The Product Management Dictionary: product management events

Welcome to The Product Management Dictionary, an ongoing series created to help you navigate the world of product management. Today, we're discussing the topic of product management events – their importance, types, and the benefits they provide for product managers. Whether you're a seasoned product manager or just starting out, this guide is for you. Let's dive in!

Understanding Product Management Events

Product management events provide numerous benefits to those in the industry. As a product manager, attending these events can help you stay informed about the latest trends, challenges, and best practices in the industry. Moreover, product management events provide you with a unique opportunity to connect with peers, experts, and influencers. Networking with individuals from other companies, regions, and industries can help you expand your knowledge and stay up-to-date with the most recent developments in your field.

Product management events come in various forms and sizes. Some events are organized locally, while others are international conferences that attract attendees from all over the world. Regardless of the event's size, product management events typically involve a combination of keynote speeches, workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

The role of product management events in the industry

Product management events play a crucial role in advancing the field of product management. By bringing together product managers from various backgrounds and industries, product management events foster information exchange, provide industry updates, and educate attendees on the latest tools, frameworks, and best practices. Additionally, the events help attendees develop their professional network and find opportunities for collaboration with other organizations.

Types of product management events

The product management industry offers a variety of events for professionals to attend. Depending on their objectives and preferences, attendees can choose between the following events:

• Annu al product management conferences: This type of event is the perfect opportunity to learn about the latest trends and best practices in product management. Annual conferences are typically attended by some of the industry's most influential speakers and attract professionals from all over the world.
• Regional product management conferences: These types of events are typically smaller-scale, but still provide valuable insights on regional market dynamics, challenges, and opportunities in product management. Regional conferences also offer an excellent opportunity to meet and network with fellow product managers in your area.
• Niche product management conferences: These events are tailored to specific areas of product management and are aimed at providing attendees with in-depth knowledge of a particular field. In other words, niche product management conferences are perfect for professionals seeking to learn more about a specific area of product management, such as product design or pricing.

Essential Product Management Conferences

Now that we've explored the types of product management events available, let's take a closer look at some of the most important ones to add to your calendar.

Annual product management conferences

Some of the annual product management conferences that you shouldn't miss include:

• Mind the Product: This conference is a must-attend event for product managers of all levels. It takes place in various locations worldwide and features some of the best product management speakers and experts in the world.
• ProductCamp: As an unconference event, ProductCamp offers an excellent opportunity for attendees to customize their learning experience and make valuable connections. ProductCamp events take place in various locations around the world.
• Industry: As one of the largest product management events in Europe, Industry attracts thousands of attendees and features some of the most influential speakers in the industry. If you're based in Europe, this event is a must-attend.

Regional product management conferences

Here are some of the regional product management conferences to consider attending:

• ProductTank: With over 150 chapters worldwide, ProductTank is a fantastic opportunity to connect with and learn from product managers in your local area.
• ProductCon: ProductCon is a series of regional product management events held across the United States. The event offers a combination of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops.
• Australia Product Management: This event is exclusively targeted at product managers in Australia and offers a unique opportunity to learn about the challenges and opportunities in product management in the region.

Niche product management conferences

If you're looking to learn something specific, check out one of these niche product management conferences:

• Productized Conference: This conference focuses exclusively on product design and attracts designers and product managers from all over the world. The event offers an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest design trends and techniques in product management.
• Monetize: This event is tailored to product managers interested in pricing strategy and revenue optimization. The conference features some of the most influential pricing experts in the industry and provides attendees with the tools they need to make informed pricing decisions.
• Product Marketing Summit: Product marketing is a critical component of product management, and this conference provides attendees with an opportunity to learn about best practices in product marketing, brand management, and customer engagement.

Networking Events for Product Managers

In addition to conferences, there are several networking events that product managers should consider attending:

Local meetups and workshops

Local meetups and workshops are a great way to build relationships and learn from other product managers in your area. Meetups and workshops provide a more informal setting for networking and often feature a specific topic for discussion. Some product management meetup groups to check out include:

• Product School Meetup: With chapters located in various cities worldwide, the Product School Meetup is an excellent opportunity to network with other product managers and learn about the latest trends in product management.
• ProductTank: As previously mentioned, ProductTank has various chapters worldwide and regularly hosts local meetups.
• Lean Product & Lean UX: This meetup group offers an opportunity to network with other product managers, UX designers, and agile practitioners, as well as attend workshops and guest speakers.

