Feb 20, 2020

2020 Conference Call for Speakers Submissions Deadline Extended!
Experts! Share your expertise and recent work at the number one global product conference focused on end-to-end product management, development, and innovation. 

PDMA's Competitive Edge Conference: Innovation in the Connected Age is an unparalleled event experience attracting passionate product professionals from across the U.S. and around the world. Product managers, product teams, and innovation executives - from organizations of all sizes - engage with industry thought leaders, academics, and practitioners from across the product spectrum to tackle real-world problems. The 2020 Annual Conference committee is looking for dynamic presentations, case studies, and provocative points of view for our  four highly relevant conference tracks .

Visit our conference website   for complete details.
Submissions close March 13, 2020.
We look forward to your proposal!
 
Addressing Innovation Challenges: PDMA Announces Industry/Academic Collaboration to Steer Research Initiatives and Seeks Volunteers
The PDMA is excited to announce the formation of the Collaborative Research Initiative, a program that will leverage the combined strengths of the academic and practitioner communities of our membership to address pressing challenges that NPD and other Innovation professionals face.  
 
Our Academic members are trained social science researchers, interested in all aspects of new product development as well as innovation management. Industry members experience challenges and seek answers. Together, this committee will identify a set of top priority challenges that could benefit from research, and invite academics to study them to provide insight into levers for successfully navigating them.
 
The committee may sponsor forums or symposia on special topics of interest as the opportunity arises. Research projects that are chosen will be conducted with cooperation of member companies, so that relevant data can be provided.  
 
PDMA will support this effort with small grants and help in soliciting companies to participate. As each study is completed, the researchers will write reports and give presentations to ensure the full membership benefits from this collaboration.  
 
Three academic members have agreed to serve on the Collaborative Research Committee.   They are Cheryl Nakata, (Joseph M. Bryan Professor of Innovation and Professor of Marketing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro), Gina Colarelli O'Connor (Professor of Innovation Management, Babson College), and Berk Talay (Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Massachusetts Lowell).  
 
Our Ask:
To complement the academic side, we seek three members from the practitioner or service provider community who are willing to serve on the Collaborative Research Committee. We anticipate terms of service to be 1-2 years, and expect that time required would be minimal...average 4-5 hours/month, although not necessarily in a predictable schedule.  
 
Finally, we seek volunteers to help in the fund raising process for future years. Part of the funding will be raised through grants and donations, and we need a writer to help prepare those proposals.  
 
If interested, please contact Gina O'Connor at [email protected] by Monday, March 16.
PDMA Webcast: How to Win with Services

Featuring Patrick McGowan, Founder & Managing Principal, The Service Design Group
Thursday, March 19, 2020
11 a.m. CT/Noon ET
Space is limited; register early to reserve your spot!
Attending a PDMA webcast earns one professional development credit for NPDP certified attendees.
Session Description:
Let's face it, services are different! While some aspects of service design and development have matured, firms struggle to produce winning services -- services that produce revenue and drive actual business outcomes. In "How to Win with Services," The Service Design Group will show critical tools and demonstrate techniques necessary to cultivate a pipeline of service innovations; build, test and refine services; and launch and manage a portfolio of winning services.

Rates:
PDMA Members: FREE
Non-Members: $10

Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award
Nominations Now Open Until Feb. 28, 2020
Join last year's winners and a prestigious list of corporations who are recipients of PDMA's Outstanding Corporate Innovator (OCI) Award. For 33 years, PDMA's exclusive OCI Award has been the premier honor for industry innovators.

The award selection process provides an excellent mechanism for identifying companies that create and capture long-term value through product and service innovation. As a global award, companies around the world are eligible. Nominate your own company or one you admire. If you nominate another company, please be sure to let them know they are being nominated and provide a contact for the company.
 
OCI Award Criteria and Qualifications:
  1. 5 years of sustained success launching new products or services.
  2. Significant company growth from new products or services.
  3. Well defined new product development practices and processes.
  4. Distinctive innovative characteristics and intangibles.
PDMA employs a rigorous evaluation process for the OCI Award. 
 
