Blog
Inertia 0
The inaugural Rocky Mountain ProductCamp is a month away. It seems like there is still too much to be done. However, the main thing to be accomplished is on raising the awareness. Just like a tree falling in a forest, does creating a web site generate traffic?
Probably not; which is why it is up to all of us attending to start that traffic flow. With some hard work and a bit of luck, it will develop its own inertia and take on a life of its own.
So, if you are hearing this, spread it to a friend or two. Encourage them to register and we hope to see you shortly. Ultimately, you will benefit in the end.
TANSTAAFL 0
“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”
ProductCamp doesn’t have a monetary entry fee but there is a cost to attend. That cost is your time, attention, and participation. How much is that worth during the week? Now how much is it worth on a Saturday?
We realize the priceless aspect of our attendees efforts and input, that’s why we have worked with our sponsors to eliminate distractions. ProductCamp sponsors have taken care of the incidentals like: the venue, coffee, and food for the day. Their investment keeps you on track for the day. In return they ask that you get invested by helping out where possible; leading or participating in a session; sharing your knowledge or mentoring a student attendee. The incredible part is that at the end of the day you are a direct beneficiary of your own efforts. Where else does that happen?
There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but ProductCamp is about as close as you can come (legally).
Have you signed up yet?
ProductCamp Season 1
What keeps you going between summer and ski season? Fortunately the weather here in Colorado has been incredible this early fall period so the doldrums haven’t truly kicked in yet. As a preemptive measure, though a bunch of local, passionate, product people have gotten together to create their own Fall fun that is not to so weather dependent – ProductCamp.
What is ProductCamp? It is a chance to connect and learn from a wide range of product managers, marketers, and folks with an innovative mind set. It started in March 2008 modeling Barcamp. Since then it has caught on many of the metropolitan cities such as: Silicon Valley, Seattle, Austin, Atlanta, London, Toronto, etc. Having attended events in Austin and Silicon Valley the group felt it was time to host one locally.
Why attend? In short, networking and knowledge.
Today’s economy requires you to have a large network. This is true from a personal as well as professional standpoint. Everyone talks about networking in conjunction with employment but how about to solve a problem? Often, another company that is not even in the same market may have solved an issue that your company is currently grappling with. Rather than reinvent the wheel wouldn’t it nice to call on a resource to share their experience or offer a different point of view. It is surprising how common this is once your step outside your corporate walls.
Closely aligned with that idea is the knowledge you gain by being at a ProductCamp. Knowledge sharing is a two way exchange. Being open to new information can eliminate months if not years of trial and error learning. Conversely, sharing your experiences may help formalize your on the job education as well as teach someone else to avoid your pitfalls. Why reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to.
What if I am not a product person, don’t have years of experience, is this still for me? Are you interested in product development, marketing, innovation, how to bring an idea to market – if so then yes. ProductCamps are great places to meet people that have been where you are at. You can pick their brains and learn from their experiences. Use them as an extended mentor team to help you get started down the product path.
So, with less than 6 weeks before the first Rocky Mountain ProductCamp, have you registered? If not, why not? If you have registered, can you speak on a topic that would share your experiences? Your value on the day is directly proportional to what you put in.
Don’t wait, do it now!
All About Product Camp Austin Podcast 0
Paul Young, founder of the wildly successful Product Camp Austin talks with Michael Coté, and Brandon Wichard all about Product Camp. Topics in this podcast:
- Where Product Camp originated
- The history of Product Camp in Austin
- What Product Camp is all about
- Future of Product Camps
Click here for the audio dialogue. (42:35)
If this sounds like something you’re interested in join us by registering now.
Why Product Camps Are Important 0
The following is a blog post written by Jim Holland concerning the importance of product camps. Thanks for your comments Jim!
I wasn’t surprised at the response and recognize after attending product camps several times, there are several reason while I’ll continue to attend, support and contribute.
What do you gain from spending several hours on a weekend day with hundreds of product management peers?
While sitting in a session conducted by Karen Williams, Eric Holtzclaw and Tumara Jackson on Doing Personas Right, Tumara commented, “personas should play an integral role in roadmap planning.” This wasn’t a new concept to me, but one I hadn’t thought about. It was presented with real experience and she conveyed its value in 5 minutes.
As you consider participating, volunteering, sponsoring, speaking or bringing your support and knowledge forward, I’d welcome you to join the majority and attend a Product Camp soon. There are several great links to keep you informed of upcoming events.
rmpcamp.org Launched! 0
Big things are happening in the product camp world. Today we’ve launched the website for hosting the Rocky Mountain product camp. We’re hoping the site facilitates the event as well as we’ve imagined it. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve encountered problems using the site, registering for the event, signing up for UserVoice or anything else related to the event.