Online networking events

Online networking events offer a convenient way to meet other product managers and learn about the latest trends and technologies in the industry. Some online networking events to consider include:

• Product Manager HQ Slack group: This Slack group is specifically designed for product managers to connect and ask each other questions. It's an excellent resource to connect with product managers from all over the world.
• Product Manager Club on Clubhouse: Clubhouse is a relatively new social networking app that allows users to participate in audio conversations. The Product Manager Club is a great way to connect with other product managers and discuss trending topics in product management.
• Product Manager Breakfast: Product Manager Breakfast is a bi-monthly event that takes place online and offers attendees a platform to exchange knowledge and connect with peers from other organizations.

Industry-specific networking events

Networking with other professionals in your field can be invaluable, and industry-specific networking events offer a great opportunity to connect with other product managers in your specific industry. Some industry-specific networking events include:

• Healthcare Product Management: This event is tailored specifically toward product managers working in the healthcare industry. The event focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities found within this vertical.
• Product Management in Fintech: This event brings together product managers working in fintech to network and learn from each other. It provides a great opportunity for attendees to find solutions to the unique challenges facing product managers in fintech.
• Product Management in SaaS: The SaaS industry has unique product management needs, and this event provides attendees with an opportunity to learn from experts in the field and connect with other product managers working in the industry.

Product Management Webinars and Online Events

Webinar series for product managers

Webinars are a fantastic way to learn about product management topics from the comfort of your own home or office. Many organizations, including industry associations and vendors, offer free webinars on a variety of product management topics. Here are some to consider:

• Product School Webinars: Product School offers a series of webinars that cover various product management topics. The webinars are conducted by product management experts and provide attendees with valuable insights on the latest industry trends and best practices.
• Product Marketing Alliance Webinars: Product Marketing Alliance is a fantastic resource for product managers looking to learn about product marketing. The organization offers several webinars throughout the year that cover various product marketing topics.
• Pragmatic Institute Webinars: The Pragmatic Institute offers a series of webinars that cover various product management topics, including market research, product strategy, and roadmapping.

Online workshops and masterclasses

Online workshops and masterclasses are an excellent way to learn about specific product management topics in-depth. Some organizations that offer online workshops include:

• General Assembly: General Assembly offers several online workshops and courses that cover various product management topics, including product design and user experience.
• Product Manager HQ: In addition to the Slack group mentioned earlier, Product Manager HQ also offers an online product management course that covers the fundamentals of product management.
• Mind the Product: In addition to their annual conference, Mind the Product also offers various online workshops and masterclasses that provide attendees with in-depth knowledge of specific product management topics.

Virtual product management conferences

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many product management conferences have gone virtual. Virtual conferences offer attendees a way to learn from industry experts and connect with their peers from the comfort of their own homes. Some virtual product management conferences to consider attending include:

• ProductCraft Conference: This virtual event is organized by ProductCraft and features a lineup of fantastic speakers and experts discussing various product management topics.
• ProductCon Live: ProductCon Live is a series of virtual product management conferences that offer attendees a way to learn about the latest trends and best practices in the industry.
• Global Product Management Talk: The Global Product Management Talk is a virtual event aimed at product managers and focuses on topics such as product strategy, pricing, and product development.

Conclusion

Product management events play a critical role in the success of product managers. By attending these events, you can stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, best practices, and challenges. Moreover, attending product management events provides you with a valuable networking opportunity, which can help you expand your knowledge and find new opportunities for collaboration. As outlined in this guide, there are various types of product management events for you to choose from, including conferences, networking events, webinars, and online workshops.

So, whether you're looking to learn about pricing strategies, design techniques, or customer engagement, there's a product management event out there for you. Use this guide to choose the events that are right for you and take the first step towards advancing your career in product management.