OCI Award Process:
  1. Complete a short form.
  2. Nominees that meet initial screening criteria are asked to complete the full OCI questionnaire detailing practices, processes, and innovation successes.
  3. Finalists host an on-site examination visit by OCI Award Committee examiners.
Companies that participate in the OCI Award program benefit from receiving expert external feedback on their innovation practices and results. Winners are recognized globally and can use this recognition to motivate and reward their organizations. Firms that meet the above criteria, regardless of size or industry, are candidates.
 
PDMA's OCI Award is a high-level achievement and merit-based award program. There is NO application fee. 
 
The deadline to submit is Feb. 28, 2020
 
Innovate Carolina 2020 Conference
It's almost that time of year for the Innovate Carolina 2020 conference.  The annual conference hosted by the PDMA Carolinas Chapter will be held on April 23, 2020 at UNCC Center City Campus, Charlotte, NC. This year's theme: Diversity and Innovation.
 
Check out the speaker lineup for our 11th annual conference. You will hear and learn directly from talent at  Wells Fargo, The Inovo Group, Duke University, City of Durham, authors, Ph.D.s, and many more on  topics such as Gen Z, Neuro diversity, workforce development, "the third largest market segment in the US", personality typing, humans and AI partnerships, and medical field entrepreneurship.
 
You are in for a creative, educational, and innovative day.
 

2020 Conference Early Bird Registration Ends March 2!

Competitive Edge: 
Innovation in the Connected Age

Morphological Products
The new triad of physical products joined by software and services to form a total experience has had a profound impact on the processes of product innovation, product development, and product management. In this track, we'll explore how IoT, Machine Learning, and AI continue to transform the world where we live and how it impacts the work we do optimizing the value proposition at every point of the experience.

Smart Tools & Techniques
Many of the tools we use to ideate, innovate, develop, and manage are changing at the same rapid pace as product life cycles continue to shorten. Join our track speakers and learn more about the latest trends in the fundamental processes, tools, and techniques that drive action at the workflow, information flow, and decision flow level of innovation management. Like smart phones and smart homes, come fill your toolbox with some of the latest smart tools and techniques that will set you apart.

Big Bang Business Models
Do you remember when companies had to make money and short-term ROI was calculated as a part of the business case? The breakthrough impact of new-born companies over the last decade or two brought disruptive business models and technologies that are well-funded, grabbing "land" and then managing their way to profitability over many years. Is your company making a shift or are you on shaky ground? Learn new approaches to your business model that can help you survive and thrive.

Innotech and its Impact
Innovation technology has exploded, and software solutions are part of every aspect of personal and professional life. New technologies, systems, and platforms -- along with distribution options for these solutions -- are changing and aligning with consumer and enterprise behavior. Explore the role software systems, technology, and the cloud play in innovation, product development, and product management.

PDMA Egypt: Product Development Camp

Duration: One week: July 5 - 9, 2020 
Price: EGP 3,800 (Early bird special rate till March 8, 2020: EGP 3,200)
Location: AUC New Cairo
Course description:
Whether you would like to develop a new product/service or enhance an existing one, this course will set you on the right track to bring your ideas to life.

Engage in this hands-on experience, and learn how to practically apply an integrated management approach to the development of new, innovative and successful products from conception to commercialization. Discover the various methods and tools of product development and how to use them. Examine many of the issues that companies now face during development. The course will take you through the product innovation cycle, starting with identifying opportunities and generating concepts to designing, developing and launching a product.  

This course is organized in partnership with the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), Minnesota, United States.

Check out kHUB -- PDMA's Online Content Resource
Are you searching for blogs about product management and innovation? kHUB recently added a section that links to PDMA recommended  podcasts and blogs  .
 
This month, we're highlighting the regular innovation blog series " Innovate on Purpose " developed and posted by Jeffrey Phillips, dedicated to ideas, conversations, and approaches for sustainable, repeatable innovation. Jeffrey is a supporter of PDMA and active in the organization.  He is the conference chair for the annual  Innovate Carolina conference and past president of PDMA's Carolina Chapter. Jeffrey is an author, blogger, and experienced innovation professional in the technology and marketing space. He has worked for major industries, as well as service providers.

