Why product managers need to attend the longest running innovation conference

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TLDR

The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) Inspire Innovation Conference, on September 14-17, 2024 in St. Louis, MO, offers product managers and innovators a unique chance to grow professionally.

Why Professional Development Matters for Product Managers

For product managers, ongoing learning is crucial. It helps you create products that customers love and that help businesses grow. The PDMA conference is a perfect place for this kind of learning. Attendees can discover the newest trends in product development, learn about innovation methods, and pick up best practices for managing products throughout their lifecycle.

PDMA: A Long History of Excellence in Product Management

PDMA has been around since 1976, making it the oldest organization dedicated to product professionals. For nearly 50 years, PDMA has focused on sharing what works best in successful companies. It also helps bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application in product development.

How the Conference is Structured



* JPIM Research Forum (Saturday and Sunday morning): This is where academics present their latest research

* Bridge Session (Sunday afternoon): This connects academic ideas with industry applications

* Inspire Innovation Conference (Monday and Tuesday): These are practical sessions for product professionals



Real-World Impact: How PDMA Helps Product Professionals

Bill and Spike shared why they take the time to attend the PDMA Inspire Innovation Conference

Bill works at Boulder Imaging, a company that’s growing quickly. He’s used PDMA’s body of knowledge to improve two important areas:



* Strategy: He’s implemented frameworks to align the company’s overall strategy with each department’s plans

* Teams and Culture: He’s developed ways to keep teams focused and aligned during periods of significant growth



Bill shared an interesting experience from a past PDMA conference. In 2014, he attended a session about whiskeys. They were looking at how packaging compared to the actual value and taste of the product. This session showed Bill how important product presentation is. For example, they talked about Maker’s Mark whiskey. The company thought about lowering the alcohol content from 90 proof to 80 proof to meet increased demand, thinking people usually mix it with water or ice anyway. But this backfired because customers felt they were getting less value. It taught Bill that how customers perceive your product is just as important as what the product actually is.

Spike works in market research and is relatively new to product management. He’s found great value in PDMA’s focus on Voice of the Customer methods. The conference has helped him with:



* Qualitative and quantitative market research techniques

* Understanding consumer behavior beyond just looking at numbers

* Implementing effective Voice of the Customer strategies in product development



Spike emphasized the value of the conference for newer product managers. You can dive deep into topics and actually talk to the speakers after their presentations. It’s not like watching a webinar where you can’t ask questions. You can sit down with experts and really understand the concepts.

Focused Journeys for Attendees

One unique aspect of the PDMA conference is its journeys for attendees. These are tailored paths based on what people need and are interested in:



* Ideation and Discovery: This journey explores how to come up with new ideas and understand what customers want

* Development and Delivery: This focuses on how to launch products an...