Depending on the size of a company, every day/week/month/quarter/six months/year, discussions arise about "buy or build". Business and IT staffers, in meetings, go off on tangents and start talking about software utopia. The reality is both approaches have their pros and cons. However, with the advent of Web 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0 software companies are creating much better than the in-house development team. In general more features, more customization options are becoming the norm of third party software products, whether it be licensed or SaaS.
One of the reasons for third party software products being better than in-house products, is that they employ "Product Managers". Typically product managers have their ear to the customer needs. They interact with all constituents that use the product in a proactive way. It is almost like a shepherd watching over his flock. Care is exercised in developing new features, fixing bugs, along with financial responsibility.
In eCommerce companies and departments you may have all folks such as business directors, IT directors, project managers, developers, enterprise architects, User Interface architects. However, a product manager is lacking. To ask the business director, or the Vice President, or the project manager to play the role of product manager for a few hours a week does not do justice to the website.
Somebody, ideally in the product manager, should be dedicated to watching over the evolution/development of web site and over navigating the difficult "conversion/increased revenue" waters.
Recently read a neat article in Inc magazine about how Reid Hoffman the CEO of Linked In hired Dipchand Nishar from Google to free him up, so he could focus on being a CEO. Reid left the core product development to Dipchand. If Reid can do it every eCommerce shop should hire a product manager!
More cool and useful features on a website equal more ka-ching, and a good product manager is invaluable in the mix.
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Hello Yasawi,
We are looking for a Strategic planner and Business Analyst lead with Digital internet and ecommerce background for production system group of IT with one adult read magazine. The focus will include Community and social networking Digital Asset Management or Commerce initiatives.
I was wondering if I can assist your help, if you know anybody could you please pass my contact info
Thanks
Our Client is a large Publisher in Midtown Manhattan. They are looking for a Lead Business Analyst with strong experience/familiarity in Social/Community marketing, within their Digital, Internet, eCommerce and Production Systems group of I.T.
The Lead Business Analyst will lead or coordinate one or more projects within the client organization. The focus will primarily include Community/Social Networking. In addition it can include Digital Asset Management, and/or e-Commerce initiatives, experience in which would be a great plus. The Lead Business Analyst will provide work as a liaison between our client’s online properties and the I.T. resources responsible for supporting these properties.
The key responsibilities of this position will include:
• Coordinate and organize thought leadership meetings (e.g., Community Council)
• Research next-generation technologies, build relationships with industry experts
• Act as an advocate for the business community and interface with their relevant I.T. support teams
• Provide business requirement definition around content workflow (e.g., recipe database)
• Create & maintain summary plans/presentations for stakeholders, including community council.
• Manage projects and workstreams to closure
• Provide ideas, status updates on progress
• Facilitate/assist with POC’s, UAT’s, etc.
• Possibly manage, oversee work, mentor or write performance appraisals of other IT business analysts.
• Role requires credibility and confidence interacting with senior management, business unit and operations personnel, & the technology team across the full lifecycle of a project.
The requirements for this job include:
• 10+ years hands-on experience performing detailed business analysis and requirements specifications creation
• 5+ years critical thinking and translation of business needs into technology solutions
• Understanding Social Networking
• Experience implementing with some of the social networking solutions such as Pluck, Kickapps, Jive etc.
• Ability to analyze vague project requests and clarify into specific tasks, next steps and deliverables
• Superior written/oral communication skills and listening skills; strong presentation skills a must; comfortable communicating with senior management personnel
• Full systems development life cycle experience
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including Microsoft Visio
Nooshin Anjom
IT Staffing Specialist
StaffIT Inc.
P: 212-338-9595
F: 212-338-0909
Sorry I missed this. In the future I will keep an eye out and let you know.
Interesting post. I guess it goes back to the concept that everyone in a company has a customer - for in house IT teams, that customer is often a business user of the product or service of the internal team. However, my last start-up was a B-B-C, that is, we sold a product to another business, but that product was ultimately used by an end consumer. So, with that analogy, are internal IT teams at eCommerce companies in that same role? That is, they provide a product for their customer, perhaps a marketing person at the same company, but the ultimate user of that functionality or service, or the ultimate beneficiary of that product/service is actually the marketer's customer.
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