Are you wondering what it takes to become the best product manager in a B2B role? Scott Burleson of The AIM Institute outlines the steps of best practices in  Four Steps to Excellence for B2B Companies -- an article posted this month under the Life Cycle Management
knowledge area of kHUB. 

kHUB is organized into seven sections following the PDMA Body of Knowledge framework.  Content and resources are classified into one or more of the following sections:  Strategy, New Products Processes, Life Cycle Management, Portfolio Management, Tools and Metrics, Culture, Teams & Organizations, Market Research, plus "What's Hot", a favorite area for what's new and trending.

As the world's foremost professional association for product management, development, and innovation professionals (practitioners, academics and service providers), our core value is career-advancing knowledge and resources, founded on sound academic research and proven practical application. kHUB facilitates the creation and exchange of product management, development, and innovation knowledge and best practices, that provides the basis for individual professional development and organizational innovation, leading to a competitive edge. Learn how to engage today. 

Login to access the full content and community discussions. 
Announcing the PDMA Student Innovation Challenge
Competition Description 
Student teams will develop an original concept for a product, service, software, or a combination of the three, and develop a submission detailing the unique value proposition, evidence of demand, and mockup or embodiment of product. Designs for products, services, or software of any type are welcome. 

Qualifier submissions should refine their product idea and create evidence of demand for their product. Finalist teams may be paired with industry mentors through PDMA. Finalist teams are encouraged to present their concepts, prototypes and mockups at PDMA's annual Competitive Edge Conference. The presentation portion provides students the opportunity to showcase their product development skills in front of product directors, product managers, and product designers. 

Incentives and Awards 
Each finalist will receive a one-year student membership to PDMA.

The champions are invited to attend the PDMA Competitive Edge Conference (free of charge). The presentation portion provides students the exposure to showcase their product development and presentation skills in front of product professionals, Students are encouraged to take time to interact with conference attendees and make connections with practitioners.

Awards will be determined during the PDMA Competitive Edge Annual Conference on Sept. 23, 2020. Three winning teams will be selected by a judging panel, and awarded cash prizes for first, second, or third place to honor their achievements.  Award winners who participate in press releases, social media, and articles on the PDMA.org website will enjoy broad visibility for their achievements.

Stayed tuned for additional details
Philadelphia PDMA January Event Recap
Philadelphia PDMA, in partnership with Temple University's Innovation Leadership Speaker Series, enjoyed a successful, inaugural 2020 program with a panel discussion on Agile Product Development.  Joined by panelists Steve Wilkinson, Innovation Director, Armstrong World Industries; Jason Cavanaugh, Mechanical Engineer and team lead, Armstrong World Industries; and Tiffany Powley, IT consultant and Agile Coach, Dell Boomi, approximately 70 Temple and PDMA guests heard first hand the success stories of implementing Agile methodologies in developing both software and manufactured products. Some of the key Agile principles shared and demonstrated during the session include:
  1. The power of Agile in ideation and concept refinement
  2. The design of dedicated teams with narrow focus to fulfill Agile's expectations
  3. The importance of organizational commitment from above for successful Agile development
Philadelphia PDMA thanks Temple University's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute for the event. Additional information is available in the Temple University press release: Agile Product Development Press ReleaseTo see the results of Armstrong's adaptation of Agile development to manufactured goods, please see the ACOUSTIBuilt tile video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwr3UKcRhMk.
Reflecting on the Impact of Clayton Christensen

Brad Barbera, Founder, Pi Innovation LLC
One of the most intelligent, inspiring, and influential thought leaders in the world of innovation was lost with the passing of Clayton Christensen. His work in the theory of disruption has had, and will continue to have, impact on how executives lead their companies in a world of constant change.

Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, the term "disruption" remains confusing to many, if not most of the practitioners in the fields of strategy and innovation. For Christensen, disruption had a very specific meaning: a lower-end substitute eating away at the market for higher-end products until it eventually surpasses and replaces them (to oversimplify it). For most of the business world, disruption simply means that the supplier of one product or service got their pants beaten off by some other product or service, wherever it came from.

