality shots at an entry-level price, you should give this a try.

The post SNAPSHOTS WITH NIKON D5500 AND SIGMA 18-300MM LENS appeared first on AYALR.

Shopify

Shopify, the industry leader in website building for e-commerce, is one of the most rapidly growing companies. The company, with the pursuit of creating a better e-commerce solution in the market, started by focusing on small wins and scalable solutions. By putting customers first and getting constant insights from their feedback they brought intuitive software and innovative features to the sector.

Other competitors in the sector have many advanced features but this did not win them the top place in the market. These advanced features on paper were probably deemed very useful and tech-wise very cool but finally, it’s the user experience that dictates the market. Users do not care what is behind a button or a process but prefer simplicity and a nicer interface. According to Shopify’s CEO Tobias Lutke, their competitors offered a product similar to “what MP3 players were like before the iPod”.

I sometimes liken the landscape to what MP3 players were like before the iPod. They had tons of “advanced” features like radios and stuff like that but they just sucked. Bulky, hard to use, looked horrible.

Tobias Lütke, CEO Shopify

One of its greatest advantages was dictated by the choice of offering an app store before anyone else. This has helped them keep the core very slim but still practically cover 80% of what users need. Thanks to this strategic decision and their large user base now developers tend to prefer to build apps for Shopify first and this helped them get the most apps in the market.

Shopify, with channels, has now become a centric back office managing the inventory, orders, and shipping while the storefront is found on multiple channels defined as marketplaces.

Shopify comes with 9 very modern free themes mostly showcasing the products with big photos. The important aspect is that they are fully supported by Shopify. One can also use the customizer tool but its complexity makes it difficult for normal users to make changes. Basically, this is a kind of job that should be left to front-end developers or UX designers.

Ultimately, one of the characteristics that makes it a great product is the clean look of the editor. Editors are notoriously complex, bulky, and clunky but Shopfiys’ product managers and UX designers did an excellent job. Again, in this case, the fact that they have an app store providing the extra functionality has proven a winning card over competitors.

The initial price tag for the basic product is 29$ which is very reasonable. Furthermore, Shopify Payments do not incur an additional transaction fee!

Zoom Video

I put in 14 years of hard work (WebEx and Cisco) during which I faced many unhappy customers. I was always pushed to work hard but wasn’t focused on fixing the customer experience until I got in front of them and actually listened to them. I learned invaluable lessons from those experiences. It’s essential to listen to your customers in real-time and take their input to heart. Always strive to make your customers happy. Without their happiness, you can’t achieve success.

Eric Huan, CEO Zoom Video

Since the spread of Covid19, Zoom has been the most used tool for video conferencing worldwide. Previously, it was majorly known by the tech industry. However, many tech companies would rather use Lifesize, an excellent product, offering high video quality. Additionally, you can also bundle it up with their specialized meeting rooms’ hardware for the best video conferencing experience.

Now, let’s take a look at why and how Zoom has become so successful.

Zoom is a customer-driven product, built by engineers with years of experience building video conferencing tools. They were focused on getting out a tool that actually works without driving users crazy. All their initiatives were focused on making customers happy. This hasn’t happened over time as the product started back in 2011 and has been growing ever since. In 2013 they had 3 million users participating in a Zoom meeting. In 2014 this figure increased to 30 million, in 2015 to 100 million and now they’re at 200 million every day!

Zoom’s success was built on customers being happy and not on growing fast.

Though the competition was very tough even back in 2011, the CEO believed that the market had the potential for improvement. Zoom’s chance of surviving depended on offering a better product and that is why they focus on customers’ needs.

Another great win was thanks to the marketing strategies adopted throughout the years. One of their first important wins was focusing their marketing on early adopters cause these are the ones that spread the word fast. So they put their first billboards on Route 101 in the heart of Silicon Valley. Other expensive marketing strategies included sponsoring the Golden State Warriors basketball team.

Lately, in the midst of the pandemic, the choice of offering free meetings for up to 100 people for 40 proved to be genial. Everyone who wanted to give online classes, services, or simply a group chat tried this on Zoom. I don’t have the exact figure of how much these converted into paid subscriptions but given that they assume an average of 45 minutes per meeting, the happy customers would happily buy the service for just 140$ annually.

In contrast, their main competitor Lifesize offered free meetings with no time limitations but put a 10 host limit. This strategy proved to be weak as 10 is too little even for a small class. Zoom Video’s product and marketing teams proved how good research, a proper marketing strategic plan, and patience can give you that extra stride against competitors. This has possibly led to Zoom Video getting 800x more revenue than Lifesize.

Netflix

Netflix also became a star performer during the pandemic. It is one of those services that make people happy even if confined to their homes. This has added up to 16 million subscribers in the first quarter. Luckily for the investors, Netflix has been performing well but is also growing in net profits. It grew approximately 3 times in 2 years despite the cash spend on the content is growing very fast.

However, Netflix is facing new challenges as in the US the number of subscribers is predicted to start slowing. We’ll see how the product will continue to perform in a few year’s time. I’m curious about how they can boost the cash flow from the actual subscribers. This can prove to be tricky especially due to the tough competition from Amazon and Disney Plus who unlike Netflix are currently spending hundreds of millions in TV ads in the US. In contrast, Netflix is investing more in its content and up to now, this strategy has proven them well. Identifying new markets and customers’ new interests has proved to be the key to their success.

For example, Netflix unlike rivals such as Amazon is upping investment in Turkey where many Turkish series known as “dizi” are being screened in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Just looking at the number of views of the Turkish series on YouTube might give you an idea of their widespread interest.

“Turkey, with its rich history and cultural heritage, is home to many untold stories. This is why we continue to invest in more and more Netflix originals in Turkey.”

Pelin Distas, Netflix’s director of original content

Pelin Distas, Netflix’s director of original content, said: “Turkey, with its rich history and cultural heritage, is home to many untold stories. This is why we continue to invest in more and more Netflix originals in Turkey.” Personally, I think he’s doing a great job and the users rewarded this effort. I am curious to see if the other providers will follow this trend in the near future making Netflix the top trend-setter in this sector.

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