This excerpt from the book Turn Ideas Into Products introduces the key steps in a modern product life cycle process. Most product management and development methods take a “step 1, 2, 3” approach as if you’re starting from nothing. They assume you don’t already have a product in some phase of its life cycle. However, the reality is this: most of us don’t start from the beginning. We usually start somewhere in the middle.

Product leaders are often called on to jump in midstream. Explore two product journeys in this quick read.

Today’s agile development methods are great but don’t miss the forest for the trees. You still need a vision, a roadmap, and clarity of team roles to succeed. Look Beyond the Product explains what today’s executives need to know about agile development methods and the business of managing products.

So you’ve got an idea for a company or a product. Most often, the first step is to estimate the costs and revenues to see if you can deliver it profitably. But before you start running the financials, ask yourself, “Is this product a good fit for my organization?”

Product and portfolio roadmaps are key deliverables in any product planning process. A roadmap looks beyond what you’re doing now. It explores not where you’ll be soon but where you could be a year or more down the road.

Every marketing person will tell you that customer interviews provide deep insights on the product, its promotion, your sales team effectiveness, and your company strategy. What they often fail to do is explain, exactly, how to conduct an interviewing program.

Product managers are overwhelmed with too many responsibilities that require too many areas of expertise. One part of the company expects domain expertise while another values market expertise. How do you organize your team for success?