I got to see the response to Christensen's theory play out firsthand while working in the plant-based meat space (if you aren't familiar with what plant-based meat is, think Burger King's Impossible Whopper or KFC's recently announced Beyond Chicken). Such products have been around for decades. But as Eric Bohl, Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy for the Missouri Farm Bureau, described them, such products tended to be just like a "disgusting tofu burger that only a dedicated hippie could convince himself to eat." And indeed, such products were generally targeted at the vanishingly small vegan/vegetarian consumer. Nothing for the mainstream meat producer to worry about.

Or was it?

Enter the startups Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. They reset the quality bar for such products. Rather than just trying to be the best veggie patty around, as one such veggie-patty executive described their own strategy to me, Impossible and Beyond targeted animal meat flavor, texture, and cooking functionality as their goal. Their years of research and development paid off. As Mr. Bohl put it, they are "95 percent of the way there, and the recipe is likely to only get better."

Before Christensen's Innovator's Dilemma introduced the concept of disruption, meat companies would likely have continued to ignore these upstarts, dismissing them as a passing fad, or letting them have their tiny little niche while targeting their stalwart animal-meat base consumer.

Instead, wary executives in these companies took a different course, chanting the mantra "I don't want my company to be the one that gets disrupted." Meat producers around the globe, like Tyson, Smithfield, JBS, Cargill, Maple Leaf Foods, PHW-Gruppe -- the list continues to grow -- have all embraced the trend and invested in the plant-based meat trend, both internally and externally.

I am convinced that would never have happened without Christensen. I'm sure many other industries have witnessed a similar impact. While my example does not strictly comply with Christensen's narrow definition of disruption (the plant-based products tend to be higher priced than the incumbent animal products, and Christensen looked primarily at lower-priced alternatives), it was the awareness of disruptive forces that led these executives to look at their strategic responses differently.

So, while I mourn his passing, I am comforted knowing that he will live on in his disruptive legacy, which will continue to influence strategic thinking, innovation efforts, and academic research for years to come. Rest in peace, Dr. Christensen.
In This Issue
Upcoming Chapter and Global Affiliate Events
PITTSBURGH

PDMA Pittsburgh: PDMA Body of Knowledge Training
Every Tuesday, from Feb. 4 through March 24
6 - 8 p.m.
Beyond the Table Research

PITTSBURGH
 
PDMA Pittsburgh: February "Back to Basics" Workshop
Feb. 27, 2020
6 - 8:30 p.m.
Catalyst Connection - Mill 19

CHICAGO

PDMA Chicago: Breakfast Club (downtown)
March 6, 2020
8 - 10 a.m.
Tech Nexus

MINNESOTA

PDMA MN: Free Networking Event at Utepils Brewery
March 19, 2020
5 - 8 p.m.
Utepils Brewery

CAROLINAS
 
PDMA Carolinas: Innovate Carolina Conference
April 23, 2020
7:30 a.m. Registration
Program 8:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
UNCC Center City Campus

PDMA Carolinas: Sponsorship Opportunities -- Innovate Carolina 2020
April 23, 2020
7:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
UNCC Center City Campus
Learn More
PDMA Research Forum Co-Chairs 2020
PDMA is happy to announce that the Co-chairs for the JPIM Research Forum next year will be Gaia Rubera  (University of Bocconi) and  Ahmet Kirca  (Michigan State).
 
The 2020 Journal of Product Innovation Management (JPIM) Annual Research Forum, powered by the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), seeks paper and poster submissions from scholars from all disciplines who share a common interest in new product development and innovation management. The conference offers networking opportunities with innovation scholars, practitioners, the JPIM Editorial Team and the PDMA community. Full papers, special topics proposals and early stage work are all welcome. Visit the Research Forum page on the PDMA site for the call for papers. The event will take place Sept. 19-20, 2020, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. 
Congratulations to the PDMA Netherlands Chapter for 15 years of success!
The chapter  celebrated  its  15th Anniversary  Feb. 13  with a groundbreaking seminar, Connecting Innovation to Sustainability,   in cooperation with Philips at the HighTechCampus Eindhoven. The event was  sold out !

Egbert-Jan van Dijck, Vice President of Global Affiliates - Europe PDMA, cut the anniversary cake  with Fred Langerak (professor at the Technical University Eindhoven), one of the founders of PDMA Netherlands and still an active member of the professional community in the Netherlands.  Congratulations to the Netherlands Chapter and we wish you many more years of success!
Seeking Presenters for 2020 Webcasts!
PDMA's webcast committee is looking for presenters for this year. Every third Thursday of the month, PDMA provides professional education opportunities for product developers and managers. Each presentation is made by a PDMA member or guest speaker, lasting about one hour and offering rich opportunities for interaction.

>> Present a Webcast
JPIM Is Free with PDMA Membership. Access Your Journal Today!
The JPIM January 2020 issue is now available! Access the latest issue here.

Members, log in and access JPIM articles  here. Non-members may access abstracts. H ard copy subscriptions for members can be purchased  here

Don't forget to download the JPIM app!

JPIM app for iOS and Android devices is available from the App Store or Google Play to read all of the issues and articles awaiting publication under "Early View". S earch for Journal of Product Innovation Management
Your GO-TO PDMA BoK
PDMA BoK Guidebook

Get the latest edition of our PDMA BoK,  combining all NPD Professional exam preparation materials in one volume. Purchase a copy  directly through Amazon .

The PDMA BoK covers the following exam topics:
  • Strategy
  • Portfolio Management
  • NPD Processes
  • Culture, Teams, and Organization
  • Tools and Metrics
  • Market Research
  • Life Cycle Management 
For an overview of each chapter, visit  our PDMA BoK webpage.
Get NPD Professional  Certification

Congratulations on Your NPD Professional Certification!
PDMA congratulates community member s who earned their NPD Professional Certification in January 2020!
 
New NPD Professionals:

Adam Key
Daniela Behzad
Ju Yan
Kaiwen Chiu
Sahba Talebi

Do you have content you would like to publish?
Did you know...  that you can submit articles to kHUB and earn Professional Development Hours for renewing NPD Professional Certification?   
Every accepted regular article is worth 5 PDHs. Every accepted peer reviewed article (such as JPIM) is worth 20 PDHs. What a way to jump-start your required 60 PDH credits every three years, share your product innovation knowledge with others, and put your name in lights as a published author!
January 2020 New Members: Welcome!
PDMA is growing! Meet and connect with our new members by signing into the PDMA community on our website.
 
PDMA welcomed these new members in January 2020. 
 
Welcome! We look forward to working with you! 

Academic Member 
Stephen Pirog
 
Professional Members
Christine Binsfeld
Jennifer Stevenson
Jeff Wilkerson
Chad South
Cynthia Zook
Joseph Lampinen
Sarah Sykora
Ryan Harkins
David Johnston
Sudarshan Mandyam
Mark Le Grew
Susan Blackburn
Matt Frankenbery
Justin Lai
ChinHua Lo
 
Student Members
Matthew Hays
Patricia Fernanda
Brandon Wilson
Oliver Nash
Walter Zimmerman
Md Rifayat Islam
Submit a Book Review
Members, if you have not had the opportunity, please check out the book reviews on the PDMA website  here
              
Earn PDHs for NPD Professional  recertification by writing a book review for PDMA! 

Learn how  here.
 
Contact Teresa Jurgens-Kowal, Ph.D., NPDP, with questions or submissions.
From PDMA Headquarters
Arzu Alimohd (Chapters Manager/ Associate Executive Director) and I enjoyed attending a meeting of the Minnesota Chapter on Feb.11.  PDMA Board member Michael O'Connor (Strategic Scientific Operations/Corporate Science & Technology - Medtronic) hosted the group at Medtronic's Mounds View campus.  Nelson  Soken, Ph.D., Innovation Thought Leader at Medtronic, gave a fantastic presentation: How Understanding Human Cognition and Behavior Can Improve Market Insight and Drive Innovation.  The event had great attendance, networking, questions and knowledge sharing!  We encourage everyone to get involved in a nearby chapter.  Don't have one near you?  Please consider starting one.  PDMA leadership and staff are happy to support you.  Please contact Arzu at: [email protected]
 
Best regards,

Eric Ewald, CAE
PDMA Executive Director 
[email protected]
Connect with PDMA
Stay connected with PDMA in
real-time. Join the conversation today!

Like us on Facebook Check out our LinkedIn Group Follow us on Twitter